Another reason why I think diesels 'should' become popular in America is perhaps the very reason why some people here argue that they won't. Using the example of the V8 4.2 liter Audi A8, you often hear, "Well if they're only going to put it in some $100,000+ luxury car they'll *never* sell any significant number of diesels in this country.' To me that's kind of like the people who take a look at the price of a gallon of diesel and say it's expensive just because it costs more than regular. There's a lot more than meets the eye. It only makes good business sense to take a sophisticated, relatively expensive-to-build engine and stick it in a model where the additional cost is already high. People who buy expensive cars don't blink at paying a couple fo grand for Sat-Nav, HID adaptive headlights, and camera reverse EACH. What's another grand for a technological jewel under the hood?! And these people are the very consmers who become the opinion-makers. Airbags used to be an exclusive Mercedes opion. Now if you don't have front, side, and curtain you're barely in the game anymore.
The thing is, just look at the pickup truck market. It's the PREMIUM modlel that gets the oil burner, and as people begin to, a-hem, 'pickup' on the idea that these engines are not only more durable (enhancing resale value, which people DO look at) they also are really quite refined already, and that's without the new pressure sensitive glow plugs or piezo injection available here yet - technology that is just coming online. Add to that a certain inconquerable locomotive spirit as you storm past people going up steep uphill sweepers, and like most of us here there really isn't much stopping the general public from sprouting a big fat stupid grin on their faces every time they do it. If diesels have to be in a BMW 5-series, an A6, or a GMC Envoy or two initially, it only makes the diesel an aspiriational item, and a smart marketing strategy. Bragging rights sell cars.
If you haven't noticed yet already MPG has reentered the advertising lexicon, so the slogan "That thing gotta hemi?" could well be leveraged to include, "That thing gotta diesel?!" with compelling effect.
~BG