Mercedes 300 SD W116
Nobody thought that diesel had a future as a fuel for passenger cars until the legendary Mercedes 300 SD. This car combined two rare features – a diesel five-cylinder engine and turbocharging. It became an iconic machine that revolutionized the industry. For the first time, there was a luxury diesel sedan with performance equal to gasoline engines but with fuel economy far better than competitors (via W116).
The Mercedes 300 SD was introduced amid the fuel crisis of the late ’70s. The model was intended for sale on the American market and proved successful even though the diesel and turbo were new, rather unknown features. The engine wasn’t particularly powerful and the 3.0-liter five-cylinder delivered only 120 HP. It managed to move this big luxury sedan with decent performance and fantastic fuel economy.