BREAKING NEWS - HONDA SALES UP AGAIN IN CANADA THIS OCTOBER

Despite increasing worries over the economy, decreased consumer confidence, and the emphasis placed on a 'terrible' economic situation in the leadup to the mid-October federal election, Honda managed to overcome the negativity to post improved sales in Canada during the month of October. Acura, alas, did not.

More details will come regarding the full slate of automakers in both Canada and the United States for the tenth month of 2008, but for now take a look at some of Honda and Acura's Numbers posted below.

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2 - percentage increase in total sales for the Honda division comparing this October with October of '07

7 - percentage decline in total sales for Acura this October

58 - percentage increase in the sales of the Fit, Honda's smallest car in the market, over the previous October

68 - percentage increase in sales of the Pilot, Honda's largest vehicle in the market

32 - percentage increase in sales of the CR-V, which happens to be the best-selling SUV in America

30 - percentage increase in sales of the Ridgeline, Honda's only truck

28 - percentage sales increase for the CR-V's platform-mate, the Element

47 - percentage increase in Acura TL sales during the 31 days ending Friday

33 - percentage increase in Acura TSX sales this October

8 - models not mentioned by Honda/Acura in their bragging press release (Accord, Civic, S2000, Odyssey, CSX, RDX, MDX, RL)

SMALL CARS DRIVING BIG SALES IN CANADA - NUMBERS

Auto sales in the United States are down about 13% so far this year. That number will worsen after October's sales statistics are released soon. Vehicle sales in western Europe are off around 5%. A quick look at Canada reveals a different story. So interconnected is its economy with the USA but so disconnected are its automotive performers. Overall sales in Canada this year are up over 1.4%.

Why is this the case? Despite a global economic collapse, cars and trucks are basically 10% cheaper in Canada this year, as the dollar climb of late '07 created the biggest year-over-year drop in vehicle prices since 1956. All the Numbers you need to know are below.

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25 - percentage increase in the total sales volume of subcompact cars in Canada this year through September

9 - percentage of the market now held by subcompacts

5 - percentage of the market normally held by subcompacts in historical terms

1 - total vehicle segments apart from subcompacts to post sales increases in Canada this year: crossovers

4 - likely decrease in automaker profits in Canada despite the sales increase

6 - percentage reduction in total sales volume expected by ScotiaBank in 2009

LEWIS HAMILTON'S RACING BIOGRAPHY IN 3 MINUTES OF CNN VIDEO

Yesterday Lewis Hamilton became the first Englishman to win the Formula 1 championship since 1996. He is the youngest ever title holder. The race was available right here on GoodCarBadCar.net, but for the racing background of this McLaren-Mercedes superstar, check out CNN's 'Hamilton's Fast Rise' below. 

DESIRING OLD BENZ M-CLASS STUFF... FROM KOREA... WITH A DIESEL?

Drawing crowds has not been a SsangYong forte. In fact, SsangYong's Rodius managed to disperse gathering crowds with the power of a Pontiac Aztek.

Apparently, however, SsangYong's stand at the British Motor Show was a collector of people. They were all coming to see this, the SsangYong Rexton R-Line. 22-inch wheels; lowering springs; sports exhaust; and upgraded Nappa leather inside combine to separate the R-Line from its lesser Rexton brethren.

(Click here for other SsangYong stuff)

186 horsepower and 296 lb-ft of torque are sent to all four wheels from the 2.7L five-cylinder diesel. SsangYong has gone the Bentley route, where in press releases, they make mention that alternative paint colours and interior leathers can be chosen - "anything is possible".  Equipment is plentiful with stability control, ABS, parking sensors, cruise control, auto lights and wipers, side airbags, electric folding door mirrors and heated seats. 

And in case you doubt the SsangYong's credibility, be sure to remember that much of its technology comes from a certain German manufacturer with whom the Korean company has a technology partner: Mercedes-Benz.

BMW 3-SERIES & BMW X5 3.0L DIESELS READY FOR NORTH AMERICA

The 11th month of 2008 is upon us. Some of the best news you'll receive this month will soon be sitting outside your local BMW dealership. "Successfully meeting the strict exhaust emissions requirements of the North American automobile market, BMW Advanced Diesel - slated to hit US roadways in November 2008 - will be available in all 50 states," BMW's press release says. Wunderbar. BMW Canada will be importing the new diesels as well.

In both 3-Series and X5 form, the 3.0L twin-turbocharged diesel generates 265 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque. That torque, available way down low at 1,750 rpm, will tell a story. The story will be very different from that of the 335i's twin-turbocharged gasoline 3.0L, but will manage to be similarly exciting. (That hi-po 3-Series engine has 35 more horsepower but 125 fewer lb-ft of torque.)

Twin-turbocharged isn't the most accurate definition. A small turbocharger helps out at low rpm; a larger turbocharger kicks in to really add thrust as revs rise. Expect the 335d BluePerformance to hit 62mph in slightly less than 6.2 seconds (BMW's claim) while the X5 xDrive35d should be about a second slower. Fuel economy sits in the range of 23/33mpg for the 3-Series and 19/25 for the X5.

And just how can BMW offer a dirty old diesel in 50 states? Well, let us escape the premise of your question which is all too faulty. BMW's release explains: "To ensure full compliance with the demanding emission standards in California and other US states, BMW uses SCR technology to reduce nitric oxides (NOX), enabling nationwide introduction of BMW Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance as a 50-state model (BIN5).....Featuring precision-quality precise piezo-injectors to deliver the precise dosage of fuel into the combustion chambers with the smallest volume of pre-injection, the third generation system ensures a particularly clean injection process with optimized fuel consumption, emissions figures and running smoothness."

 A full BMW 335d BluePerformance gallery is below.

NOT TO BE OUTDONE - Hamann tinkers with already-bad SLR to make Hamann X6 look pretty

Great for interviews, more difficult in life. "I like a challenge", they say. Apparently that's why Hamann, a somewhat respected German tuner/manufacturer, chose the McLaren SLR as its next project. Apparently, some stylist was given the task of making the Hamann X6 look good. As a result, said stylist chose as his or her subject the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, a really awful-looking transportation device of the superbly fast variety.

More white and black, just like the X6 recently covered here. More Hot Wheels craziness; but only in the sense of Hot Wheels models you never actually buy your kids. It's 14 km/h faster than the regular SLR, a car that wasn't exactly crying out for more speed.

Yup, it doth appear as though Hamann made their X6 look good. But only if it's parked next to this beast.

HAMANN DRASTICALLY ALTERS THE X6 AND FAILS - 37 PHOTOS

BMW tuners are a fairly capable bunch. Hamann doesn't restrict itself to BMWs, and perhaps for that reason, their lack of expertise is proven here.

Were the Beatles to rewrite "Hey Jude" in 2008 for automotive purchases, they wouldn't sing, "... take a sad song, and make it better". No, it'd be more like: "Hey Ham, don't make it worse. Take a sad ute, and make it better. Remember, BeeEm screwed it from the start; you ought to make it so much better".

I doubt Hamann would listen anyway. Hamann replaced the wheels and made them all-too-spokey and way too black. White often looks good on cars these days, but not the X6. True, no colour looks good on the X6. The black addenda makes the white look even worse. Front air dams of this size would look out of place on a Rolls-Royce SUV, were there such a thing. The lowered suspension survives to cause increased desire for a better option: BMW's 335i Touring. 

Oh, this X6 xDrive35i is more powerful and torquey than before, too. Who cares if you can't manage to look at it without cringing? I can't believe I'm allowing a full gallery of this modified X6 to embed on GoodCarBadCar.net.