CANADA'S ecoAUTO REBATE

The Government of Canada's initiative to put more people into fuel efficient vehicles by giving them money sees a rearranging of models for year 2008. The list, with the cashback value, is below.

$2000
Toyota Prius
Honda Civic Hybrid
smart fortwo (coupe and convertible)
Ford Escape Hybrid (front and all-wheel drive)
Saturn Vue Hybrid

$1500
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Nissan Altima Hybrid
Toyota Highlander Hybrid

$1000
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Yaris (hatch and sedan)
Mini Cooper (and Clubman)
Honda Civic (coupe and sedan)
Honda Fit
Lexus RX400h
Jeep Compass (2.0L w/CVT and 2.4L manual tranny)
Jeep Patriot (2.0L w/CVT and 2.4L manual-tranny)
Chevrolet HHR
Nissan Rogue

FLEX FUEL VEHICLES $1000
Chevrolet Impala
Dodge Avenger
Chrysler Sebring

WARD'S 10 BEST ENGINES

Ward's has once again named its Ten Best Engines. It seems as though Ward's Auto has staked out a claim on this category of engine ranking and is rather respected and trusted now. 2007's best engines come from four different Japanese manufacturers, the German big three, as well as Ford and GM.

Audi's 2.0L turbocharged inline-four makes 200bhp and 207 lb-ft of torque. BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0L inline-six produces 300bhp and 300 lb-ft of torque. The 3.0L V6 turbodiesel in Mercedes-Benz's E-class produces 208bhp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Ironically, the three German companies infiltrated Ward's 10 Best list with four turbochargers divided amongst the three engines.

Ford's 4.6L V8 is capable of more than 300bhp in the Bullitt and Shelby GT. The 6.0L V8 in hybridized form that we've seen in the Yukon/Tahoe hybrids and GM's 3.6L V6 from the Cadillac CTS form the American contigent.

Honda's smooth and powerful 3.5L V6 from the new Accord is one of two three-and-a-half litre engines on the list. The V6 from Lexus' IS350 is another formidable powerplant. 3.7 litres equals V8-style power in the Infiniti G37, too. Finally, Mazda's 2.3L turbocharged inline-four ends the list as the fourth turbocharged model, as well as the second with just four-cylinders.

TRUE CAR COST

Consulting firm Runzheimer International has released a study that suggests purchasing and operating a Toyota Corolla wouldn't cost much more than simply operating a Cadillac STS.

The STS topped the passenger-car list of most expensive vehicles to operate, followed closely by the Lexus LS460 and Audi S4. Considering fast-rising fuel prices, V8 sedans are obvious per/mile abusers of your wallet. (Assume the exemption of $200K, 10mpg Bentley's and their ilk.)

The Corolla CE is the least expensive to operate, followed by the GLS model of Hyundai's Accent and the Chevrolet Cobalt LT. The Corolla's estimated yearly operating costs of $7,933 - based on fuel economy, insurance, depreciation, taxes, and maintenance over 15,000 miles - are $11,604 lower than that of the big Caddy. There wasn't even a truck or heavy ute that approached the STS' frightening numbers.

Should we expect the smart fortwo to make a dint in next year's most inexpensive operators? With an $11,590 base price, the obvious fuel efficiency advantage, and apparently high demand (protecting second-hand values), the money-losing brand might just provide you with a money-saving option.

$$$$$ - Your's

BREAKING NEWS - TOYOTA, LEXUS, AUDI & MERCEDES-BENZ, MINI POSTING RECORD SALES IN CANADA

Ironically, on a day when Canada's figurehead Governor General, Michaelle Jean, will fly home from Europe to deal with a political crisis that was precipitated to some degree by a lack of extra funding to the automotive manufacturing sector, Toyota says that its best ever year (and it's only December 2nd) comes as a result of Canadian-built models. Excuse the long sentence - The Good Car Guy gets excited over irony.

Not only has Toyota already surpassed 2007's record-setting sales total through just eleven months, but Audi has done so, as well. Lexus and Mercedes-Benz both posted their best-ever Novembers, too.

Details will be forthcoming over the next day or so regarding both American auto sales for November as well as Canadian sales figures. For now, consider that Toyota Canada sold more than 200,000 cars in one year for the first time ever and did so in just eleven months. Lexus Canada sold at a record-setting pace for the 8th consecutive month. Audi Canada set an annual record for the third straight year but did so this year in just eleven months. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz's year-to-date growth stands at 27.7% through November.

Toyota's Corolla, Matrix, and RAV4 along with the Lexus RX350 all posted huge sales gains and are all built in Canada.

UPDATE: Mini has joined the flock of best-ever folk with its eighth-consecutive month of record sales and a best-ever November. Chrysler, Honda, Acura BMW, and Volkswagen are all down - some by large margins - but Jetta sales are waaaaaay up because of new Clean Diesel TDI availability

CAR NEWS BITE

Fluent in German? www.Mercedes-Benz.de showcases the new look of M-B websites that'll be seen across the world. Considering the fact that 50,000,000 people utilized a Benz website last year, reconfiguring the site is a fairly important process. The result seems swell, but the language barrier is keeping me from knowing for sure.

Poor Toyota Motor Corp: the current recall touches the hundreds of thousands. Lexus GS, Lexus IS, and Toyota Crown and Mark X models in Japan may all suffer from potentially faulty fuel pipes. The recall affects 264,000 vehicles in Japan, USA, Canada, and England, and Germany.

2010 LEXUS RX350 AND RX450h - 42 PICTURES

'Space-age' was one term applied to the first generation Lexus RX. Indeed, the concept that many believed led up to the RX350 and RX450h you see below was space-age, as well. However, the RX has progressively grown more awkward. That's too bad, because in all honesty, the first luxury crossover is probably one of the best entry-luxury family vehicles available to North American buyers. It just happens to look a little dorky now. Lexus believes the stance of the RX has been improved along with a more powerful body. I'd suggest that they're wrong on both counts.

The popular hybrid version is now the RX450h, as you read above. This doesn't actually mean the engine is larger, but with more power (up 27-bhp) than before, Lexus has decided to bump its model nomenclature up a notch.

February should mark availability of the regular RX with the hybrid going on sale sometime in the spring. Buyers will be greeted by a few new features, one of which Lexus describes as a "Hard Disk Drive (HDD) navigation system has an all-new 'Remote Touch' controller that is both intuitive and ergonomic". New suspension design has opened up 5% more cargo space. For more reasons than just those two, owners can expect to enjoy their RX; even with its soft handling and its status as an obvious choice. 

Separate galleries for the RX350 and RX450h are embedded below.

JAPAN'S CAR NEWS

You've seen how the latest Impreza WRX makes the run-of-the-mill Impreza look timid and powerless. Now you see the STi. WRX? Timid and powerless in the sight of this monster. I picture Camry and C-class buyers being totally in fear of the body addenda. Front air dam, massive hood scoop, low-hanging rocker panels, and a nuclear exhaust note exiting from quad pipes combine to generate an Impreza to be feared. The Subaru Impreza WRX STi utilizes a turbocharged flat-four and its 305bhp and 290 lb-ft of torque aid the cause of inciting fear.

Problem? Just the one: This upcoming STi is $1,500 more than STi's were in the '07 model year, $2,000 more than they were in 2006, $2,550 more than the price of an '05 STi, $3,875 more than the WRX STi's of 2004, and perhaps almost $5,000 more than the cost of the equally new and fearful Mitsubishi EvoX in base form.

Toyota showcased its brand-new Sequoia in Los Angeles. 381bhp from a 5.7L V8 will be available. Suspension is indepenent at both ends. The Sequoia's chief engineer, Motoharu Araya, lived for a short while with an American family who owned a fullsize SUV in order to understand how these beasts are used by families. That aforementioned 5.7L is mated with a 6-speed auto, while the base 4.7L engine sticks with a 5-speed. Toyota's big ute will be available with air suspension and monstrous 20-inch wheels. Speaking of air, the drag coefficient of 0.35 is remarkably low for such a large box and would have been unheard of only a few years ago. This CoD must be partially responsible for a larger and more powerful vehicle becoming more fuel efficient.


There was an altercation between environmentalists and a Toyota boss following the Sequoia debut, which you can read about here on GoodCarBadCar. It appears to my eye, as an aside that Toyota's interpretation of the square-jawed American truck styling theme is better showcased on the Sequoia than the pickup version of same, the Tundra. That pic above just seems to be - dare I say it..... handsome.

Toyota's luxury-brand, Lexus, assumed the number 1 spot in J.D. Power's measurement of customer satisfaction. The Sales Satisfaction Index is based on customer satisfaction in five areas including: dealership facility, delivery process, vehicle price, finance process, and salesperson.

With Lexus riding at the top, the SSI basically suggests that your buying experience is best if you're buying at a Lexus store. Hummer, Jaguar, Lincoln, and Mercedes followed Lexus in the standings. Perhaps more importantly, for the second year in a row, the industry as a whole united to achieve a record high score. Lexus topped the list at 897 out of 1,000, but the manufacturers' overall score was up five points from last year to 852.

Buick, Cadillac, Saturn, Porsche, Mercury, Land Rover, BMW, Pontiac, GMC, Saab, Volvo, Acura, Audi, Chevrolet, Ford, Infiniti, and Mini were all above average on the SSI. Volkswagen, Chrysler, Honda, Kia, Toyota, Subaru, Scion, Hyundai, Dodge, and Jeep scored below the average mark.

BREAKING NEWS - TOYOTA, LEXUS, SUBARU & MERCEDES-BENZ POST BEST EVER OCTOBER SALES IN CANADA

Toyota's sales figures for the month of October in the True North Strong and Free stand up as the world's best-selling automotive manufacturer's best ever month in Canada. Toyota sold 14,539 vehicles; Lexus sold another 1,304 marking its best ever October.

Also setting "personal bests": Subaru, with 1,784 vehicles sold, and Mercedes-Benz, just ten vehicles under 2K. Diesels were under the hood of 51.7% of all Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold. 72.7% of all Mercedes-Benz cars and SUVs were kitted out with all-wheel drive. Click here for Honda info and check back soon for full rundowns of the Canadian and American October sales statistics.

HOW CONSUMER REPORTS RELIABILITY RANKINGS RELATE TO GCBC AWARDS

Late last year and in early 2008, The Good Car Guy handed out twenty awards. Well, let's be honest: eight of them were shameful awards. The Good 12 and The Bad 8  place significance on vehicles that can be purchased by people you and I know - no Ferraris, Lamborghinis, or Bentleys. Of the hundreds and hundreds of different models available to the North American consumer, The Good 12 tells you which you should buy if at all possible in 2008 and The Bad 8 makes very clear which cars you should not buy if at all avoidable.

Of course, those vehicles are in the running for 2009's Good 12 and Bad 8. If they're still the best, they ought to be recognized that way. But before that comes, it appears that Consumer Reports has released its reliability rankings, pieces of news in which many consumers (how ironic) place a great amount of trust.

So, how do those rankings compare with The Good 12 and The Bad 8? Have a look below.

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Small Cars: Consumer Reports says the Scion xD and Mini Cooper Clubman are at or near the top while the Nissan Versa sedan is the worst. The Good 12 holds fast on the regular Mini Cooper while the Versa sedan resides in The Bad 8.

Family Cars: Consumer Reports puts the Toyota Prius and Kia Optima at or near the top with the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger platform-mates at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent on the topic.

Sporty, Coupes, & Convertibles: Consumer Reports places the Lexus SC430 and Volco C30 at the top with the Chrysler Sebring convertible and Saturn Sky at the bottom. The Bad 8 has both the Sebring and Lexus SC in its grasp.

Luxury Cars: Infiniti's M35 and Lexus IS250 are CR's most reliable; the V8-powered Cadillac STS and V8-powered Mercedes-Benz E-Class are at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net speaks neither well or ill of all four.

Minivans/Wagons: The Toyota Matrix and Scion xB are the best of the bunch in CR's rankings, the Chrysler twins (Town & Country, Grand Caravan) are the worst. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent.

In the SUV/truck arena, the Toyota Tundra; Honda Ridgeline; Toyota Sequoia; Honda Pilot; Lexus RX400h; Honda Element, and Toyota FJ Cruiser are all leaders of their respective packs. Conversely, the Ford F-250; Land Rover LR2; Saturn Vue in V6 all-wheel drive form; Land Rover Range Rover; Volkswagen Touareg; V8-powered and diesel-fired Mercedes-Benz GL-Class; and the Dodge Dakota 4x4 are all unreliable by Consumer Reports' standards.

One more thing: Consumer Reports also said the Honda Fit; smart fortwo; and Infiniti G35 are "also very reliable". Those cars are in The Good 12.

MOTOR TREND NAMES SUBARU FORESTER ITS SUV OF THE YEAR

On its website, California-based Motor Trend has announced that the Subaru Forester is their SUV of the Year.

Other SUVOTY contenders included the BMW X6, Infiniti FX and EX35, Honda Pilot, Kia Borrego, Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Journey, Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Flex, Nissan Murano, Lexus LX570, and Toyota Sequoia. The Good Car Guy profiled the Forester in a 3 To Beat back in February where it performed admirably as well as in Part III of Dreams VS Reality with the Infiniti FX45 and Porsche Cayenne. Subaru's advertising for the Forester has garnered plenty of positive attention, as well.

Although there are dozens of different numbers that Motor Trend factored in when determining the SUVOTY, read below to see a list of the contenders in order of their fuel efficiency as tested by MT. In an era where fuel is expensive and families are struggling, the efficiency of family haulers is more important than ever. 

Subaru Forester (awd): 20.1 mpg

Volkswagen Tiguan (fwd): 17.3 mpg

Nissan Murano (fwd): 17.3 mpg

Subaru Forester (turbo awd) 16 mpg

Infiniti EX35 (awd): 15.8 mpg

Honda Pilot (awd): 14.9 mpg

Ford Flex (awd): 14.9 mpg

Dodge Journey (3.5L awd) 14.9 mpg

Kia Borrego (V8 4wd): 13.6 mpg

Lexus LX570 (4wd): 13.2 mpg

BMW X6 (I-6 awd): 13.2 mpg

Infiniti FX50 (awd): 12.9 mpg

Toyota Sequoia (4wd) 12.8 mpg

Chevrolet Traverse (awd): 12.1 mpg

COULD THIS BE THE NEXT LEXUS RX?

One Lexus vehicle at the Paris auto show was thoroughly panned by The Good Car Guy. Twisting the IS into a two-door hardtop convertible was hard to swallow.... since it's ugly. But Lexus also revealed the LF-Xh Concept. 

Apart from its Lincoln MKX proportions, the LF-Xh is smart-looking and, as you'd expect from the best-selling Japanese luxury nameplate, hugely desirable. Lexus started the trend of midsize soft SUVs with the RX and has advanced the concept with the RX400h. Not surprisingly, the LF-Xh uses a similar drivetrain; V6 gas-electric hybrid. The gallery is below. Don't be surprised to see more than just the design "cues" as part of the next Lexus RX.

THE BAD... FROM THE 2008 PARIS AUTO SHOW

Thus far, two cars that hadn't yet been displayed on these pages have garnered "good" ratings at the Paris auto show. Audi's A1 Sportback and the Renault Megane Coupe are intriguing, handsome, and properly evolved transportation. (Click to read about the ugly and the weird, too.)

Now, for the bad. Although suitable for the ugly category that's yet to come, Lexus' IS250C fits in this space simply because Lexus should know better. Already, Toyota's luxury brand has cancelled continuing production of the SC430 that The Good Car Guy placed in The Bad 8. A second convertible appears, this time of the hardtop variety, and it sucks. The current Lexus IS appears to be a sound starting point. But perhaps its lines don't favour the removal of doors and the fitment of a large and heavy roof. In fact, the IS hardtop-convertible looks downright Chrysler Sebringesque from some angles.

Good gone ugly equals bad. The Lexus IS250C is bad, indeed.

Joining the Lexus is the Peugeot Prologue. There's more to its label, but you don't need to care. Worse than its grille is its description: a new kind of crossover. Will there ever be the same kind of crossover, the kind that one manufacturer releases; indentical in concept to its very direct competitor? The Lexus RX300 and Toyota RAV4 were new kinds of crossovers. We didn't even call them crossovers back in the 90s. Now Peugeot is saying the Prologue HYmotion4 is "a new type of cross-over" and that Peugeot is "anticipating future trends" 

Shut-up. Please. The Prologue may turn out all right; just don't believe Peugeot's hype.

HYBRID LEXUS SUV & RECALLS & AUDI SUCCESS

Are American consumers falling out of love with Lexus RX400h? Are they singing, "We don't love you like we used to do"? Quite clearly; the RX hybrid doesn't have the same appeal in 2007 that it did in 2006. Measuring sales from January through August reveals that RX400h sales are down 31% from the same period in 2006. While we're degrading automobiles, here's a list of 2007's recall-rich. This here is an area where you wish you weren't seeing so many zeros.

• Volkswagen recalled over 1 million vehicles (New Beetle) because of a malfunctioning brake light switch. Man, that sucks.
• Some ball joints may experience an incidental deterioration of the internal lubrication on some Toyota trucks and minivans. Vehicles such as the Sequioa. Perhaps 533,124 vehicles in total. Yikes.
• 140,582 Nissan Altima's may have ignitable air filters if they were to come in contact with a very hot object. Touch not.
  
• 149,605 Jeep's; 128,300 Hyundai cute-utes; 75,697 Suzuki small cars; 58,800 Volkswagen Passat's; 17,676 Chevrolet Aveo's; 16,309 Nissan Versa's; 10,061 Ford SUV's & 13,032 GM crossovers. Whoa.
• 50,665 Chrysler products have ABS systems which may cause the rear brakes to lock. Yes, on the antilock braking system control module. Eek.

Seeking better news from somewhere, somebody, anybody? Look at Audi. The R8 supercar is sold out for the rest of this year. And next. Audi's American sales are up 11% thanks mainly to the Q7 SUV. The housing market tanks and fuel prices rise, but Audi's midsize sedan, large sedan, and small hatchback all see lowering sales. The Q7 becomes their second best-seller in the States, following only the A4. Whatever. The R8 is wicked-sweet but there's not enough to go around. That led to one R8 (MSRP of approximately $110,000) selling on eBay for $244,000. Applicable use for the word desirability.

CNN VIDEO LOOKS AT LEXUS LANES IN SOUTH FLORIDA

Curiously enough, just earlier this afternoon GCBC partner AutoEnergy took a look at the financial implications of selecting the less efficient 5-speed manual Honda Fit compared with the automatic Fit... in south Florida. Only a few minutes later, a CNN.com video related to payways in Miami comes to The Good Car Guy's attention. Watch it below.

John Zarella notes that the use of these lanes on regular highways in Miami will cost more or less depending on traffic conditions. Perhaps just $0.25 will get you a quicker pass down I-95; but you might need as much as $2.25. 

Despite what's being said by a California transportation worker who oversees the Golden state's hot lanes regarding the makeup of payway users, the term "Lexus Lane" has still caught on. If time is money, then time saved by the rich - the ones who can pay for the faster trip - equals more money. For them. The rich get richer, creating the appearance of genuine capitalism in a country that's been called the United States of France only today.

A LIST OF SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN'S EIGHT CARS

Frankly, the old American dream of a wife, a few kids, two cars in the garage and a white picket fence doesn't belong to John McCain. Oh, he's got the wife; kids; and probably picket fence(s) but take a stroll by his driveway(s) and two cars there may not be.

Over the weekend, it was discovered that John and Cindy McCain, candidate for President of the United States and First Lady, combine to own thirteeen cars. Do the math. Inevitably you see at least three of the McCain's homes lacking the obligatory second car. 

(Click here for a post on all the candidate's cars)

Seriously, the part that has made the news has actually centred on the Senator's claims that, "I've bought American literally all my life and I'm proud." While the mainstream press doesn't like to share some of the specific models therefore making it difficult to know exactly where all the cars were built, the list below lets you in on some problems related to John McCain's claim.

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2004 Cadillac CTS: John's "daily driver"

2001 Honda 'sedan': one can assume it's a Marysville, Ohio-built Accord

2007 Ford F-Series: good for a ranch or three

2001 GMC 'SUV': GMC built a few in '01 - Yukon, Yukon XL, Jimmy

2005 Volkswagen New Beetle Cabriolet: Built by Mexicans in Mexico

2008 Jeep Wrangler: McCain would actually look like an everyday American if this was it

1960 Willys Jeep: Can you be any more American war hero than an owner of a '60 Willys and an '08 Wrangler?

2000 Lincoln: Guessing Town Car, considering the Senator's age, but it could be a Navigator, Continental, or LS

(3) NEV Gem electric: Like the aforementioned Town Car, every rich retiree needs a Gem

Lexus: Cindy's car is an unspecified Japanese luxury car with a license plate reading "MS BUD"

Toyota Prius: This car could actually be the vehicle of daughter Meghan or the Senator's or Cindy's. One struggles to keep track.

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Barack Obama recently traded in his Hemi V8-powered Chrysler 300C for a Ford Escape Hybrid.

ACROSS THE POND - Lexus IS

"Wait!", the American Good Car Nation shouts. "We Americans get the IS. Lexus was created for us, don't you remember oh ye Good Car Guy?"

Yeah, I remember. I remember when, as a young car aficionado, I listened to older men whispering sweet nothings to passing Lincoln Town Cars. Less aged men and women began to speak more lovingly to the LS400 that cruised by, eerily quiet; always serene.

Have you recently noticed any '93 Lexi? Whether it's an LS or an SC or an ES or a GS, you don't see it bottoming out at Wal-Mart speedbumps. Rust rarely appears to be a problem. It isn't making the clattery engine noises common to cars a decade.5 old. Still seems like a genuine good car, doesn't it. You read that right, a good car.

Unfortunately, these models suffer the same problems as newer Lexera. Potential owners who don't get sucked into the Lexus showroom (and plenty of journalist/critics) frequently consider Lexus to be boring. Uninteresting, though plenty luxurious. Monotonous, despite an almost completely successful 'pursuit of perfection'. Dull, even in light of the enjoyable drives a Lexus would offer you and your's.

Some of the criticism leveled at Lexus sedans don't apply to much of the car-buying public. Intrusive stability control? Slow and uncommunicative steering? Not everybody wants a BMW, ya know. However, and it's a big however, enough attention paid to Lexus' failures by people like me and members of the mainstream automotive media will hinder and have hindered Lexus' attempts to be considered as a high-performance brand.

That's why Lexus created the IS-F. Five litres of smooth Japanese V8 churning out over 400 horsepower through an 8-speed automatic equals high performance. No doubt about it. In my opinion, Lexus overcooked the exterior changes. The differences between the IS and the IS-F stand out as strongly as the contrasts between a Subaru Impreza and a WRX STi. We're not boys, Lexus. That works for Subies. My desire for a high-performance luxury sedan in a Lexus wrapper does not push aside my appetite for true, subtle, classy Lexus qualities. That gaping front fascia, the ultra-low front ride height, bulging hood, and double-decker-dual exhausts add up to; well... a bit much.

Let's move Across the Pond then, shall we. With pricing equivalent to the IS250 (and its torqueless small six-cylinder), you can get a diesel Lexus IS. The IS220d will give you over 100 lb-ft of extra torque compared with the IS250 - and a subsequent loss of 27 horsepower - your 'time-lost' measurement will andonly apply during the 0-60mph time. A few tenths lost there, admittedly, and many hundreds of seconds gained on two-lane backroads and inner-city squirts around an in front of rumbling dump trucks thanks to the mountainous 295lb-ft of torque.

You'll also use 3.5 fewer litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres you drive in this first Lexus diesel. In my neighbourhood, that'd save me $19.02 CDN every time I drive 500km. That's for a car whose pricing scheme runs fairly parallel to its six-cylinder gasoline alternative. But it's only Across The Pond. Available to you Brits and mainland Europeans, but not to us. Nope, we just crave horsepower and body kits. We want the automakers to supply us with all the horsepower in addition to sweet fuel efficiency. We don't want to make the purchases that could give us the fuel efficiency in good cars like the Lexus IS - no, not yet. Gas is just too, too, too cheap.

CLOSER LOOK AT TOYOTA CANADA'S AUGUST SALES STATS

Take a look at The Good Car Guy's posting of automobile sales in Canada last month and you'll spot a very good trend for Toyota and its Lexus luxury outpost. Toyota, by the way, doesn't offer its Scion brand north of the border.

If, and it's not a very big if, Toyota manages to post a repeated gain next August of 30% increased sales while at the same time General Motors posts a decrease in sales of 17%, as both did last month, then Toyota Canada will sell more vehicles than General Motors Canada in August of 2009. Perhaps it'll come before that. One way or another, it's not inconceivable in the least.

Now, automotive sales in Canada aren't what they are below the 49th parallel. Not only is the Canadian populace ten times smaller, but their gas prices are higher and tendency towards smaller cars greater. Automakers, therefore, don't make as much money here. However, while overall vehicle sales are falling rapidly in the United States, the Canadian market is soaring to new heights. This is best represented by - you guessed it - Toyota and Lexus. Here's a closer look at their 29.3% increase in vehicle sales this August.

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23,204 - total vehicles sold by Toyota Canada in August of 2008, all but 22,037 being badged as a Lexus

14.5 - percentage increase in Lexus sales during August/2008 compared with August/2007

30.2 - percentage increase in Toyota sales during August/2008 compared with August/2007

17.2 - percentage increase in year-to-date sales for the Toyota brand through the first eight months of 2008 compared with the first eight months of 2007

1.7 - percentage points increase of the Toyota brand's Canadian market share through the first eight months of 2008, up to 13.2%

4,797 - total Toyota Yaris sales, both sedan and hatchbacks, during the month of August

6,770 - total Toyota Corolla sales during the month of August

141.1 - percentage increase in the sales of the Toyota Prius hybrid, up to 270 cars in August

12.6 - percentage increase in the sales of the Toyota Tundra pickup, up to 930 trucks

LEXUS SPARES THE GS V8 FROM EMBARRASSMENT

Admit it. Your compassionate inner being was beginning to feel an inordinate amount of, er... compassion toward the poor V8 engine in Lexus' GS sedan. It's ok to be forthright. We all build connections with some form of inanimate objects -teddy bears, ice cream, pillows, Lexus sedans.

What's the difference? If you were one of the inhumane persons who knew not of the GS' plight, let me make you aware. Lexus/Toyota builds this wickedly sweet V6. Capable of pumping out up to 306 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, the V6 outshone Lexus' old V8 by a fair dose of extra shine.

That 4.3L V8 had completed its distinguished duty but had not yet received its retirement papers. More weight and more expense, but distinctly less power and speed. Well, news has surfaced.

The 4.3L V8 has been superseded by the V8 from Lexus' largest sedan. That'd be the LS. The LS, as any kind big brother would do, offered up its peerless 4.6L V8 for the GS to use as well. Add 52 horsepower and a helping of torque. No longer must the Lexus GS eight-cylinder wilt under the pressure of an overachieving V6 and a more efficient hybrid. The GS460 can stand on its own two fee...... four wheels, rather.

0-60 in CAR & DRIVER OCTOBER

To those hoping that Car & Driver could squeak the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 under 3 seconds in the 0-60mph test, you'll have to wait till next month to find out. In C/D's October issue, there are actually quite a few test results of cars that are $25K now but were much more expensive in their day. Yeah, that means old test results. But it makes for interesting reading. For more 0-60 results, including Motor Trend's 0-60 testing this month, check the 0-60 label. If you're interested in fuel economy with your 0-60 quickness, check out the Magazine MPG label at AutoEnergy.

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Hyundai Genesis 4.6 V8: 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds

BMW 528i: 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds

Lexus LS460: 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds

Toyota Avalon XLS: 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds

Lincoln MKS AWD: 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds

Toyota Tundra 4x4 5.7 V8: 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds

Chevrolet Malibu 2.4 6spd: 0-60mph in 8.6 seconds

Acura NSX (09/'90): 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds

BMW M3 (06/'01): 0-60mph in 4.7 seconds

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (12/'01): 0-60mph in 4.0 seconds

Dodge Ram SRT-10 (02/'04): 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds

Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG (03/'99): 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds

Porsche 911 (08/'89): 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds

Toyota Supra Turbo (09/'93): 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds

Nissan GT-R #1: 0-60mph in 3.3 seconds

Nissan GT-R #2: 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds

Nissan GT-R #3: 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds

Nissan GT-R #4: 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds

Nissan GT-R #5: 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds

HYUNDAI GENESIS SHOWS THE BMW 5-SERIES, BENZ E-CLASS, LEXUS GS, AND INFINITI M AS "OUT OF REACH"

Let's be clear right from the start. In America, the Hyundai Genesis has a starting price of $32,250. A V8 Genesis with no options is $37,250. 

The V6 version of the Infiniti M, the M35 starts at $43,900. For a V8-engined M45, you'll need $50,250. 

For a V6 E-Class Benz, Mercedes wants $52,775. Stepping up to the V8 E550 will require $61,275.

BMW's 5-Series starts with the 528i, a $44,600 car. Add two turbos and you're looking at $49,800. Add two cylinders and strip away the turbos, and the 550i is $58,800.

Meanwhile Lexus, a brand that was once perceived to bean upstart Asian automaker that couldn't succeed in the worldwide luxury car market and sold more for less as a result, now sells the GS350 for $44,550 and the GS460 for $53,020.

So when Hyundai asks if all the Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, and Infiniti is all that impressive if they remain "just out of reach", the Koreans have a point. Visit their websites (all hyperlinked) for an in-depth look at what's on offer from all five manufacturers and watch the Hyundai clip below to see their point of view. Beware, ads don't get much dorkier. For search results of Genesis on GoodCarBadCar.net, click here.