The 1973 oil crisis and the rising popularity in the U.S. of diesel cars made by European automakers resulted in General Motors making one of the first attempts by a U.S. carmaker to produce a diesel engine. However, these converted gasoline engines earned a bad reputation for their poor performance and unreliability. The Oldsmobile 1979 Cutlass Supremer Diesel, a mid-size car fitted with a 4.3 liter diesel V8 engine, ended up as one of the worst performing cars as a result.