autoevolution
 

Aurel Niculescu

9,654  ARTICLES

Staff Writer
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Once upon a time there was a little boy that didn't know his age but dreamed of reaching high in the sky alongside the absolute best aviators. He was passionate about reading books (action and Sci-Fi), grew up with many great authors and soon discovered the mirage of cinema.

There he understood anything is possible if you work hard and passionately strive to follow your imagination. This is how at the age of 16 he managed to fulfill the first dream – flying alone in a glider plane. He was no Tom Cruise, of course, so young adulthood brought him back to reality.

With every kick in the familiar *utt comes a chance to step forward, so a seemingly unimportant ad in one of his favorite automotive magazines brought a dilemma - follow through with the current job or dare to achieve greatness by deploying (previously) unknown literary skills.

Since 2006, he’s been perfecting them at Automondial, Supercar, Cox, Autoshow, Autopro, Auto Motor & Sport, and more magazines plus their online versions. After driving some of the best and worst cars in Europe and around the world, he’s part of the autoevolution team, where he aims to develop his best-ever form.
Virtually Revived Third-Gen Nissan Xterra Probably Thinks the Bronco Sport Is Too Boring
Virtually Revived Third-Gen Nissan Xterra Probably Thinks the Bronco Sport Is Too Boring

2 Apr 2024, 20:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The Japanese automaker Nissan presented the second-generation Kicks sporting enlarged dimensions, a more powerful engine, and a completely new design ethos – then it also dropped the bomb with a bold new strategy for the next few years. ...

 
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 Drags Hellcat Redeye Widebody, Doesn't End As Expected
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 Drags Hellcat Redeye Widebody, Doesn't End As Expected

2 Apr 2024, 15:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / There's a tangible EV market slowdown encompassing the automotive market like a blanket of fog – and even Tesla is expected to announce slower first-quarter sales than in 2023. As such, will ICE-powered vehicles make a grand comeback? ...

 
Xiaomi Prepares a Tesla Model Y Attack With 'SU8' Crossover, Albeit Only in CGI
Xiaomi Prepares a Tesla Model Y Attack With 'SU8' Crossover, Albeit Only in CGI

2 Apr 2024, 09:35 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Regarding high-tech smartphone integration, we're right past the moment of no return, when Ford showed GM that it's wrong to abandon Android Auto and CarPlay right into the territory of smartphone companies making cars. Nope, the A...

 
2026 BMW X5 Gets a Second, Colorful LCI (Life Cycle Impulse), a Virtual One This Time
2026 BMW X5 Gets a Second, Colorful LCI (Life Cycle Impulse), a Virtual One This Time

2 Apr 2024, 08:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The Bavarians have achieved new levels of automotive controversy with the release of the latest Neue Klasse concept car – the Vision Neue Klasse X is a dream about a future of even more SUVs, it seems. So, if you think that the design languag...

 
Tesla Model S Plaid Drags GR Supra and Lexus, It's Not an EV Walk in the Park Anymore
Tesla Model S Plaid Drags GR Supra and Lexus, It's Not an EV Walk in the Park Anymore

2 Apr 2024, 07:02 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / When Tesla rolled out the Model S and Model X Plaid variants, it seemed like the 1,020-horsepower EV monsters were unstoppable – especially the luxury sedan and particularly when attacking rivals at the local quarter-mile dragstrip facility. ...

 
Virtually Fashionable Mazda 6e Wagon Thinks Crossovers and SUVs Are Overrated
Virtually Fashionable Mazda 6e Wagon Thinks Crossovers and SUVs Are Overrated

2 Apr 2024, 06:23 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Mazda started the year strong in America with the 2024 MX-5 Miata getting a ton of useful upgrades with confirmation for the US specification of the 'ND3' refresh. It also revealed the CX-70 crossover SUV, the two-row version of the CX-90...

 
That's Getting Blown Out of Proportion: Tesla Cybertruck Rides Crazy on 30-Inchers
That's Getting Blown Out of Proportion: Tesla Cybertruck Rides Crazy on 30-Inchers

1 Apr 2024, 13:38 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Ever since Tesla unveiled the concept of the Cybertruck in late 2019, it became pretty obvious that much of the hype surrounding it would come from bad publicity – even their 'unbreakable' window stunt backfired but ultimately added...

 
Facelifted 2025 GMC Yukon Denali Reveals Subtle Digital Tweaks in Unofficial Presentation
Facelifted 2025 GMC Yukon Denali Reveals Subtle Digital Tweaks in Unofficial Presentation

1 Apr 2024, 11:32 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Unlike Chevrolet, which has five new vehicles – all-new 2025 Equinox and Equinox EV, refreshed 2025 Tahoe and Suburban, plus the Silverado EV – GMC currently puts on the waiting list only the all-new 2024 Acadia mid-size crossover SUV a...

 
Redesigned 2025 or 2026 Dodge Durango Shows Its Ritzy Colors, Albeit Only in CGI
Redesigned 2025 or 2026 Dodge Durango Shows Its Ritzy Colors, Albeit Only in CGI

1 Apr 2024, 09:06 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Over the years, Dodge has sold just three generations of the Durango nameplate after its arrival in 1997 as the spiritual successor to the Dodge Town Wagon and Dodge Ramcharger. The latter has since been revived by the Ram division of Stella...

 
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Drags Tesla, This Mopar Doesn't Bite the EV Dust So Easily
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Drags Tesla, This Mopar Doesn't Bite the EV Dust So Easily

1 Apr 2024, 08:25 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Tesla just posted about a huge milestone on social media – the American EV maker and clean energy company just rolled off the production line vehicle number six million, a Tesla Model Y painted in Stealth Gray. Meanwhile, Dodge can't eve...

 
2025 Nissan Armada (Patrol) Gets a Virtual Old vs. New vs. Infiniti QX80 Reveal
2025 Nissan Armada (Patrol) Gets a Virtual Old vs. New vs. Infiniti QX80 Reveal

1 Apr 2024, 07:38 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / One of the major introductions at the ongoing 2024 New York International Auto Show (March 29 to April 7) was also the all-new second-generation Nissan Kicks. Then, the Japanese automaker also presented a bold strategy for the next few years. ...

 
First Track Drive in 2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray Brings Out Zero to 60 MPH in 2.1s!
First Track Drive in 2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray Brings Out Zero to 60 MPH in 2.1s!

1 Apr 2024, 07:08 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Byron Glover Jr., the host of the Drive 615 channel on YouTube and a well-known C8 Chevy "stocker," manages an exclusively fast E-Ray launch control attempt while on a visit to the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park (NCMSP) in...

 
All-New, More Powerful 2025 Toyota Celica Sport Gets a Wishful Thinking Unveiling
All-New, More Powerful 2025 Toyota Celica Sport Gets a Wishful Thinking Unveiling

31 Mar 2024, 22:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The Japanese automaker Toyota has just kicked off the next teaser chapter for North America – the 2025 Toyota 4Runner is finally coming out as an all-new mid-size off-road SUV, and the sixth generation is probably just around the corner. But ...

 
Fisker's New Dirt-Cheap Prices Are Borderline Scary, Even If They're the Right Thing to Do
Fisker's New Dirt-Cheap Prices Are Borderline Scary, Even If They're the Right Thing to Do

31 Mar 2024, 15:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / In a world overrun by galloping inflation caused by numerous triggers, including greed, which also applies to the automotive industry, you would think that a carmaker dropping MSRPs is a good thing, right? Wrong. A few interesting things hap...

 
This Off-Road Roofless Ford Mustang 'STL1' Feels Totally Unreal but Will Become Reality
This Off-Road Roofless Ford Mustang 'STL1' Feels Totally Unreal but Will Become Reality

31 Mar 2024, 02:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Do you think that American muscle combines perfectly with Italian style? Well, at least somebody does, hence the wacky Ford Mustang Fastback STL1 project that was envisioned while an Italian automotive enthusiast was driving across the USA and then...

 
What If Chevrolet Reintroduced the Astro Van With Updated Graphics and Iconic Profile?
What If Chevrolet Reintroduced the Astro Van With Updated Graphics and Iconic Profile?

30 Mar 2024, 23:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Chevrolet is getting a lot of novelties out in the open this year – the all-new 2024 Traverse, the all-new 2025 Equinox, the long-overdue Equinox EV and Silverado EV, plus the refreshed 2025 Tahoe and Suburban full-size SUVs. Has anyon...

 
Heavily Modded Chevy K5 Blazer Morphs From Off-Roader to Slammed Widebody Canyon Carver
Heavily Modded Chevy K5 Blazer Morphs From Off-Roader to Slammed Widebody Canyon Carver

30 Mar 2024, 22:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / No one really knows why on Earth Chevrolet can't wrap its mind around the fact that high-performance off-road SUVs are popular again. Just think about it: when the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler thrive, plus exotic creations like the Merc...

 
2024 NYAS Was All Fine and Dandy, But the Coolest Thing I Saw This Week Is the Vacationeer
2024 NYAS Was All Fine and Dandy, But the Coolest Thing I Saw This Week Is the Vacationeer

30 Mar 2024, 16:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / It's another busy week across the American automotive market with plenty of novelties and many events converging simultaneously - but I still found enough time to select a favorite and talk about it. This is the Easter weekend, and I pr...

 
Rare Saab 9-7X Drags Challenger SRT Hellcat, Someone Gets Stunned Into Submission
Rare Saab 9-7X Drags Challenger SRT Hellcat, Someone Gets Stunned Into Submission

30 Mar 2024, 07:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Chevrolet has a massive passenger car, crossover, SUV, and truck roster, while Dodge is far behind it with just four nameplates currently up for grabs. If you compare them, it's easy to say that Chevrolet wins the day by quantity alone ...

 
Imagined Nissan X-Truck Feels Ready to Challenge the 2025 Santa Cruz and Popular Maverick
Imagined Nissan X-Truck Feels Ready to Challenge the 2025 Santa Cruz and Popular Maverick

30 Mar 2024, 02:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Just recently, the Japanese automaker Nissan 'unboxed' the all-new second-generation Mexico-born Kicks subcompact crossover SUV at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City. The location wasn't left to chance – it w...

 

Stories by Aurel Niculescu