I had a '73 Mercedes 220D that made a whopping 60 flywheel hp. 0-60 was 31 seconds, IIRC, without the a/c on. To pass someone you had to file a flight plan in advance
But once up to speed, that little coffee-grinder diesel would maintain 65 mph up hill and down. I drove it back and forth from Pittsburgh to the DC area many times along the PA turnpike in the 90's, getting 30 mpg at 65-70 mph. Not bad for a full-sized sedan, especially one that old.
Diesel used to be cheaper than gas (still is in Europe), but for a long time it's been even more expensive than premium. Not worth the glacial acceleration any more, since the fuel cost is a wash.