car

As Technology Advances, Volvo Stays On Pace.

We all remember the days when cars had only a little metal key. Eventually, laser cut keys were made; fast forward a few years and cars with push button start using a key fob were the next big thing. The push button start feature comes with many pros, the major one being never having to take your key out of your pocket to open the doors and start the car. But, what if you’re getting tired of carrying around keys in your pocket?

Volvo has the answer, but there is still one major question to ask. What is the one thing you can almost guarantee that every person walking down the street has, long before they even get their learners permit?

Answer: a smartphone.

Volvo has set off a trial run on manufacturing keyless cars using three things that almost everyone use today: bluetooth, a smartphone and an app! With these simple features, Volvo is looking to perfect the next big thing in the automotive industry. Just so you are not deterred from purchasing a Volvo if you are not too technologically inclined, Volvo plans to still offer physical keys for their customers.

The Bluetooth enabled app will give the cars owner a “digital key” that they will be able to share with other people that also use the app, like family members who will also use the car. Not only will it be useful for families that share a car, but it can also be utilized for rental car companies that will be able to send a digital key to the app. Volvo’s app will also able to control door locks and engine starting/stopping.

Having an app on a phone to control your car does cause concern for battery life for the phone but Martin Rosenqvist, New Car Director of Special Products at Volvo Cars says, “Our app has marginal effect on battery life”. The concern for a phone breaking or being misplaced is also bothersome as to how that gets resolved. Rosenqvist is also quoted saying, “If you lose your car key you need to go to the Volvo dealer, if you lose your phone you have to get a new phone. You can acquire a new app on a new phone”.

If this new technology will become a production reality, there is only one way to find out. Stayed tuned with us as we plan on keeping you guys updated with Volvo’s trial of a keyless car.

Video from: The Volvo Group – Volvo Cars

The Autocracy’s Top 10 Car Films

Who doesn’t love a good car movie? With enough car chases, crashes and explosions to get your adrenaline pumping, there’s nothing better than plopping down on the couch after work or on a weekend and getting in your “car movie” fix. Here’s a few of our favorite films – leave us a comment below and tell us what your favorite car movie is!

Greg’s Picks:

Smokey and the Bandit (1977) – The Bandit is hired on to run a tractor trailer full of beer over county lines in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff. Starring Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Sally Field and Mike Henry.

Fast Five (2011) – Dominic Toretto and his crew of street racers plan a massive heist to buy their freedom while in the sights of a powerful Brazilian drug lord and a dangerous federal agent. Starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson.

Blues Brothers (1980) – Jake Blues, just out from prison, puts together his old band to save the Catholic home where he and brother Elwood were raised. Starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

Used Cars (1980) – When the owner of a struggling used car lot is killed, it’s up to the lot’s hot-shot salesman to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner’s ruthless brother and used-car rival. Starring Kurt Russell, Jack Warden and Al Lewis.

Transporter (2002) – Frank is hired to “transport” packages for unknown clients and has made a very good living doing so. But when asked to move a package that begins moving, complications arise. Starring Jason Statham, Matt Schulze, Qi Shu and François Berléand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRSxyXqBgCA

Dave’s Picks:

The Fast and the Furious (2001) – Los Angeles police officer Brian O’Connor must decide where his loyalties really lie when he becomes enamored with the street racing world he has been sent undercover to destroy. Starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster.

Dukes of Hazzard (2005) – Cousins Bo and Luke Duke, with a little help from their cousin Daisy and Uncle Jesse, egg on the authorities of Hazzard County, Boss Hogg and Sheriff Coltrane. Starring Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds and Willie Nelson.

Bad Boys (1995) – Two hip detectives protect a murder witness while investigating a case of stolen heroin. Starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

Starsky and Hutch (2004) – Two streetwise cops bust criminals in their red-and-white Ford Torino with the help of police snitch called Huggy Bear. Starring Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Snoop Dogg.

Gran Torino (2008) – Disgruntled Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, a Hmong teenager who tried to steal Kowalski’s prized possession: a 1972 Gran Torino. Starring Clint Eastwood.

Honorable Mentions:

My Cousin Vinny (1992) – Not a true car movie in the sense of the genre, although the defense’s case comes to a close thanks to evidence found in a photo of a tire mark. Vincent Laguardia Gambini’s 1962 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible also does play a small role in the film, a la “mud in the tires” and the scene where he gets stuck in the mud and drops his freshly dry-cleaned suit.

Tommy Boy (1995) – How can you not like David Spade’s 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX in the film? Though, any true car guy has probably shed a tear or two after what happens to his car.

Bugatti’s Chiron Configurator

Is blue not your color? With Bugatti passing around some photos of the new Chiron in a solid navy blue and a two-tone configuration with a lighter blue, it may not suit your fancy.

The answer: Bugatti’s new configurator. Customization is part of what makes Bugatti so unique, so surely there will be some very impressive renditions coming out, similar to Bugatti’s 20+ different versions of the Veyron. With the online configurator, you have your choice of 8 color combinations, with several corresponding wheel options, while viewing the car from a few different angles.

What’s your favorite color combo? Ours is the carbon fiber, below.

Two Grannies, One Lamborghini

How often can you say you’ve seen a grandma driving a $300,000+ Lamborghini? I know I can’t, but a video has been making its’ rounds on social media that proves other people have.

Starting off with a near-miss at hitting a garage, the video by Donut Media features two women, Peggy and Audrey, piloting a lowered, wide-body Lamborghini Murcielago through Southern California. Lamborghinis in general are not very subtle cars, but with a giant spoiler, lower stance, widebody-kit and other upgrades, this one sets it over the top.

After struggling at getting the car into gear, they go for a cruise around Los Angeles – even garnering the attention of another Lamborghini driver. Grocery getting proves futile in this video, with the duo not being able to find the trunk to place their groceries. Check out the video and let us know what you think!

REVIEW: 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350 4MATIC

Look familiar to you? That’s because it is. As part of Mercedes-Benz’s new naming convention, the GLE-Class positions itself in the middle of the SUV segment between the GLC and GLS-Classes (the former GLK and GL, respectively), similar to how the E-Class is positioned in relation to the C and S-Classes.

With the same underpinnings as the previous ML, the GLE blends luxury, comfort and sportiness. Ours was outfitted with a Polar White exterior with Saddle Brown leather and Anthracite Poplar wood. Overall, our GLE350 was great to drive – much better than the outgoing ML350. The GLE350 was very smooth and didn’t feel like you were driving an SUV, however, when you need it to, the SUV capabilities are there. We were amazed by the tight steering and excellent turning radius, and the less-boat-like handling over the previous model was great also. With a 3.5L V6 producing 302hp, the GLE350 4MATIC gets you to 60 miles per hour in 7.5 seconds, which is relatively quick for an almost 5,000lb sport utility vehicle. With an as-tested price of $60,385, the GLE350 is a great choice for a luxury SUV.

On the inside, standard features include heated front seats, power lift gate, power driver’s seat with memory and an 8-inch high-resolution color screen. Our GLE350 4MATIC came equipped with the Premium 1 package (a $3,830 option) which includes Mercedes-Benz’s COMAND hard-drive navigation, COMAND with touchpad controller, Blind Spot Assist, Rearview camera, Keyless-Go, household-style 115V power outlet and SiriusXM radio.

Loaded with a plethora of safety features, the GLE350 has adaptive braking technology, Agility Control Suspension, Collision Prevention Assist Plus, Attention Assist, Pre-Safe, 11-way airbag protection, Mercedes-Benz mbrace, and Night Security Illumination.

Pros: Great safety features, Night Security Illumination is pretty neat, attention to detail, beautiful interior

Cons: Media interface/COMAND system takes time getting used to

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $51,100 || Price as Tested: $60,385

Vehicle Layout: Front-engine, four-wheel-drive, five-passenger, 4-door sports utility vehicle

Engine: 3.5-liter, 6-cylinder, 302-hp, 273 lb-ft torque || Transmission: 7-speed automatic, with paddle shifters

Curb Weight: 4,751 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 189.1/84.3/70.7 inches

0-60: 7.5 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 17/22 MPG

Mercedes’ Night Security Illumination

RATING: 8.2/10

Exterior: 8

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 8

Braking: 9

Ride: 9

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 8

Tech: 8

Value: 8

We’d like to thank Pamela Sieradzki at Benzel Busch Mercedes for getting us into a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350 4MATIC. For all of your luxury vehicle needs, go check out Benzel-Busch Mercedes in Englewood, NJ and online at www.benzelbusch.com/mercedes-nj. Make sure you tell them Greg sent you!

How do you like your Mercedes?

Armored or unarmored? Mercedes-Maybach just recently announced their newest armored vehicle – the S600 Guard. Based on the Maybach S600, the S600 Guard features armor upgrades to keep heads-of-state, celebrities and the world’s elite protected. Mercedes says the car features “innovative voice amplification”, so you can still yell at your attackers while being protected from steel-core ammo from an assault rifle.

Powering the gargantuan vehicle is the S600’s twin-turbocharged V12 with 523 horsepower and 612 lb-ft of torque. Armor protection includes special steel that is inserted between the unibody and outer body panels, which overlap at crucial points for “comprehensive ballistic protection”. Thicker windows are coated with polycarbonate to help the car achieve a VR10 armor rating.

Fun Fact: VR10 armor protects occupants from all soft core bullets and most armor piercing and armor piercing incendiary bullets.

In addition to the VR10 armor rating, the S600 Guard also protects form explosives along the side of the car and under the passenger compartment – earning itself an ERV 2010 rating, which protects the passengers from a 15kg TNT explosive blast from 2 meters. With armored protection normally reserved for military vehicles, the S600 Guard is billed to offer the highest level of protection available on non-military vehicles.

No surprise here – you’re going to have to cough up quite a bit of dough to stay protected: about $518,000. The S600 Guard joins Mercedes’ G500, GLE and S-Class armored vehicle lineup.

Photos from Mercedes-Benz.

Dealer Spotlight: Lamborghini Paramus

Introducing Dealer Spotlights – a new thing we’re going to be doing at The Autocracy, where we go to premium brand dealers or locations that have a unique variety of vehicles and share information about them and the products and services they provide. Here is our first Dealer Spotlight, Lamborghini of Paramus.

As the only authorized Lamborghini dealer in New Jersey, Lamborghini of Paramus proudly offers a vast selection of new and selected pre-owned cars as well as service, parts and merchandise. Established in 1969, Lamborghini of Paramus has been around just 6 years less than the Lamborghini brand itself. Lamborghini was founded in Sant’Agata Bolognese Italy in 1963, and since then, they’ve produced some of the greatest looking, most highly detailed sports cars over the last century.

Some select models in their inventory include an Arancio Argos Pearl 2013 Aventador with under 5,000 miles, a Nero Noctis 2012 Gallardo with 6,000 miles and the pièce de résistance, a white 1990 25th Anniversary Edition Countach with just over 12,000 original miles. Renowned for their excellent customer service and close proximity to New York City, Lamborghini of Paramus invites you to stop in – located on Route 17 South in Paramus, New Jersey – and check them out online.

Jaguar F-Type Project 7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXJ2wY0JjzM

Jaguar has one of the most famous racing pedigrees of automative manufacturer history – so, it’s only fitting they give us something true to their roots: the F-Type Project 7.

We took a visit to Prestige Jaguar of Paramus to see what that was all about. Reminiscent of Jaguar’s D-Type race car, the F-Type Project 7 has the same tail fin that adorned the car that won the 1955 and 1956 Le Mans races.

Limited to only 250 units (and only 50 in the US), the F-Type Project 7 features the same 5.0-liter supercharged V8 from the regular F-Type, though this one has a bit of a power boost to the tune of 575 hp. That makes it the most powerful and fastest production car Jaguar has offered. Other accoutrements include carbon-ceramic brakes and a fixed rear spoiler. Check out Jaguar’s video above and make sure you turn up that volume!

Quick Facts:

Price: $165,995

Powertrain: 5.0-liter supercharged V-8, 575 hp, 516 lb-ft; RWD, 8-speed automatic

Weight: 3550 lb

REVIEW: 2016 Honda Accord Touring

We’ll just put this right out front – this is not your grandfather’s Accord anymore. As one of the United States’ top selling vehicles year over year, how do you improve something that’s already great? With new sporty looks & other visual tweaks for 2016, I think Honda’s got the job under control.

We took a drive in Honda’s 2016 Accord Touring sedan, thanks to our friends at Honda of Tenafly. With a powerful 3.5-liter V6 producing 278 horses, the get-up-and-go factor on this lightweight, mid-sized sedan is prevalent – getting up to 60mph in under 6 seconds. With a smooth shifting 6-speed-automatic transmission (only available on V6 models), the Accord Touring was a treat to drive. Although the Accord Touring comes standard with 19″ sport black-accented wheels, the ride was not very rough, all while taking turns like a champ.

The interior is complemented with leather-trimmed seats and a leather wrapped steering wheel, audio system with 7 speakers, a 7-inch touchscreen audio display with Honda’s Satellite-linked Navigation, Voice Recognition & Multi-View Rear Camera. Technology and other creature comforts include SMS Text Messaging functionality, USB audio interface, push-button start, Honda LaneWatch (camera mounted on passenger-side mirror), heated front and rear seats. Also included in the Touring is Honda’s Sensing Package, which has features like Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Road Departure Mitigation.

On the outside, the car has 19″x8″ sport alloy wheels, LED headlights with auto-high beam, LED fog lights, rain sensing wipers, heated power door mirrors with turn indicators, LED taillights, remote start, front and rear parking sensors and rear decklid spoiler.

Overall, this was a stellar car and it definitely makes our recommended vehicles list. With the styling & power of a sports sedan and the comfortable ride of a luxo-barge, it combines the best of both worlds. If you’re looking for a fun sedan with plenty of room, that’s both fuel and budget efficient, you’ve found your match – at just under $35,000.

Pros: Great deal of technology and safety features, smooth ride, quick acceleration, great styling cues

Cons: Great deal of technology, torque steer

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $34,680 || Price as Tested: $34,680

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

Engine: 3.5-liter, 6-cylinder, 278-hp, 252 lb-ft torque || Transmission: 6-speed automatic, with sport mode

Curb Weight: 3,605 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 192.5/72.8/57.7 inches

0-60: 5.6 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 21/34 MPG

RATING: 8.3/10

Exterior: 9

Interior: 7

Acceleration: 8

Braking: 9

Ride: 8

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 8

Tech: 9

Value: 9

We’d like to thank Herbie Rosario and Arthur McCracken at Honda Of Tenafly for getting us into the 2016 Honda Accord Touring. For all of your Honda needs, go check out Honda of Tenafly in Tenafly, NJ and online at www.hondaoftenafly.com. Make sure you tell them Greg and Dave sent you!

Your Weekend Car Show Roundup: May 2-3

Every week, we’ll bring you a roundup of the best shows around New Jersey (and other locations to be announced shortly). Know of car shows near you? Let us know!