Diesel is the business and, if you're not in you can't win. Most car-makers know this.
Some still launch petrol-only offerings with the promise of a diesel version later, but smart marketing suggests it should be on sale there and then.
Mitsubishi's big MPV, the Grandis, made its European and Irish debut well over a year ago but only as a 165bhp 2.4i petrol model that sells here for almost €38,000. Now D-day has come - a 136bhp 2-litre diesel going on sale in September should give the Grandis a breakthrough.
It comes with an Irish entry-level price of €36,995, about €1,000 cheaper than the current petrol version. A more luxurious diesel option with 17" alloys, dual sunroofs, leather seats, air conditioning, heated front seats and rear parking assistance will retail at €40,995.
Robert Guy for Mitsubishi here is confident of selling around 300 Grandis diesels next year. Last year, with only the 2.4 petrol availability, sales were 30 - and 40 so far this year. European sales are projected to be 15,000 next year, at least 70 per cent diesel.
For the uninitiated, the Grandis comes with six or seven seats and a third row of seats that cleverly folds away under the floor - Mitsubishi call it Hide and Seat. Much bigger than family MPVs such as the Renault Scenic and Opel Zafira, its main competitors are the Ford Galaxy, VW Sharan and Renault Espace. Espace is the European market leader in this big-sized MPV segment and Mitsubishi says that the Grandis is the closest real alternative.
Mitsubishi got its diesel plant from VW - it's the same 2-litre TDi used in the latest Golf and other VW models. In performance terms, there's little difference between it and the 2.4-litre petrol, just 0.8 seconds in its 0-100km/h (62mph) time.
The diesel's appeal is, of course, the mid-range spread of torque which means that in most everyday driving chores it's actually faster.
Mitsubishi has badged the new engine Di-D. A brief test last week showed it to be vigorous and hard-working with assuring mid-range punch, especially when overtaking. It was surprisingly noisy when slow-moving or static, becoming more settled on the open road and at touring speeds.
Mitsubishi says a combined cycle of 6.6 litres per 100 km is possible. That's around 43mpg.
Some revisions have been made. Steering and front suspension have been retuned. The diesel comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox, allowing the driver to sup up all that torque.