Bad news (or, if compared to anorexic America, good news)  from J.D. Power: Western European auto sales fell by 15.5 percent to 1,035,243 million units in October from a year earlier, reports Automotive News Europe [sub]. They say, the decline in new-car sales in Western Europe could be worse than a slump in the early 1990s. Contrast that to “the worst sales month in the post World War II era,” which GM’s Chief (Non-) Sales Analyst just saw for his employer in NA. Everything being relative, our relatives in the Old Country still have it relatively good.  If J.D.Power’s crystal ball is still functioning, the Western European car market may decline by 8 percent in 2008, and go down between 10 and 11 percent in 2009. J.D.Power came to the not all to surprising conclusion that this would “place major strains on the European auto industry.” As opposed to the end of the world, as if we don’t know it already. Note: As long as VW stock goes for between €500 and €1000, depending what time of day it is, or the whims of Porsche may be, as long as BMW’s owneresse can afford millions to pay a gigolo, the European market will be just fine. All things, considered, of course.