Yes, you are prejudiced, but not all prejudice is bad
My newest MB is a 1985 and they're all diesels. However, you are overlooking one model. If I thought it made economic sense, I would buy a motorhome on a Sprinter chassis. If I had a business that required a van, I'd also buy a Sprinter in a heartbeat. There's a closer evolutionary connection between the current Sprinters and the early diesel 207-409d vans than there is between the ML and the early G-wagons.
By the way, if you follow the links that Ghurka posted in the diesel forum some time ago, you will discover that the early vans and G-wagons are still being built with the 616 engines in India. Some of them are even turbocharged. So lots of people in the biggest democracy on earth, must agree with your prejudices.