Author
Casey Williams

2013 Volkswagen Tiguan Explains Itself

Casey Williams
How do I explain the Volkswagen Tiguan? First, that’s a made-up name that supposedly conjures an image of a snarling tiger mixed with a slithering iguana. Is it meant to be a menacing meat-eater or an aquarium pet for the reptile-obsessed? Maybe you put the tiger in the tank and an iguana in the boot? It’s all so confusing. Fortunately, it’s easier to get a fix on the machine itself. [...]

Come Fly With Me: The 2014 Chevrolet Impala LTZ Channels Sinatra

Casey Williams 1
Frank Sinatra never owned a Chevy Impala, but that hasn’t stopped Chevrolet from using his recording of Cole Porter’s “Fly Me to the Moon” in commercials. The clips feature a sexy man, dressed in a trendy suit, playing golf, and taking his wife to a drive-in movie while Sinatra croons “Let me play among the stars, let me see what spring is like on a Jupiter and Mars” in the background. All that makes sense with the new Impala. [...]

Fiat 500L Adds Portals Without Losing Its Sexy Italian Flair

Casey Williams 2
While the styling seems to mimic the Mini Countryman, the 500L is obviously from the Fiat family, given its big round headlamps, stubby nose, and rounded taillamps. Designers make a big deal about the car’s nearly 360-degree visibility, made possible by wide expanses of glass. Most trim levels exhibit a clean Italian aesthetic, but the Trekking model was given the mini-SUV treatment for American sensibilities. [...]

2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI Solves The Riddle

Casey Williams
At your local VW dealer, you can get a Passat with a 170 horsepower, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine or a 280 horsepower, 3.6-liter VR6, but that’s so common. The real auto enthusiasts and tree-clingers among us will opt for the 2.0-liter four-cylinder Clean Diesel that grunts out 140 horsepower and 236 ft-lbs of torque. And why not choose the six-speed manual transmission to achieve 31/43 mpg city/hwy.? As loony as it sounds, a TDI with a manual transmission is a pretty sporty ride. My partner is rarely one to fight for driving rights on long trips, but he refused to hand over the helm. Diesel driving is intoxicating [...]

2013 Volvo T6 R: A Rebel Swede

Casey Williams
When I first saw the Volvo S60 T6 R in Rebel Blue, I thought I was either going to fall in love with the color or shield my eyes — maybe both. My partner bounced from the former to the latter very quickly, but me? I like a polarizing hue and hoped the rest of the car was just as rebellious. [...]