Aurel Niculescu
9,661 ARTICLES
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.
Pay $2,700 to Enjoy a Five-Day Wellness Experience and Drive the 2021 Lexus IS
11 Mar 2021, 13:26 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Winter is almost behind us in the Northern Hemisphere and carmakers, just like their clients, are busy planning ahead for the upcoming sunshine-infused road trips. Lexus, for example, puts a premium twist on the idea of wellness travel with the new...
Nissan Ariya's Bespoke Color Palette Reduces Its Carbon Footprint by 25%
11 Mar 2021, 12:40 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / As always, there’s a big gap between the moment an automaker introduces an all-new model and the day it reaches the dealerships. The rift usually turns into a hulking abyss when technologically advanced models, such as EVs, are involved. That...
Modified 2018 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Looks Better Than New One, Is Cheaper
11 Mar 2021, 11:29 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / We’ve said it before, but it calls for a reminder: you really can’t go wrong when trying to haul family and stuff, tow a big load, or climb on top of a mountain in a Toyota 4Runner. Better yet, if you hurry, there’s also the chanc...
Here’s the Proper Way to Put Down Stock Coyote Mustang After Third-Gear Wheelie
11 Mar 2021, 10:58 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Anyone with a passion for drag racing Ford cars in general and Coyote-powered Mustangs, in particular, knows very well there’s a one-stop-cater-for-all address. Naturally, it’s the National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) Coyote stock...
TRC’s OG Toyota Supra MK IV Makes a Comeback, Emotional Highway Pulls Included
11 Mar 2021, 10:30 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / As far as street legends are concerned, one can never go wrong when mixing a specific blend of elements. Take a Toyota Supra, the 2JZ inline six, some black paint to go with the clean interior, around 45 PSI of boost, and then strap on for an incre...
After Ioniq and HTWO, Hyundai Introduces Staria Nameplate for New Minivan Lineup
11 Mar 2021, 09:20 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Along its Kia sibling, Hyundai can easily be counted as one of the most prolific companies in the automotive world. After all, just last year, the South Korean automaker debuted not one but two new divisions. Now, the automaker offers the first pre...
2022 Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer Not Official Yet, but These Videos Show It All
11 Mar 2021, 08:32 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Jeep’s largest and (probably) one of the most iconic vehicles is scheduled for an official unveiling later today. But, as it turns out, the world of internet moved faster, and some media outlets came up with some early hands-on examinations. ...
Fleeing Toyota Camry Driver Tempts Fate, Learns Midsize Sedan Can't Fly Straight
11 Mar 2021, 08:10 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / We have seen a lot of dashcam footage over the years, but it’s still mesmerizing when high-speed chases are involved, especially if you know in advance that in the end, no one (not even the crooks) got hurt. Better yet, the pursuit ends spect...
Hear the Double Whine of ProCharger's C8 Corvettes as They Hit the Track
10 Mar 2021, 15:28 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / We already know the latest incarnation of “America’s sports car,” a.k.a. the C8 Chevrolet Corvette, has become a major focus for customization aficionados. But, unlike some vloggers out there who do it following a trial and error ...
ACS Composite Lets Corvette Fans Choose the Exact Area They Want Embellished
10 Mar 2021, 14:21 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Regardless of the generation, “America’s Sports Car” is a natural thing of beauty, which is why many aftermarket outlets only deliver incremental updates on the GM-approved design. One such case is ACS Composite, as the company re...
First Glimpse of Toyota X prologue Revealed in Mysterious "Small" Preview
10 Mar 2021, 13:26 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Toyota is very secretive about its upcoming major debut for the European market, the mysterious “X prologue.” All we have, for now, is a shot with one of the headlights, as well as the release date. Before we start speculating, let...
Ferrari Daytona Shooting Brake Tribute Rendering Prepares Us for What's Coming
10 Mar 2021, 12:27 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Over the years, we have seen many projects that remained confined to the virtual realm even if they clearly deserved so much more. So, it comes as great consolation when a designer like Niels van Roij gets involved in the rendering scene, because w...
Porsche Macan Perilously "Ice Skates," Ends Up Hanging Four Stories Above Ground
10 Mar 2021, 12:16 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Time and again, we have seen incredible tales involving the wonderous automotive world of Russia. Well, this one is cause for celebration for the members of a family who seemingly had a guardian angel overlooking their shoulders. It came in the for...
Icon's First Old School Toyota FJ43 Has No. 159 Tag, Rocks Classic Looks and LS3
10 Mar 2021, 11:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / For a small shop that handmakes retro-modernist cars in Los Angeles, California, reaching build number 159 would certainly cause extreme celebration. But we’re dealing with the renowned Icon 4x4 specialist here, so it’s actually #159 in...
2021 BMW M4 Has Arresting 124-MPH Launch Control Abilities, M5 LCI Fares Better
10 Mar 2021, 09:50 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Despite its controversial front end, the 2021 BMW M4 is one of the most impressive compact sports cars of the year, especially in Competition guise. So, it’s only natural that some people will put its 503-hp inline-six engine through its pace...
2021 Ford F-150 Seemingly Has More Axle Rust Than 2020 Raptor and 2004 F-150
10 Mar 2021, 08:51 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / After the initial delivery hiccups, the fourteenth-generation 2021 Ford F-150 has been selling like hotcakes. But that doesn’t mean it’s all roses, as the new iteration’s early adopters already reports some issues. For example, An...
Easter Jeep Safari Inches Closer, Here's a Sneak Peek of the Wrangler Magneto
10 Mar 2021, 08:03 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / With the 2021 edition of the renowned Easter Jeep Safari just around the corner, Stellantis’ subsidiary Jeep is putting the finishing touches on the batch of prototypes that will hit the trails alongside a massive group of 4x4 enthusiasts gat...
1994 Toyota Supra Brought Proper JDM Twin-Turbo Flair All the Way to the U.S.
9 Mar 2021, 15:48 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Although produced since 1978 and recently reinvented with help from BMW, the Toyota Supra, especially in its A80 iteration (a.k.a. the Mk IV), probably remains the most desirable for JDM aficionados. So, what better way to showcase the passion...
503-HP BMW M3 and M4 Competition Bring Infamous Grille to the UK, Start at £75k
9 Mar 2021, 14:32 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Do we really have to remind anyone that the G80/82 iteration of the famous M3/M4 series will most likely go down in history not because of its street and circuit racing successes but due to an extremely controversial design choice? Not really, but ...
1993 Toyota Supra Might Be a Twin-Turbo Steal If Bidding Doesn't Go Haywire
9 Mar 2021, 13:29 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Toyota’s latest Supra is mostly renowned for its BMW connections, so collectors might do well to direct their attention towards the Mk IV generation. After all, that's the one famous for all the right reasons, both with the mainstream an...