The pushrod V8 engine of the 114 had its stroke increased from  to . With a  bore, this meant the capacity increased from  to , which was throughout the model's lifespan one of the world's biggest passenger-car engines (Cadillac produced a  engine, enlarged to ).
The 114's engine underwent significant upgrades, including a stroke increase from  to , paired with a larger bore, leading to an expansion in displacement from  to , which remained one of the largest engines ever used in a passenger car for the model (Cadillac produced a  engine, enlarged to ).