I like Chris Chase's comment about the diesel revolution being "a quiet one." That's a great play on words, but if there is to be a diesel revolution this car won't be the one to start it.
I'm a big diesel fan and have been for a while. I never saw the same limitations that others saw (noise, smell, low-revs and low HP). I always liked the positives (noise, smell - those are great to annoy people who need to be annoyed - , torque, frugality, ... and did I mention the torque). These new crop of diesels have pretty much done away with the previous perceived limitations.
But at $50K this car won't start a revolution. Of the passenger diesels on the market (M-B, VW Jetta, and now BMW) only one of them is in the price range of us mere mortals. Or those of us with decent incomes but other places to put it, like kids, houses, retirement savings, etc. And the VW has a less than stellar reliability reputation among some people.
No, for the real diesel revolution to start, Honda and Toyota need to get into the game. Followed, I hope, by Mazda, Nissan, and the Big 2. (Let's face it, RIP Chrysler. Though when the 300 came out I thought that if they had put the M-B 3.0 V6 CDI in that I'd be driving that today instead of a Mazda...) Yes, Honda is reportedly planning a diesel launch in NA but in the Acura line-up to start. That's still a premium brand and won't start a revolution. Put that engine in the Accord and that might start a revolution. Or a suitably sized diesel in a Civic. And then a diesel Camry and Corolla, Mazda3, Maxda6, Nissan Altima and Maxima, Ford Fusion, Edge and Flex, and maybe a Malibu and even a CTS. Once that happens I'll believe that the revolution is here. (Okay, once Honda finally sees the light and puts their NA-bound diesel in the Accord I'll declare the revolution started.)
And what's with BMW not putting a manual transmission in a 3-series? "Premium" is slushbox only? Their excuse is lame. Sure, they may not sell many, but this car still deserves to have a true manual transmission.