History of the diesel car Production diesel car history started in 1933 with Citroën's Rosalie, which featured a diesel engine option (the 1,766 cc 11UD engine) in the Familiale (estate or station wagon) model. The Mercedes-Benz 260D and the Hanomag Rekord were introduced in 1936. Immediately after World War II, and throughout the 1950s and 1960s, diesel-powered cars began to gain limited popularity, particularly for commercial applications, such as ambulances, taxis, and station wagons used for delivery work. Most were conventional in design. Mercedes-Benz offered a continuous stream of diesel-powered taxis, beginning in 1949 with their 170D powered by the OM-636 engine. Later, in 1959
First Car Rental First Car Rental First Car Rental is the wholly owned car rental subsidiary of Combined Motor Holdings Limited (CMH), a JSE-listed investment holding company based in South Africa. First Car Rental operates out of 51 branches in South Africa and employs over 450 people. First Car Rental’s fleet consists of several vehicle manufacturers including Ford, Nissan, Opel, Chevrolet, Toyota, Renault, Mercedes, BMW, Fiat, Honda and Volkswagen. In 2014, First Car Rental was listed as one of the Top 500 Best Managed Companies in South Africa. As of October 2014, the company has over 6,000 rental vehicles in use in South