The Corvette first offered a V8 engine in 1955.
Chevrolet added its 265-cubic-inch small-block V8 to the Corvette’s options for the 1955 model year. Rated at 195 horsepower, it transformed the car’s performance compared with the Blue Flame inline-six used in the first two model years. The six-cylinder remained available in 1955, so this was the first Corvette year with a V8, not yet the first V8-only year.
Early 1955 V8 cars used the Powerglide automatic, while a three-speed manual became available later in the model year. Zora Arkus-Duntov played a major role in bringing the V8 and manual transmission to the Corvette, helping turn a struggling fiberglass roadster into a more credible performance car.
The distinction matters because 1956 was the first V8-only Corvette model year, while 1957 brought the larger 283-cubic-inch V8, optional fuel injection and an available four-speed manual. Only 700 Corvettes were built for 1955, making that first V8 season particularly rare.