If you want diesel performance, your best cars to use are the 86-87 300D, 87 190D and 98-99 E300. In other words, you want an OM602, OM603 or OM606. Any one of those three engines will walk all over a modded OM617 (82-85 300D) in 100% stock trim and will run away from even the most extreme OM617 if they have any performance tuning.

The fastest OM617 powered vehicle I've seen in the USA is a 300D with a Myna pump doing a 10 second 0-60. Now admit it, even a Kia Rio will out run that.