The humble diesel motor earned some unique superlatives when it first went on the European market in 1974. It was the first ever five-cylinder engine ever used in a passenger car, and despite starting with only 80 horsepower at the time, it was also the most powerful engine (via Mercedes-Benz). A turbocharged variant showed up Stateside in 1977, according to Hemmings, and became a hit almost immediately.
The OM617 found its way into American gearheads hearts in the form of the Mercedes 300 D sedan and the 300 TD station wagon available from 1978 to 1986. The engine was also used in a number of limousines, coupes, and family haulers overseas. All told, Mercedes made over 600,000 cars with the OM617 as its powerplant during its production life, and it was exported to markets all over the world. The engine is revered for its reliability like the Ford 300 and its ubiquity like the Chevy Small Block.
Media outlets in the engine’s native Germany absolutely adored the engine for its smoothness and ability to keep up with traffic. American reviews loved the fuel efficiency and relative power it provided. Plus, the bells, whistles, and luxury of a Mercedes doesn’t hurt (via MotorWeek).
In your average station wagon, the engine topped out at barely 125 horsepower — it was not a speed demon by any means. However, the engine was capable of much more. An OM617 equipped Mercedes C-111 test car was able to set a diesel-powered world record. It reached just over 203 miles per hour on the Nardo Ring test track in Italy in 1978. Overall, the diesel-powered C-111 broke 13 different diesel-centric world records (via Mercedes-Benz).
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