The European continent have long embraced the diesel powerplant for its combination of decent torque numbers and even better fuel efficiency.
The North American market, on the other hand, had never been able to fully accept the engines and, in response to the little demand, manufacturers have always kept diesel vehicle distributions in North America rather low.
However, it seems like the Americans are finally turning around. In the first 6 months of 2012, Americans have purchased 61,214 diesel-powered passenger vehicles, a figure that is 27.5 percent more than the number sold the same period the year before.
According to studies, automakers with the best diesel vehicle sales are Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen. In fact, the Audi A3 TDI accounted for nearly 65 percent of all A3 sales.
Executive Director of Diesel Technology Forum Allen Schaeffer commented, "The 27.5 percent increase reflects the emerging market for clean diesel automobiles in the United States. While clean diesel auto and light truck sales total about three percent of the total U.S. passenger car market, the steady double-digit monthly sales increases show a definite trend of interest in diesels."
Given the renewed interest in diesel vehicles, it should be exciting to see automakers offering a wider selection of diesel vehicles for American car buyers. According to Schaeffer, "With more than 15 new clean diesel models designated for the U.S. in the next two years, I fully expect diesel sales to increase even more extensively in the near future."
