It's not x times faster than x86 - it's a totally different architecture, it's faster in a specific scenario 3-4 times. It's the same as saying C2D is twice faster than P4 dual-cores.

However this is quite a movement. I expected something like this in 2008 when the USD was very low (either lower price of Itaniums out of US, or more income at the same non-EUR currency level).
Tukwilla wasn't even out for sale yet