Welcome to the all-new Autocracy!

So, we’ve been MIA for the past year or so, and you’ve probably been wondering where we’ve been. Well, that’s neither here nor there, but the most important thing is that we’re back and better than ever. We have an all-new logo, new branding, new site, new style. While we may not be perfect coming out of the gate, we’ll be working to really cement ourselves as a one-of-a-kind blog that delivers truly unique content to gearheads like you and me.

Without content, there would be no blog — we literally have hundreds of ideas for new content. We’re going to bring you the latest on:

  • car shows
  • celebrity interviews
  • test drives & car reviews
  • car movie reviews
  • dealership spotlights
  • vehicle spotlights, and more.

We value feedback. And we value change. So, If you have any ideas for stories, suggestions for cars to review, or comments on how to make the site better, please email us at theautocracyblog@gmail.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

With that, I welcome you to the Autocracy. Enjoy the ride.

-Greg

Classics in Atlantic City: Show & Auction

On Saturday, March 1st, The Autocracy took a trip down to Atlantic City to check out the Classics in Atlantic City Car Show and Auction — and what a sight it was.

We were able to see the first Chevrolet Corvette C5 that was produced, a Yenko Camaro, some really cool custom hot rods and restomods, old and new European cars like the Jaguar XKE and Lamborghini Diablo and even some really new cars like the Hennessey CTS-V 1000.

We’ll post a couple of our favorite pictures here, but to see all of the photos from the show, head on over to our Facebook page and check out the album, here.

The Superbowl Commercials — Our Top Picks

What a game last night!! For some people, however, the commercials were more attention-grabbing. In fact, in a 2011 study done by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA), over 25% of people said that the most important part of the Super Bowl are the infamous commercials. (At $4 million for a 30-sec. spot, these commercials had better be good, right?) Here’s our ranking of the top 3 automotive Super Bowl commercials (and the rest of them for your viewing pleasure). What was your favorite commercial from last night’s Big Game? Let us know in the comments below or tell us on Twitter (@autocracyblog). 

1. Kia K900 (“The Truth”)

What could be better than Morpheus singing Nessun Dorma? Kia gets in the game, big time, with this commercial for the all-new premium luxury sedan from Kia and asks people to “Challenge the luxury you know™”. Honestly, one of the best commercials of the night, hands down. 

 

2. Toyota Highlander (“Terry Crews and the Muppets”)

There’s no room for boring with Toyota’s commercial for the all-new Highlander. Featuring Terry Crews and the Muppets, it gets you laughing. 

 

3. Jaguar F-Type Coupe (“Rendezvous”)

Getting three British powerhouses — The Avengers’ Loki, Iron Man’s Trevor Slattery, and Green Lantern’s Sinestro — Jaguar proves it’s #GoodToBeBad. 

 

Check out the other commercials for these brands: 

Chevy – “Life” || Jeep – “Restless” || Volkswagen – “Wings” || Maserati – “Strike” 

CarMax – “Slow Clap” || Hyundai – “Dad’s Sixth Sense” || Chevy – “Romance”

Chrysler – “America’s Import” || Honda – “Hugfest” || Hyundai – “Nice” 

Audi – “Doberhuahua” || Weathertech – “You Can’t Do That” 

REVIEW: 2014 Kia Cadenza

Kia has, yet again, set the bar high for luxury automakers with the 2014 Cadenza. With a car that’s under $40,000, you can be rolling with the same features (and then some!) as a $70,000 luxury car.

Thanks to Tenafly Kia, we were able to really get a feel for the Cadenza — with its’ sleek Aurora Black exterior and Black Nappa leather interior. With a 3.3L V6 engine producing 293 horsepower and 255 lb-ft. of torque and a 0-60 time of just over 6 seconds, the Cadenza is able to keep up with many of the larger sedans on the road today.

On the outside, you’ll find front LED positioning lights, heated power folding mirrors with turn signal indicators, LED tail lights, back-up warning & camera and stylish 18″ wheels.

When you step inside through the red illuminated door plates, you’re greeted by a slew of luxury and technology. The Infinity Surround Sound Audio system, accompanied by Kia’s UVO eServices system, made it easy to enjoy the standard Sirius/XM satellite radio and Bluetooth wireless technology. The navigation system was easy to see and use thanks to the 8″ display and the heated seats kept you warm. Our car was also equipped with the Luxury Package, which includes a panoramic sunroof with power sunshade, HID headlights with adaptive lighting, the Nappa leather seats, a power driver’s seat cushion extension, ventilated driver’s seat, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, power tilt steering wheel, integrated memory system, power rear sunshade and a Supervision meter cluster with 7″ color LCD for the speedometer and additional information.

Driving the car was a real treat, as well. Anyone who lives in New Jersey or the New York City Metropolitan area knows that this area is littered, I mean LITTERED, with potholes. The Cadenza had a very surprisingly smooth ride and absorbed those potholes like it was its’ job. There was very little road noise and overall, it was very enjoyable driving it.

At an as-tested price of just over $39,000, you really can’t get a better deal than that.

 

Pros: Really smooth ride, great amount of tech, interior was very comfortable and stylish, looks like a $70,000 sedan, panoramic sunroof was a great touch

Cons: Could use a little more power since it’s nearly two tons

 

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $35,100 || Price as Tested: $39,030

Vehicle Layout: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, five-passenger, 4-door sedan

Engine: 3.3-liter, 6-cylinder, 293-hp,  255 lb-ft torque || Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Curb Weight:  3,789 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 195.5/72.8/58.1 inches

0-60:   6.2 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 19/28 MPG

 

RATING: 8.4/10

Exterior: 9

Interior: 9

Acceleration: 8

Braking: 7

Ride: 9

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 8

Tech: 9

Value: 9

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 sent you. Check them out at www.tenaflykia.com.

REVIEW: 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec
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Armed with 19″ wheels, a Brembo braking system and a Torsen limited slip differential, I knew I was going to have some fun with the 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec–and boy, was this car fun.

Our Genesis R-Spec Coupe had a 6-speed close-ratio manual transmission paired with a 348hp 3.8L V6. Although it was raining while I was driving, the rear-wheel-drive held up and there was never any wheel spin.

On the outside of the car, you had a classy Tsukuba Red paint job which complemented the red leather seats on the inside. Additional exterior features included LED tail lights and driving lights and some stylish hood scoops.

There was a great amount of technology on the inside and under the hood–including Bluetooth hands-free, SiriusXM radio with iPod & USB connectivity, as well as a track tuned suspensions, strut brace with low-velocity control dampers and front camber adjustment. Oh, and did I mention that it had a torquemeter mounted front and center?

Performance on the car was astounding, with acceleration that brings you up to 60 miles an hour in 5 seconds flat. Both city and highway driving proved to be enjoyable and the seats kept you firmly in place whenever you utilized some “spirited” driving.

Overall, this was a great car with one-of-a-kind looks, cool technology and awesome performance to boot. With an as-tested price of $29,645 and with 348hp & 0-60 in 5 seconds, it’s a pretty sweet deal.

Pros: Cool hood scoops, great looking interior, nice exterior lines and the torque gauge was an awesome touch.

Cons: Transmission can feel loose at times; I wish the hood scoops were functional

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $24,250 || Price as Tested: $29,645

Vehicle Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, four-passenger, 2-door coupe

Engine: 3.8-liter, 6-cylinder, 348-hp,  295 lb-ft torque || Transmission: 6-speed manual

Curb Weight:  3,433 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 182.3/73.4/54.5 inches

0-60:   5.0 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 18/27 MPG

RATING: 8.2/10

Exterior: 8

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 9

Braking: 9

Ride: 7

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 8

Tech: 8

Value: 9

We’d like to thank Matesha at Hyundai of New Rochelle for getting us into the sporty Genesis Coupe. For all of your Hyundai needs, go check out Hyundai of New Rochelle in New Rochelle, NY and online at http://www.newrochellehyundai.com/. Make sure you tell her Greg from The Autocracy sent you!

REVIEW: 2013 Volvo S80 T6 AWD

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Known for their beautiful, safe and reliable cars, Volvo proved they are still living up to that reputation with the S80! We had the opportunity to drive the 2013 Volvo S80 T6 AWD thanks to Jay at Volvo in Englewood, and we thought it was an excellent car.

With a 3.0L turbocharged V6 producing 300hp & 325 lb.-ft. of torque, this isn’t your average sedan. Performance on the car was great – with a 0-60 time of just over 6 seconds. With standard all-wheel-drive in the S80 T6, it was complemented with a 6-speed Geartronic automatic transmission with sport mode and very sleek and stylish 18″ wheels.

On the inside, you had a black leather interior with walnut wood trim and a leather and silk metal-trimmed steering wheel. Interior technology included the Volvo Sensus system with integrated 7″ color LCD screen, a 4 x 40 watt amplifier with 8 speakers, CD/MP3/USB/AUX and Sirius radio.

Our S80 test vehicle also came with the Premier Plus and Climate packages. The Premier Plus package includes Front & Rear Park Assist, Active Dual Xenon headlights, HomeLink and digital compass, while the Climate Package includes heated front and rear seats, heated windshield washer nozzles and an Interior Air Quality System (IAQS).

Overall, we were very impressed with the S80. From it’s sophisticated styling to the supreme comfort of the interior, it’s a great well rounded car. Well-equipped at just over $46,000, it’s more affordable than comparable vehicles.

Pros: Very stylish; great performance; luxury feel inside; supremely comfortable front seats; very comfortable ride; heated rear seats(!)

Cons: Feels heavy at times

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $42,950 || Price as Tested: $46,445

Vehicle Layout: Front Engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger sedan

Engine: 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder, 300-hp,  325 lb-ft torque || Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Curb Weight:  4,053 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 191/73.3/58.8 inches

0-60:   6.1 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 18/25 MPG

RATING: 8.4/10

Exterior: 8

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 8

Braking: 9

Ride: 9

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 8

Tech: 9

Value: 9

We’d like to thank Jay Tobia at Englewood Volvo for getting us into the luxurious Volvo S80. For all of your Volvo needs, go check out Englewood Volvo in Englewood, NJ and online at http://www.kundertvolvo.com. Make sure you tell him Greg and Dave sent you!

REVIEW: 2013 Subaru BRZ
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Sharing its’ platform with the Scion FR-S and Toyota 86 (in Japan), the Subaru BRZ is a one-of-a-kind car. The first rear-wheel-drive car for Subaru, BRZ stands for Boxer-engine, Rear-wheel-drive, and the Zenith. With great lines and style, a RWD platform, and 6-speed manual, we though the BRZ was a pretty well-rounded car. Starting at just $25,495, the BRZ comes standard with 17″ sporty wheels, a sport tuned suspension, LED daytime running lights, and HID headlights. On the inside, you get Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, XM radio with USB and iPod connectivity, Navigation, and AM/FM/CD player. With Subaru’s signature 2.0L Boxer engine, it gets you up to 60 from 0 in 6.4 seconds. With 200hp and 151lb.-ft. of torque, we felt pretty comfortable driving it. Although the interior was a little cramped and acceleration could have been a little faster, the handling more than made up for it. Taking corners and windy mountain roads with ease, the BRZ is sure to make you happy.

 

Pros: Great looking car with edgy lines, very modern looking, handles like it’s on rails.

Cons: No leg room for rear passengers, could use a little more power.

 

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $25,495 || Price as Tested: $26,510

Vehicle Layout: Front Engine, RWD, 4-passenger Coupe

Engine:  2.0-liter, 4-cylinder, 200-hp,  151 lb-ft torque || Transmission: 6-speed manual

Curb Weight:  2,762 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 166.7/69.9/59.8 inches

0-60:   6.4 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 22/30 MPG (manual)

 

RATING: 7.9/10

Exterior: 9

Interior: 7

Acceleration: 7

Braking: 9

Ride: 7

Handling: 10

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 7

Tech: 7

Value: 8

We’d like to thank Ted Siebold of Town Motors in Englewood, NJ for getting us into the 2013 Subaru BRZ! For all of your Subaru needs, go check out Town Subaru in Englewood, NJ and online at http://www.townmotors.com. Make sure you tell them Greg and Dave sent you!

DISCLOSURE: Our Editor-In-Chief, Greg Saperstein, works for MWW Group, of which Subaru of America is a client. This blog post, in no way, reflects the thoughts or opinions of MWW Group or Subaru of America and is not sponsored by MWW Group or Subaru of America, in any way, shape or form.

REVIEW: 2013 BMW X1 xDrive 2.8i
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The Ultimate Driving Machine. If you hear someone say that, you’ll know right away that they’re talking about a BMW, and the X1 is no exception. With it’s smooth ride, agile handling, peppy acceleration and comfortable interior, we were very impressed with the X1.

Our X1 had a Glacier Silver Metallic exterior with a Black Nevada leather interior, along with the Cold Weather package, Premium package and Technology package, as well as BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system. The Cold Weather package includes a heated steering wheel, heated front seats and retractable headlight washers, while the Technology package includes voice-command, real time traffic information, navigation system, BMW Assist with Bluetooth and iPod and USB adapter. Finally, the Premium package includes a universal garage-door opener, Comfort Access keyless entry (where you can just touch the door handle and the car will lock/unlock) as well as panoramic moonroof, auto-dimming mirrors and lumbar support in the front seats. Our X1 also had Aluminum Satin roofrails, an elegant light Fineline wood trim and satellite radio.

For the price point you’re at, the X1 comes very well-equipped. With a 240 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine, you’re getting both a fun and sporty vehicle while still achieving excellent gas mileage (27 combined mpg). With flat-folding seats, there is a generous amount of space in the trunk. One of the only things we didn’t like was the cupholder — a detachable one that you place into a little slot on the edge of the center console — and there’s only one in the front. Another problem we had was navigating the sometimes complicated iDrive system, but when you learn where everything is in the system, we were able to operate it seamlessly. With a base price of just over $30,000 and coming well-equipped for a bit more, we think the X1 is an excellent vehicle for someone who doesn’t want a larger SUV but also wants something a little larger than a sedan.

Pros: Very fast for what you’re getting — a small sport activity vehicle. Great amount of space in back seat and trunk, ample leg room, affordable price.

Cons: Seems as if the cupholder was an afterthought, iDrive system is very complicated.

 

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $30,800 || Price as Tested: $42,045

Vehicle Layout: Front engine, AWD, 5-passenger, 5-door sport activity vehicle

Engine: 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline 4-cylinder, 240hp, 255lb-ft. tq. || Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Curb Weight: 3,726 Lbs || Length/Width/Height: 176.5/70.8/60.8 inches

0-60:  6.3 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 22/33 MPG

 

RATING: 8.4/10

Exterior: 8

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 9

Braking: 9

Ride: 9

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 8

Tech: 9

Value: 8