The diesels are coming! The diesels are coming! The European diesel invasion has finally arrived – or re-arrived, as it is. BMW’s diesel-powered 335d (and X5 xDrive35d – a mouthful of a name) will arrive in showrooms by the end of this year as part of a renewed effort by German automakers to sell the diesel-fearing American automobile-buying public on oil burners.

When BMW offered us the opportunity to drive the first 335ds imported to North America, we couldn’t resist. Does BMW have what it takes to transform the anti-diesel mindset that permeates car buyers from Topeka down to Tampa and up to Toledo?

The 335d becomes the third diesel-powered sedan on sale for 2009, including the recently re-introduced Volkswagen Jetta TDI and the Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTec. BMW promises that performance and economy will both take priority, two virtues seemingly at odds in the eyes of most enthusiasts.

What is it?
It’s the return of the diesel BMW. The last BMW to fill up at the green-colored pumps at United States fuel stations was the 524td, which departed more than 20 years ago. Those few black smoke-belching 524tds still on the road today share little with their great-grandson, the 335d.

The 335d features a 50-state compliant version of BMW’s 3.0 liter diesel inline six-cylinder, putting out 265 horsepower and 425 lb-ft. of torque in this application. Only offered with a six-speed automatic transmission – BMW says the engine is too torquey to mount up to a manual – the 335d has been modified for United States buyers with a BluePerformance filter, in BMW-speak, that helps the car meet CARB (California Air Resources Board) standards.

The 335d goes on sale by the end of December all across the land of the free.

What’s it up against?
With a base price about $2,500 over a premium unleaded-fueled 335i, the 335d’s most natural competitor is its traditional stablemate, though the 335d does qualify for about $900 in U.S. tax credits.

Alternative fuel shoppers might also visit the Mercedes-Benz dealership for the heavier, larger and slightly less-powerful E320 BlueTec. Similarly optioned, the Mercedes runs about $8,000 more than the 335d.

Diesel lovers can also drop by their local Volkswagen store for a Jetta TDI, offered in sedan and wagon versions. A thrifty shopper could take home two Jetta TDIs for the price of one 335d, though Volkswagen doesn’t bill the Jetta TDI as a high-performance machine.

Any breakthroughs?
The 335d’s advanced diesel technology and filtration system give it little-to-no smoke or NOx emissions, substantial torque and terrific fuel economy. Expected to be rated 23 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway by the EPA, BMW’s engineers say the car’s real-world figures will be much, much higher.

Oh, and don’t go looking for spark plugs under this hood.

How’s it look?
Aside from a lower-case ‘d’ in place of the ‘i’ normally seen festooned to the tail of a BMW 335, the diesel is otherwise identical in appearance to its premium-guzzling brother. That means that it also shares the lightly-updated 3-Series body that, for 2009, included revised front and rear fascias and wheels. Our test vehicles, provided to Leftlane by BMW for evaluation prior to the Los Angeles Auto Show, were swathed in graphics advertising the diesel – don’t look for the stickers on cars available to the public.

And inside?
Other than a tachometer that now redlines at 5,000 rpm and a label strongly recommending the use of diesel fuel, the 335d’s interior is the same as any other 2009 BMW 3-Series. Our Premium Package-equipped test car also featured BMW’s fourth-generation iDrive system and navigation. With a much, much higher resolution screen and a faster processor, the revised system works much more effectively. BMW added a few buttons to simplify iDrive (wait, wasn’t iDrive designed to replace buttons?) for 2009. We still find the system to be counter-intuitive at times, but at least it’s BMW makes it an option on the 3-Series.

Much subdued compared to other BMWs to leave the House of Bangle, the 3-Series interior is difficult to fault. Materials are top-notch throughout, the design is conservative but tasteful and ergonomics are terrific. Our minor quibbles are easily addressed by the optional Sport Package; the standard seats have too much lumbar for our backs and the non-Sport steering wheel features a center hub that protrudes excessively, putting our wrists at an odd angle.

BMW treats the 335d as just another engine option for the 3-Series, so the standard and optionally available equipment levels mirror its 335i cousin.

But does it go?
Without even the slightest hint of black smoke. The 335d is absolutely a performance machine, thanks to the massive torque on tap from 1,750 rpm – though 80 percent of the peak torque is accessible from just 1,100 rpm, meaning that the 335d is never out of steam. Only the slightest hesitation from a stop is evident at low speeds, revealing the turbocharged powerplant’s need to spool up a bit before moving down the road.

The 335d pushes your head back into the headrest when accelerating from any speed and the six-speed automatic fires off the kind of rapid shifts we’ve come to expect from BMW. The automaker says the 335d is good for 0-60 sprints in 6.0 seconds – if that’s not enough to convince anyone of modern diesel performance, we don’t know what is.

We’ve said it before with every modern diesel powertrain we’ve encountered, but if you’re used to the days of clattery oil burners, the 335d will downright shock you. There is no shake, rattle and roll here. Only at low speeds will you occasionally hear a light clatter, and, to our sensitive ears and posteriors, the 335d idles just a touch rougher than its gasoline-powered cousins. But with the air conditioning or radio on, you simply won’t know you’re in a diesel.

Unless you watch the fuel gauge, that is: We averaged more than 34 mpg on a 150-mile, mixed driving route that included liberal applications of the throttle. BMW’s assertion that the 335d will exceed the EPA ratings appears to be quite realistic.

Naturally, the 335d handles just like its 335i stablemate. That means that it has a firm – but never punishing – ride, heavy steering and BMW-typical near 50/50-weight distribution and rear-wheel-drive handling characteristics. It rides firmly but is never upset by varied pavement and, though the steering is a bit heavy around town, it possesses the tossability inherent to the 3-Series.

Why you would buy it:
You want a no-compromises, high-performance, high-efficiency sedan with an automatic transmission.

Why you wouldn’t:
You want a manual transmission and you think that $50,000 for a small BMW sedan is a lot of money - regardless of what’s under the hood.

Leftlane’s bottom line
The 335d represents a massive step forward for diesels in the U.S. If any car can change the public’s perception of diesels, it’s this one. BMW wants to stay fairly exclusive, which is why the automaker isn’t yet planning to bring the less powerful, but also more efficient and – most significantly – less expensive 323d to the U.S. We think there would be a huge market for that car, which would likely sticker for about $10,000 less than the 335d – and come standard with a six-speed manual transmission. Hopefully demand for the 335d will be high enough that BMW will be willing to invest in more diesel engines for North America.

2009 BMW 335d sedan base price, $44,725. As tested, $50,250.
Premium Package, $2,650; Comfort Access system, $500; iPod and USB adapter, $400; Cold Weather Package, $1,150; Destination, $825.

Words and photos by Andrew Ganz.

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