Author
Casey Williams

2013 Jaguar XF Gets A Proper Engine

Jaguars are about sexy style, deep-cosseted cabins, and V-12 power. Well, maybe not so much for that last one. I love the hot XFR and its 510-horsepower supercharged V8, and old Jags with their V-12s are divine, but what is this roomy cat with a four-cylinder engine? I mean, fuel economy is great, but a four-cylinder Jag? It’s like 1/3 of a proper engine! [...]

2013 BMW X1: Luxury On The Cheap

BMW’s new X1 crossover wagon is supposedly the entry-level Ultimate Driving Machine for the upward-striding NQR40s (that’s Not Quite Rich, Under 40). The car starts at $30,650 without destination, but when our tester arrived, it stickered at $44,245! Hardly cheap. But, I’ll show you how to get a great little Bimmer much closer to the magic $30k threshold and put some money back into your skinny jeans fund. [...]

Tales Of A Jaguar From The Garden Of Good & Evil

Since first visiting my college buddy in Savannah, Georgia early last year, I’ve made two more trips to what is arguably the most beautiful city in the South. I was there this March for the traditional greening of the fountain in Forsyth Park, saw Lady Chablis perform at Club One, drank coffee at Gallery, and ate my favorite shrimp n’ grits at Pirates House. It’s divine. [...]

2013 Ford Fusion Is A Mix Of Mother America & Father Europe

Ford’s new mid-size Fusion is an odd mix of Mother America and Father Europe. That’s in direct contrast to the last-generation Fusion that was essentially a Japanese Mazda6 underneath. There was precision to its moves that was wholly in line with its underpinnings. It was especially nice as a hybrid. Only one problem: except for its brash, flashy chrome grille, its design was B-O-R-I-N-G. [...]

2013 VW Beetle Convertible: Not Just Another Retro Drop-Top

Although Volkswagen kicked off the whole retro thing in 1998 with the “New Beetle”, it doesn’t want you to think of the current third-generation Bug in those terms. To be honest, the New Beetle was anything but retro. Like the latest iteration, it rode on the most-advanced Golf architecture, driven by an engine over the front-driven wheels. It looked almost futuristic. With a new design that bridges the future-bubble with its iconic ancestor, the 2013 Beetle Convertible evolves. [...]