Which automaker introduced the small-block V8 in 1955?

Chevrolet introduced the small-block V8 in 1955.

The engine was a 265-cubic-inch (4.3-liter) overhead-valve V8 developed under Chevrolet chief engineer Ed Cole. Known initially as the Turbo-Fire V8, it was designed to give the 1955 Corvette more power than its Blue Flame inline-six while remaining compact and light. The design reportedly moved from drawings to production in about 15 weeks.

The engine appeared in the 1955 Corvette and Bel Air, then quickly became a favorite among racers and hot rodders. Chevrolet enlarged it to 283 cubic inches by 1957, and the family later produced the legendary 327 and 350 versions. Its compact architecture made it easy to fit into many cars and helped establish the small-block V8 as a hot-rodding standard.

A common mix-up is Oldsmobile’s Rocket V8, which arrived earlier, in 1949. That engine was an important early overhead-valve V8, but it was not Chevrolet’s small-block. The 1955 Chevrolet engine is the one associated with the enduring “Chevy small-block” name.