Author: gregsaperstein

Review: 2013 Volvo S60

When you think of Volvo, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Safety. Known for the incredible safety features, as well as their performance, style and quality, we got to drive the 2013 S60 thanks to Jay at Englewood Volvo.

Pushing out 250 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque, we had the Volvo S60 T5 AWD. A turbocharged 2.5 liter 5-cylinder engine powers the car from 0-60 in 6.5 seconds. With a 6-speed automatic transmission with sport mode, the shifts in the car were quick and smooth.

The audio system in the car was great with a 4×40 Watt amplifier and 8 speakers with the 7″ Volvo Sensus screen and HD radio on all models. Other amenities included 8-way power drivers seat, push button start, leather & silk metal steering wheel and electric parking brake. Additionally, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity with audio streaming and a 60/40 folding rear seat with pass-thru add to the list of features. The Premier package adds a power glass moonroof, leather seating surfaces, auto-dimming rearview mirror, power passenger seat and keyless drive. Our test vehicle also had the Climate Package which includes heated front seats, heated windshield washer nozzles and interior air quality system.

With a class-leading 20/29 city/highway fuel economy, the S60 is sure to please. Starting at $31,900, our car came out to an as-tested suggested MSRP of $39,444.

Oh, and did we mention the shift knob is LED backlit so it shines at night? We thought that was pretty cool too.

Pros: Acceleration and handling in the car was great. The trunk was very spacious and we liked that there were folding seats and a pass-through. Everything on the  center console was centrally-located and angled towards the driver which we thought was great. The audio system was top-notch, as well.

Cons: The center console storage was fairly minimal. To get a navigation system, you’re going to have to pony up $6,000 for the Platinum package.

QUICK FACTS: 

Base Price: $31,900 || Price as Tested: $39,444

Vehicle Layout: Front-engine, AWD, 5-passenger, 4-door car

Engine: 2.5L, 250-hp, 266-lb-ft. I5 || Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Curb Weight: 3548 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 182.2/73.4/58.4 inches

0-60: 6.5 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 20/29mpg

RATING: 8.1/10

Exterior: 8

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 9

Braking: 9

Ride: 8

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 9

Tech: 7

Value: 7

We’d like to thank Jay Tobia and Englewood Volvo for getting us into an S60 — we thought the car was awesome! For all your Volvo needs, go check out Englewood Volvo in Englewood, NJ and online at www.EnglewoodVolvo.com. Make sure you tell them Greg and Dave sent you!

2014 Kia Sorento SX V6 Review

Recently refreshed for 2014, the Kia Sorento was nothing short of an exceptional vehicle. The SX we had from Tenafly Kia was one step below the top-of-the-line Limited model, but this vehicle had everything we could need in a car.

Our test vehicle was equipped with stylish 19″ alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof with power sunshade, roof rails, LED tail lights, the UVO eServices Infotainment System with Voice-Command Navigation mated to an 8″ display with Sirius radio. It also had a power liftgate, push-button start with a smart key, the Infinity Surround Sound Audio System with 10 speakers, amplifier and subwoofer, and heated and ventilated front leather seats. Another thing it had was an all-new digital speedometer, giving the car a luxury feel. What more could we ask for?

The Sorento SX has a 3.3L V6 engine, producing 290 horsepower & 252 ft-lb of torque, mated to a 6 speed automatic, with tiptronic. Weighing in at a slightly hefty 4171 lbs, the engine pushed the car to 60 from 0 in just over 7 seconds, which we feel wasn’t too bad. The Sorento also features an ECO-mode, which help the car achieve a fuel economy of 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

Pros: The Sorento was very roomy, features in the vehicle were a lot better than expected, there was ample elbow room for someone who is broad shouldered. The technology of the UVO eServices system was phenomenal and the value of the car you are getting for under forty grand is astounding.

Cons: Acceleration was slightly sluggish but decent for a vehicle of it’s size.

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $37,550 || Price as Tested: $38,550

Vehicle Layout: Front-engine, AWD, 7-passenger, 4-door SUV

Engine: 3.3L, 290-hp, 252-lb-ft. 24 valve V6 || Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Curb Weight: 4171 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 184.4/74.2/68.3 inches

0-60: 7.3 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 18/24 mpg

RATING: 8.2/10

Exterior: 8

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 7

Braking: 8

Ride: 9

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 8

Tech: 10

Value: 8

A big thank you goes to Tenafly Kia — ranked in the top 3 Kia dealerships nationwide for Customer Sales Satisfaction. For all of your Kia needs, speak to Keith Yasso at Tenafly Kia and tell them Greg and Dave sent you. Check them out at www.tenaflykia.com.

The Super Bowl Commercials

Although the Super Bowl was a few weeks ago, the commercials are watched for months after. Perhaps you got up at the wrong time to grab a cold one and you missed a spot. Well, here we are — bringing you all of the commercials from your favorite car companies, and highlighting our top five favorite Super Bowl car commercials. Enjoy!

Audi. “Prom”

Jeep. “Whole Again” 

Mercedes-Benz. 

Kia. “Space Babies” 

Ram Trucks. “Farmer”

Lincoln. “Phoenix”

Lincoln. “#SteerTheScript”

Mercedes-Benz. “Kate Upton Washed the All-New Mercedes-Benz CLA in Slow Motion”

Hyundai. “Stuck”

Hyundai. “Excited”

Hyundai. “Don’t Tell”

Hyundai Santa Fe “Big Playdate”

Fiat. “Topless”

Fiat. “Sisters”

Kia. “Hotbots”

Fiat. “Wedding”

Toyota Rav4 “Wish Granted”

Volkswagen Beetle “Get In. Get Happy.”

All commercials are the property of their respective owners.

Gymkhana: Part Deutsch

A week or two ago, we brought you a series of Gymkhana videos featuring Ken Block. Well, Audi’s had a go at it and this is what they have to offer:

Flying through water, jumping over ramps, drifting through mud — it all comes down to Audi’s Quattro system and what it does best: tackling all sorts of terrain and difficult road conditions.

Awesome job Audi on making a cool video, now it’s time to make a full-length one!

50 Years of Beauty

The year: 1963. The man: Ferruccio Lamborghini.

With Lamborghini having first built tractors, Ferruccio Lamborghini found out that the broken clutch on his Ferrari was the same one used on his tractor. Having been let down by Ferrari, Ferruccio Lamborghini set off to build one of the most beautiful car companies of all time. My personal favorite supercar, Lamborghini, is turning 50 this year.

 “Lamborghini was born under the sign of the Bull, with a constant view to the future, a desire to achieve the impossible and to make innovative design and technology its signature.” -Lamborghini

Having grown up during the years when the Countach and Diablo were every boy’s dream car, Lamborghini has evolved tremendously over the last 25 years, let alone 50. They became visionaries when they released their LM002 sports utility vehicle and with their other supercars, they offered no compromises.

The first Lamborghini car, the 350GTV, debuted at the Turin Auto Show in 1963. It had 4 camshafts, which was more than any Ferrari had had at the time. It was a perfect launch. Following the 350GTV was the Miura, which was incredibly innovative with its’ high-powered engine and sleek lines — the Miura has been known as the “first supercar”. A few years later, in 1974, the Countach debuted and stayed in production for almost 20 years. Over the next 20 to 30 years, ownership of Lamborghini changed hands from Chrysler to V’Power and a few others in between when, in 1998, Audi finally took over Lamborghini. Over the years, the Diablo, Murcielago and Gallardo all have kept the bar high for the aspirations of all supercar manufacturers and few have come anywhere close to it. Despite Audi still owning Lamborghini today, the design quality, craftsmanship and imagination that go into each and every Lamborghini is very reminiscent to that of Ferruccio Lamborghini’s original vision in 1963.

Hat’s off to you, Lamborghini. Happy Birthday!

Photos and video from Lamborghini.

The Cars of Hawaii Five-0

CBS’ hit show Hawaii Five-0 is guaranteed to have you clinging to the edge of your seat with each episode. Intense shootouts and hardcore stunts bring the excitement, but what we look forward to are the car chases featuring the cars of Hawaii Five-0. Check out this slideshow of all of the vehicles used in the show.

Photos from Internet Movie Car Database.

From Classic to Modern — the Dodge Charger

The first Dodge Charger was introduced in 1966, but for now, let’s look at the second-generation Charger: 1968-1970. Probably the most iconic Charger, it made appearances in The Fast and the Furious series and played the General Lee in The Dukes of Hazzard.

Photo from seriouswheels.com

Photo from seriouswheels.com

Although over 80,000 Chargers were sold in 1969, only less than 500 had the HEMI — a 425 horspower, 7 liter, 4 barrel HEMI, to be exact. One of the more popular engines in the Charger, however, was the 440 cubic inch, which made 375 horsepower and a blistering 480 lb. ft. of torque.

Today, Dodge redesigned the Charger for 2011 and we think this might be the best one yet. With scalloped doors bringing back the styling cues of the 60’s, the new Dodge Charger is bringing back a classic. With 2 HEMI’s now available — a 6.4L V8 producing 470 horsepower and a 5.7L V8 producing 370 horsepower — the Charger is no slouch in the acceleration department. Shooting fro 0-60 in as little as 4.1 seconds, the Charger is a beautiful car. For those more concerned with fuel economy, Dodge offers a Pentastar V6 model, which produces 292 horsepower.

Photo from netcarshow.com

Photo from netcarshow.com

Thank you Dodge for making such a good looking car!

The 2014 Chevrolet SS is here!


Chevrolet is renowned for their SS line of vehicles — stemming all the way from the 1961 Impala SS to the 2013 Camaro SS and everywhere in between. The pedigree of these models prove that throughout the past 50+ years, Chevrolet means business. Personally, I’ve always wanted a 1970 Monte Carlo SS — the edges and toughness of the car amaze me. Over the years, the SS package has graced the likes of the Silverado pickup, the Trailblazer SUV, and the Cobalt sedan. Well, there’s a new SS in town — the 2014 Chevrolet SS. Seeing as how, for the first time in over 15 years, this is Chevrolet’s first rear-wheel-drive performance sedan, it’s a pretty big deal.

The 2014 SS comes with a pretty sweet engine — a 6.2L LS3 V8 producing 415 hp and 415 lb-ft. of torque. Although there will be no manual transmission for the SS, the six-speed automatic does have paddle-shifters. The car hits 60 from 0 in about 5 seconds and stopping power comes from standard Brembo brakes. Forged 19-inch wheels carry the SS’ nearly 50-50 weight distribution and there’s also the added exclusivity of the car coming in only 5 colors. Oh, and did we mention that for the first time in a Chevy, it’ll have Automatic Parking Assist? We can’t wait to get our hands on this!

Photos from Chevrolet.