From 1960 through 2002, over 20 car makers ranging from Audi to Volvo offered over 80 diesel-powered passenger cars in the U.S. Indeed, 1981 marked a watershed year for diesel car sales with 520,788 sold. 60% of those came from General Motors and included the company’s biggest sedans, the Cadillac Sedan de Ville and Fleetwood, the Buick Electra and LeSabre, and the Oldsmobile 98 and 88. The oil crises of the 1970s had scared new car buyers enough so that they would put up with the diesel’s noise, fumes, and somewhat iffy starting in cold weather.

Diesel car back at that time accounted for 85% of Peugeot’s U.S. sales, 78% of Mercedes-Benz’, 58% of Isuzu’s, and 50% of Volkswagen’s.