William Clavey
Jalopnik
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Past articles by William:
The 1999 Plymouth Prowler Was A Rolling Midlife Crisis Wearing 295-Wide Rear Tires
I was still a preteen when the Plymouth Prowler was first presented to the world, but I remember how disappointed people were with it. My dad, especially. He was hoping for something more. I remember him yelling at our 27-inch cathode TV screen: “An Intrepid V6! Really?” → Read More
This Near-Mint 20-Year-Old Toyota Camry Is One Of The Best Cars I've Ever Bought
Let’s face it: Nobody really wants to own a Toyota Camry, but everyone wishes their automobile was as reliable and trouble-free as one. → Read More
The 301 HP 2020 Mini JCW Countryman Proves More Power Fixes Almost Anything
When the Mini Countryman crossover first appeared almost a decade ago, I remember thinking it would be a failure. After all, by definition, a crossover—something big—is like the Anti-Christ to Mini’s rabid fanbase. → Read More
Why I Actually Prefer The BMW Z4 To The 2020 Toyota Supra
Toyota says the 2020 Supra feels different to drive than its mechanical twin, the 2020 BMW Z4 M40i. Actually, since the start, both carmakers have been hammering about how distinguished each car is, telling us they went off their own separate ways once the shared architecture was laid out. → Read More
The 1996 Ford Escort RS Cosworth Is As Sharp As Any Modern Sports Car
Sport compact cars have come a long way since the days when they were warmed-over econoboxes. We’re now spoiled with fire-breathing, 300-plus horsepower compacts that’ll rip a new one to genuine high-performance machines, cars like the current Honda Civic Type R or the I’m-still-hanging-in-there Subaru WRX STI. → Read More
What It's Really Like To Daily Drive A Modern Supercar
Supercars are designed for a very specific type of customer. Picture someone undoubtedly very well off financially, typically living a busy, flamboyant lifestyle, flying in their private jet to their fancy condo in Dubai, and spending exuberant amounts of cash on a watch, or a dog. → Read More
The Honda S600 Drives Like It's Where All The Fun Comes From
Let’s say you just finished canyon-carving your Honda S2000. You enjoyed its lightweight chassis, 50-50 weight distribution and the sounds emitted from its naturally aspirated engine as that aggressive cam profile switched over, rushing to a 9,000 RPM redline. It felt good and entertaining, with you deeply connected to the machine. → Read More
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Hatchback Is Now a Solid GTI Rival
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a refreshing take at the luxury compact segment. It looks dashing—especially in CLA four-door coupe form—comes with fancy tech, drives well and it’s quite cheap too. But as a Canadian, I have to tell you, America, that you’re missing out on the best that is the Mercedes A-Class. → Read More
The Volkswagen Jetta GLX VR6 Was Ahead Of Its Time
Sedans might not be the go-to car design for most buyers anymore, but we’re still blessed with some cheap and fun new four-doors. There’s the Honda Civic Si, the Hyundai Elantra Sport and the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, to name a few. And the Jetta kind of gave birth to the whole compact sport sedan segment, now didn’t it? → Read More
Here's What Happens to Your Electric Car in a Bitter Canadian Winter
Electric cars may be the solution to some of our problems, but if they’re going to be our main source of transportation they need to work everywhere, all the time. → Read More
The Mid-Engine 2001 Renault Sport Clio V6 Is Just As Unreal As You Imagine
Most of us North Americans probably only witnessed this car in video games. For many, the Renault Sport Clio V6 never actually existed outside of Gran Turismo. I mean, why would a dorky little compact car shaped like a cartoon with a V6 engine where the back seats should be even be a thing? → Read More
A 1993 Mazda RX-7 Was The Most Intense Bone Stock Car I've Driven
Among the plethora of super-sophisticated Japanese sports cars that spawned from the 1990s—the Nissan 300ZX, Acura NSX, Toyota Supra, Mitsubishi 3000GT and so on—the third-generation Mazda RX-7 (chassis code FD) was by far the most focused machine available. Fast, expensive, unreliable, and not all that practical, this curvaceous coupe managed to spank its rivals on the track and on the street… → Read More
Meet The Die-Hard Enthusiasts Keeping The Nissan 200SX Dream Alive In A NORAD Bunker
I receive a ton of emails from readers asking me to drive their cars. It’s a good problem to have. But the truth is, while I’d love to say yes to all of them, a lack of time simply prevents me from driving them all. But when a Jalopnik reader from Rimouski, Québec told me that he and his friends, all of whom are proud owners of Nissan 200SX-es, were holed up in an old military bunker just so I… → Read More
The Honda Civic SiR Hatchback Deserves To Be Saved
I drive a lot of cars for work. So much so, that my personal car, a 2004 Honda Civic SiR—or just the Civic Si, if you’re American—is rotting away in press office parking lots covered in bird turds, fuel tank dried up, brakes all seized up. The poor thing just never gets driven. I’m an asshole for neglecting my Civic. → Read More
Here's How The Forbidden Fruit Subaru WRX From The 1990s Drives Today
If you’re looking to have a bit of fun behind the wheel of a car all year long, the Subaru WRX is a no-brainer purchase. A turbocharged, flat-four boxer engine sits under its hood and a full-time all-wheel-drive system puts the power to the ground, while a nimble package makes the entire car stupid fun to drive. What’s not to like? → Read More
There's More To The 2018 Toyota C-HR Than Being Slow And Strange-Looking
You could see the 2018 Toyota C-HR as another useless crossover without an all-wheel-drive option. Or you could see it as a little hatchback with a funky name and rad styling. Wait, wasn’t that what the Toyota Matrix was? → Read More
This Canadian Hero Deserves Eternal Glory For Saving So Many Classic Saabs
When I asked Félix “Why Saab?” he responded with: “I bought a 900 S when I was about 20.” → Read More
The Saab 900 Turbo SPG Was A Hot Hatch Way Before Hot Hatchbacks Were Cool
The Saab 900 Turbo SPG may in fact be the most underrated performance hatchback in history. While most believe the Volkswagen GTI to be the grandfather of the hot hatch, truth is, while VW was still relying on a measly 1.8-liter four to generate power, Saab was dishing out fire-breathing, front-wheel-drive turbo compacts ravenous enough to gobble up two GTIs in a single bite. → Read More
The 2018 Jaguar XE Would Be The Perfect Sport Sedan If It Was More Exciting
The 2018 Jaguar XE is a fine-looking, super comfortable and well-priced luxury sports sedan that steers into a corner the same way a Wüsthof knife carves its way through a medium rare steak. On paper, it seems like it could be the fiercest assassin of the ubiquitous BMW 3 Series yet, even more so than tough contenders like the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sport, Cadillac ATS 2.0T and Lexus IS 200T. → Read More
Using A Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen As A Camper Finally Gives It A Real Purpose
Most know the Mercedes-Benz G-Class as an ostentatious machine that sells for roughly the same price as a small house, drives sort of like a tank and binges on gasoline like a Dyson does on hairballs. But only part of that statement is always true. → Read More