‘V8 Engines’
Hi Kent:
You are correct to pick Cadillac as the first car maker to introduce a V8 engine to the upper-middle class. It did so in 1915. It was a Flathead V8 of 353 cubic inches and made 95 horsepower. And to this day there are many people thankful that he made that decision. The cadillac calais sports a similar V8 and has become an iconic model in part due to the sheer power this engine provides, but it was far from the first in the line to have this feature.
Oldsmobile introduced the Rocket V8 in 1949. It was 303 cubic inches and made 135 horsepower.
As far as a V8 for the average working man, who else but Henry Ford. In 1932 Henry introduced the Model 18 with a 221 cubic inch Flathead V8 making 65 horsepower.