(June 9, 2013) While General Motors introduces the new Chevrolet Cruze diesel in an attempt to take a bite out of Volkswagen’s dominance of the U.S. mainstream clean-diesel market, luxury competitors are having to take a second look at the Audi command of diesel power in America’s premium segment.

BMW, for example, now reportedly plans to offer a clean-diesel option across most of its lineup in the U.S., similar to what Audi has begun to do. BMW will add diesel “for most of the model range,” Ludwig Willisch, CEO of BMW of North America, confirmed recently to Automotive News. It will take three years, he said.

Audi of America announced last year that it would be making TDI clean-diesel powertrains available on most of its high-volume models in the U.S. market by the end of this year, beginning with the Audi A8 TDI which is now available. They’ll join the initial Audi clean-diesel lineup of the Audi A3 and Audi Q7 models for the U.S. market.

Meanwhile, Willisch expounded on BMW’s own broad clean-diesel strategy for the U.S. luxury segment.

“We are convinced that diesel is still a very viable offer in today’s environment and has the torque Americans want,” he told the publication. “Diesel still has a huge advantage in fuel economy over a gas engine, between 20 and 25 percent. That is why we are coming out with a 3 Series and 5 Series this year.