Wouldn't this carriage propel faster if there was a horse afront pulling it?

The Essex automobile was a boom-and-bust story during the nascent days of the horseless carriage. The vehicle was produced by the Hudson Motor Company from 1918-1932. It became popular as a small, affordable car (various versions were priced under $1500) and models made later than the one pictured in this 1919 ad are responsible for popularizing the enclosed automobile. Essex sales helped Hudson become the number three auto company in America (after Ford and Chevrolet) by 1929. Its popularity waned in the early 1930s, however, and the line was permanently retired.