1983-vintage W123 300D still out there as a daily driver.
Boasting 87 bhp and a monster 127 lb/ft of stump-pulling torque, they'll barely get close to a hundred mph on a slight downhill with a tailwind, but they're harder to kill than a cockroach.
My dad's boss had a 240D of similar vintage, and I once had to drive it to a local service station to get a tire plugged.
I realized I was in the wrong lane at a red light and, needing to beat the panel truck next to me across the intersection, started brake-torquing it when I saw the crossing light turn yellow.
The light turned green and I side-stepped the brake pedal with the little diesel clattering away for all it was worth. The panel truck still beat me across the intersection (I'm not a hundred percent sure the driver knew it was a race) and quickly pulled enough of a lead that I got a good look at the trailer full of lawn mowers and the crowd of bemused Mexican dudes peering out of the open back of the truck.
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