1954 Kaiser Manhattan
In an era where the “Big Three” were moving toward heavy V8 engines, Kaiser lacked the funds to develop its own. To keep up in the horsepower race, they became the first American manufacturer since the 1930s to offer a factory-installed supercharger as standard equipment. The McCulloch VS57 centrifugal supercharger boosted their aging 226-cubic-inch inline-six engine from 118 to 140 horsepower, providing a “blown” performance boost that was unique on the market.
