Casey Williams

By Casey Williams Land Rover makes an array of fancy and capable SUVs from the entry-level Defender Sport to the Billionaire class Range Rover. But, the one that traces its roots to 1948 and gained popularity after World War II is the classic Defender that first appeared as Britain’s take on the Jeep. Aluminum bodied…

I like traveling to California. I enjoy the warm weather, cool architectural vibe, surfing the waves, and of course, imbibing all of the latest electric cars. I love eating on a fresh air patio and cruising the Pacific Coast Highway with windows and sunroof open. If I lived there, or even in Indiana, I’d drive…

By Casey Williams It seems about every twenty years, BMW gets radical with the 7-Series. Remember back a couple of decades to the 2003 model that debuted the iDrive infotainment system and “Bangle butt” raised trunklid, named for former BMW design chief, Chris Bangle. Eventually, though, BMW’s competitors copied the car’s controls and rump. As…

By Casey Williams Ford’s crossover-based Maverick pickup comes standard as an 42-MPG hybrid starting at $22,595. It even looks great in its standard steelie wheels with a cloth interior. Good luck getting one, though, because the order books are closed for 2023. Still, some may want a bit more attitude and capability than base models…

By Casey Williams Honda recently celebrated forty years of building the Accord at its plant in Marysville, Ohio – the first domestic assembly plant for the automaker. By 2025, the just-redesigned Accord will transfer to Greensburg, Indiana as Honda refocuses Ohio operations on EVs. Similarly, Subaru has long built models like the Outback, Legacy, Impreza,…

By Casey Williams I have long been a fan of the Ram Rebel, a truck that looks the part of an off-road commander and has the underpinnings to back them up. Head for a trail and enjoy fortified capability while riding in surprising comfort. But, for those with more heavy duty aspirations, you were out…

By Casey Williams I have to admit I didn’t give this second-generation Nissan Leaf EV a fair shake. I went to the media preview of the first-generation Leaf a decade ago and was impressed with the effort, but a wobbly oddly-styled compact that could only go 75 miles on a charge wasn’t going to lure…

By Casey Williams Spring has finally come to California wine country and I’m clipping through tight two-lane roads through vineyards and wineries around Paso Robles. Greenery and mountains are simply magical, yet the roads and this car demand attention. As invigorating is the drive, this little hatchback could just as easily take Miles and Maisey…

Following his band’s iconic performance during Live Aid at London’s Wembley Stadium, Queen frontman Freddie Mercury had an idea.  He wanted to perform a concert in Barcelona with Montserrat Caballe, one of the world’s premiere opera singers.  Barcelona-born Caballe was an unlikely duet partner for flamboyant Zanzibar-born Mercury, but this welding of rock and opera…

When I was a car-obsessed kid back in the ‘80s, one of my favorites was the Volvo Turbo Wagon, made iconic in an advertisement showing it sitting next to a Lamborghini Countach pulling a trailer.  The comparison was apt – a superwagon with no penalties of a supercar – a very practical way to haul…