By then work had commenced on a modern overhead-valve V-8 engine to take advantage of higher-octane gasoline and rising road speeds. The new design was introduced for the 1949 model year with a 3.81-inch bore and 3.63-inch stroke yielding 331 cubic inches and 160 horsepower at 3800 rpm. Cast iron was used for the block and heads. The crankshaft was now supported by five main bearings. The new valvetrain had overhead rocker shafts and hydraulic lash adjusters. Cars equipped with Cadillac’s new V-8 finished third, tenth, and eleventh at the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans. That year Cadillac topped 100,000 sales for the first time.
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