How Much Power The Mercedes-Benz OM606 Diesel Engine Had & Which Models Were Built With One

Everyone knows Mercedes-Benz for their enormous line of luxurious cars and even their more recent hybrids like the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE, but did you know they also make diesel engines? It may surprise you but the German manufacturer has a robust history with diesel engines, dating back all the way to 1926. Over the decades, they've made some impressive products like the so-special Mercedes-Benz OM617 and the OM606.

Mercedes-Benz developed the OM606 as the replacement for their OM617 and OM603 diesel engines. Although they've never gained equal popularity in the United States, diesel-powered cars are a go-to for European and other markets worldwide, so Mercedes needed a best-of-both-worlds engine to keep up with its competitors. First introduced in 1993, the OM606 was an inline-six diesel engine with three liters of displacement and dual overhead camshaft. It was capable of generating 177 hp at 4400 rpm and 330 lb-ft of torque at 3000 rpm.

With those numbers and an impressively low weight, the OM606 became an instant classic and fan-favorite diesel engine for Mercedes. It had standard and turbo options, and some even see it as one of the best diesels of all time. However, there was only one catch: it wasn't available in that many cars.

Production of Mercedes-Benz's OM606 diesel engine ran from the early 1990s to the early 2000s. One such car to rock the powerhouse under its hood was the Mercedes E 300 Sedan. The 1993, 1994, and 1995 models of this car were all diesel-powered with a OM606.910 engine, generating 136 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque. If you're interested in getting one today, an E 300 Sedan could cost you $9,500 on the lower end, or as high as $101,000. Staying in the E 300 family, another Mercedes with an OM606 was the E 300 Diesel T Wagon. Models of this station wagon from 1994 to 1996 used the diesel engine to generate relatively similar performance as the Sedan, producing 134 hp. However, recent sales for all three model years have been much cheaper, generally ranging from $6,000 to $8,000, though some sales of the '95 model have crept up to $15,000 and above.

Like we said before, the OM606 had a turbo option, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that both of these cars had turbocharged variants. From 1997 to 1999 Mercedes-Benz offered the E 300 Turbodiesel Wagon and the S 300 Turbodiesel Sedan, both of which had an OM606 under their hoods. Naturally, those models offer the higher end of the diesel engine's horsepower, but those are the cars you'll find the Mercedes-Benz OM606 diesel engine in.