JULY 8, 2015

Editor-In-Chief's Note: The new Dodge TV commercial for their performance car lineup - Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, Challenger SRT Hellcat and Viper GTS – called "Predators" is an unapologetic homage to a different time and different era. Dark and moody in look and feel, with compelling copy and the classic '80s Phil Collins song, “In the Air Tonight,” wafting through the black night, it's as if "Miami Vice" has come back to haunt all of us, in the very best way possible. The spot opens on dark roads and empty streets as you hear the arresting voiceover: "We don’t have to worry about predators like our ancestors did. No sabre-tooth tigers stalking from the brush … no dire wolves circulating the camp.” We see the cars raising hell through the night, being driven as they were meant to be driven. The VO continues: “There are no more monsters to fear, so we have to build our own.” The spots were filmed in Miami over three nights and every image in the commercial was actually shot - which believe me, is a revelation in this digital age - including the alligator that morphs into the front of the Challenger SRT Hellcat. There's a boat scene - another image that conjures up "Miami Vice" - that was captured from a helicopter, and drones were used in the production. The car-to-car shots were taken from cameras mounted on a following Hellcat. Listen, when you really think about it, these cars have no reason for being. They're appealing to a certain demographic - namely mine - that wants one last shot at high performance without the lectures, and the hand-wringing, and the bullshit that's looming just over the horizon masquerading as our Driving Future, with autonomous cars and group-hug car sharing shoved down our throats - aka The Depths of Hell. Then again that is exactly the reason these cars do exist. They're authentically unapologetic, a raised middle finger to the mediocrity and the sameness and the relentless political correctness that have grabbed this country by the throat and reduced it to hordes of card-carrying spineless weasels drooling for their next public hanging by social media. Congratulations to all involved in Dodge marketing and its ad agency, Wieden+Kennedy. It's simply brilliant stuff. Watch an extended-cut version of the new Dodge "Predators" TV spot here. -PMD

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Our "Quick Take" this week has us in a 2015 VW Tiguan R-Line. The "R-Line" part of this Tiguan is largely cosmetic, although VW alludes to a sport-tuned suspension and the 19" "Mallory" wheels are very nice looking. As for the driving - which is the point after all - I found the short wheelbase Tiguan to be "jittery" over our ridiculously bad roads (although to be fair, a lot of cars feel that way around these parts). And I found the Tiguan's general road manners to be just okay, with decent steering and road feel but nothing really out of the ordinary. And the throttle "tip-in" was not all that great - being jerky and annoying to modulate - mimicking other VW products I have encountered. The competition has become very stiff in this segment and with a lack of updates, VW is clearly "phoning it in" with the Tiguan. With that in mind, I found no compelling reason to buy a Tiguan over say, a well-equipped Ford Escape, for instance. -PMD
 2015 VW Tiguan R-Line: $38,515 ($37,650 Base Price; Night Blue Metallic; Beige Leather Interior; 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged, DOHC four-cylinder with direct fuel-injection and variable valve timing; 200HP and 207 lbs-ft of torque; front-wheel drive; Six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic with manual shifting, Sport mode and Dynamic Shift Program (DSP); R-Line 19" "Mallory" aluminum-alloy wheels with 255/40 all-season tires; Four-wheel independent sport suspension; Electronic Stability Control (ESC); Four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS); R-Line leather-wrapped, multi-function, flat bottomed sport steering wheel with paddle shifters; Power tilting and sliding panoramic sunroof; Bi-Xenone LED headlights with AFS and LED DRLs;  Leather seating surfaces; Power adjustable heated front seats with power lumbar and memory on the driver's side; R-Line black wheel arch extensions, R-Line roof spoiler, aluminum sill kickplates, body-color side skirts and R-Line badging; Stainless-steel pedal cluster; Decorative inserts on door trim panels; Titanium black headliner; Ambient interior lighting with map lights, illuminated vanity mirror and footwell lighting; Power-folding, adjustable, heated exterior mirrors with surround lighting and curb view; Auto-dimming rearview mirror; RNS 315 touchscreen navigation and AM/FM/CD player with MP3 playback; Fender Premium Audio System with eight speakers and subwoofer; Bluetooth mobile telephone connectivity; SiriusXM Satellite radio with limited time subscription included; Destination charge, $865)

Adherence to Brand Image:  This is an interesting question, because the VW Brand Image is so incredibly scattered and unfocused that I can't even begin to discern what it is at this juncture. I know what it should be, however, and that is premium driver-oriented machines with Germanic road star overtones offered at a more affordable price point. The Golf GTI and the Golf R (although admittedly pricey) do, and the Jetta (but only when properly equipped) does, but that's about it. The Tiguan? No.  -PMD