[11] By the late 1920s, several manufacturers were producing large turbo-diesels for marine and stationary use, such as Sulzer Bros., MAN, Daimler-Benz, and Paxman.
[14][15] In 1951, MAN built the K6V 30/45 m.H.A., 1 MW prototype engine, which had, for its time, an exceptionally low fuel consumption of just 135.8 g/PSh (184.6 g/kWh), equivalent to an efficiency of 45.7 per cent.
[20] By the late 1960s, demand for increasingly powerful truck engines led to turbo-diesels being produced by Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Scania AB, and Caterpillar Inc.
In 1952, the Cummins Diesel Special became the first turbocharged car to compete at the Indianapolis 500 motor race and qualified on pole position.
Turbo-diesel cars began to be widely built and sold in Europe during the late 1980s and early 1990s, a trend that has continued to the present day.
[29] Improvements in power, fuel economy, and noise, vibration, and harshness in both small and large-capacity turbodiesels over the last decade have spurred their widespread adoption in certain markets, notably in Europe where they (as of 2014) make up over 50% of new car registrations.
Fitting a turbocharger can bring a diesel engine's power-to-weight ratio up to the same level as an equivalent petrol unit, making turbodiesels desirable for automotive use, where manufacturers aim for comparable power outputs and handling qualities across their range, regardless of the type of power unit chosen.