It can now.

Even though I have never had much of an appreciation for BMW's, my interest is significantly piqued now. Before, it wasn't that I thought they were bad cars—quite the opposite in fact; the 3-series has been on the 10-best list of Car and Driver magazine seventeen times between 1992 and 2008. No, instead it was their appearance, to some degree. I just didn't find them very attractive cars. But most of all, I couldn't stand it that BMW's were only driven by pretentious, rich people who wanted to show off their wealth. Petty, perhaps, but that's how it was.

But now BMW has introduced something in the US that I can definitely get on board with. For one, I really do like the styling of the new 3-series. And second, they have introduced a 3.0L twin-turbo diesel as an available option for the 2009 3-series. Yes, I said diesel. If you are North American, and you don't need a pickup for towing or hauling things, it is probably hard to get excited about a diesel. But diesels have been standard fare in Europe for years now, and they know how to do it well. In fact, European Car magazine says that we're likely going to see diesel replace hybrid as the word synonymous with efficient and environmentally-friendly automotive technology.

And why shouldn't it? BMW's Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance engine in the 3-series puts out 265hp and 425 lb-ft of torque. The twin-turbo setup has a smaller turbo which spools up quickly to take care of low-end power, giving the bigger turbo enough time to wind up and take over further up into the powerband. The result? Virtually no turbo lag and a diesel-powered car that will hit 60mph in six seconds flat, cruise at 120mph while barely turning 3000rpm, and corner like it's glued to the road. The best part about it: BMW claims this engine will deliver 36mpg at highway speeds. Who would have ever thought that you could describe a diesel with adjectives like quick, sporty, and fun? Sign me up. Here's a brief presentation of the 335d at the '08 Detroit Auto Show.

On another environmentally-friendly but fast and fun note, if you like bigger cars like I do, then you might be interested in a guy who "takes the hugest American cars on the road and rejiggers them to get up to quadruple their normal mileage and burn low-emission renewable fuels grown on U.S. soil--all while doubling their horsepower." Don't believe it? Check it out for yourself.
(HT: Nate @ Culture Making)