autoevolution
 

Aurel Niculescu

9,659  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.
The Land Down Under's Most Aussie-Like Vehicle Was Also Their Best-Selling in 2023
The Land Down Under's Most Aussie-Like Vehicle Was Also Their Best-Selling in 2023

4 Jan 2024, 08:07 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The second-generation T6-based Ford Ranger was designed and engineered in Australia; it claimed the best-selling throne last year - for the first time a Blue Oval vehicle has done so since 1995. First introduced in November 2021, the second-...

 
All-New 2025 Toyota Stout Hybrid Looks Tasteful When Dressed Completely in CGI
All-New 2025 Toyota Stout Hybrid Looks Tasteful When Dressed Completely in CGI

3 Jan 2024, 21:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The Japanese automaker Toyota dominates through the sheer power of its global vastness, the tasteful model series, and its untarnished reputation. Alas, that doesn't mean it hasn't given up some models along the way. Today, the Jap...

 
Manhart MH5 900 Is the Ultimate F90 BMW M5, Packs 915 Horsepower Inside Just Five Units
Manhart MH5 900 Is the Ultimate F90 BMW M5, Packs 915 Horsepower Inside Just Five Units

3 Jan 2024, 14:10 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Since 1984, BMW has produced no less than six generations of the definitive Bavarian high-performance executive sedan, the M5. Now, as the F90 series is about to bow out and retire the ICE-exclusive models, tuners are paying their respects. ...

 
Refreshed 2025 Toyota GR Corolla Cross Hybrid Gets Virtually Unveiled for America
Refreshed 2025 Toyota GR Corolla Cross Hybrid Gets Virtually Unveiled for America

3 Jan 2024, 12:33 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Caught in the buzz surrounding the arrival of red-carpet superstars like the 2024 Grand Highlander three-row CUV, N400 Tacoma, and 2024 Land Cruiser (Prado or 250 in some regions), it might be easy to forget that Toyota also updated its base crosso...

 
Y63 Nissan Armada (Patrol) Hybrid SUV Shines Brightly Across Imagination Land
Y63 Nissan Armada (Patrol) Hybrid SUV Shines Brightly Across Imagination Land

3 Jan 2024, 10:39 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Nissan is nowhere near as prolific as its rival Toyota when it comes to worldwide novelties, but we really hope 2024 is the year when it finally brings to life another generation of the Armada/Patrol flagship SUV siblings. Over in the US, Ni...

 
Hypothetical Cadillac Vistiq-V Swaps the EV to ICE Power; Three-Row SUV Packs 682 HP
Hypothetical Cadillac Vistiq-V Swaps the EV to ICE Power; Three-Row SUV Packs 682 HP

3 Jan 2024, 08:56 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / After the Lyriq, Celestiq, Escalade IQ, and Optiq, Cadillac also wants to come out with the 2026 Vistiq, a fresh three-row zero-emissions SUV that looks like it could sell like hotcakes – if only the Ultium platform got its problems together ...

 
Chevy Camaro SS Drags Charger Scat Pack and Model 3, Someone Gets Shamed Quickly
Chevy Camaro SS Drags Charger Scat Pack and Model 3, Someone Gets Shamed Quickly

3 Jan 2024, 08:25 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / New Year resolutions usually don't include defunct stuff, but the automotive industry is a bit quirky in that respect. As such, is anyone surprised when an extinct Chevy Camaro SS is actually a feast for the eyes of quarter-mile drag racing fa...

 
Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Drags Nasty Chevy Vega, It's Close But Not Close Enough
Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Drags Nasty Chevy Vega, It's Close But Not Close Enough

2 Jan 2024, 21:56 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Believe it or not, the subcompact Chevrolet Vega (1970-1977) is turning into a great brawler at the local quarter-mile dragstrip. And there's no need to take our word for granted, as we have yet another example. Just last month, we brie...

 
2025 Subaru Outback Hybrid Mixes Style With Efficiency Across Imagination's Realm
2025 Subaru Outback Hybrid Mixes Style With Efficiency Across Imagination's Realm

2 Jan 2024, 21:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / According to a recent study that analyzed insurance claims, Subaru, Ram, Tesla, and BMW drivers are among the worst in the United States. The Japanese automaker Subaru is coming third in this shameful list behind Ram and Tesla drivers, but t...

 
2025 VW Scout EV Truck Teaser Confirms Summer Release, Here's a CGI to Go Along
2025 VW Scout EV Truck Teaser Confirms Summer Release, Here's a CGI to Go Along

2 Jan 2024, 14:07 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Scout Motors' second-only YouTube video to date has kicked off the teaser campaign for its revival EV models, and the CGI world has responded quickly – but that's the way the imaginative realm of digital car content creators usually...

 
1,012-HP Mammoth TRX Drags 1,000-HP Charger Jailbreak, Someone Gets Destroyed
1,012-HP Mammoth TRX Drags 1,000-HP Charger Jailbreak, Someone Gets Destroyed

2 Jan 2024, 12:49 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Usually, Hennessey Performance Engineering conducts their own races – both drags and rolls – with their tuned products, but now they're allowing 'carwow' a taste of the goodies. So, just for the sake of a good'...

 
Sixth-Gen 2025 Toyota RAV4 Reveals Everything From Inside-Out, Albeit Only in CGI
Sixth-Gen 2025 Toyota RAV4 Reveals Everything From Inside-Out, Albeit Only in CGI

2 Jan 2024, 11:19 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The Japanese automaker Toyota was one of the most sedulous automotive companies in the world last year. After all, they are trying to keep their place as the largest carmaker in the world and dethrone GM in America simultaneously. As such, t...

 
Revived Yet Digital 2025 Chevrolet Impala Seeks to Become a Full-Size Muscle Sedan
Revived Yet Digital 2025 Chevrolet Impala Seeks to Become a Full-Size Muscle Sedan

2 Jan 2024, 09:58 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / General Motors isn't doing great at the start of 2024 – its Ultium EVs are facing delays and a heap of software and recall trouble, while the passenger car lineup is a lot sadder now. While the EV problems are something only GM ca...

 
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser 'FJ40' and 2-Door Nissan Pathfinder Meet in Fantasy Land
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser 'FJ40' and 2-Door Nissan Pathfinder Meet in Fantasy Land

2 Jan 2024, 08:24 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Currently, very few off-road SUVs are available to buy in North America solely with two doors – the Jeep Wrangler and sixth-gen reinvented Ford Bronco are chief among them. In a world overridden by crossovers, even SUVs and trucks some...

 
As 2024 Dawns, Let Us Wave Our Final Goodbye to the Great Rides That Died Last Year
As 2024 Dawns, Let Us Wave Our Final Goodbye to the Great Rides That Died Last Year

1 Jan 2024, 16:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The good folks over at carnewsnetwork decided to compile a list of models that will not see the production light of day in 2024 - but they missed some nameplates. Don't worry, though; a lot of new models are also coming out. Both I...

 
2025 Toyota 4Runner Hybrid Appears Stylish, Rugged, and Efficient in Fantasy Land
2025 Toyota 4Runner Hybrid Appears Stylish, Rugged, and Efficient in Fantasy Land

1 Jan 2024, 02:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / What could make Toyota fans cheer for a great start in 2024? Why, an all-new generation of the long-running 4Runner off-road SUV nameplate would certainly qualify for the position, right? The Japanese automaker has been extremely busy in 2023...

 
First-Ever 2025 Toyota GR Sienna Could Be a Virtual MPV Slap in the Face of Crossover SUVs
First-Ever 2025 Toyota GR Sienna Could Be a Virtual MPV Slap in the Face of Crossover SUVs

31 Dec 2023, 23:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Let us be honest: some passenger car segments are a dying breed, not just an endangered species. Whether we like it or not, that's all due to the worldwide love for crossovers, SUVs, and trucks. But what if the 'victims' strike back ...

 
Fake 1000-HP Dodge Charger Wagon Seems Like the Perfect Inaugural Hennessey Mod for 2024
Fake 1000-HP Dodge Charger Wagon Seems Like the Perfect Inaugural Hennessey Mod for 2024

31 Dec 2023, 22:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / For some, more than 707, 717, or even 797 Mopar horsepower is needed. As such, Texas-based Hennessey Performance has the perfect solution with a warranty-guaranteed performance upgrade and modification package available for all Hellcats. It's ...

 
Toyota's Been Pumping a Lot of Iron in 2023, and the Gains Are Quite Noticeable
Toyota's Been Pumping a Lot of Iron in 2023, and the Gains Are Quite Noticeable

31 Dec 2023, 16:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The Japanese automaker has prepared a tidal wave of novelties for 2023, and we appreciate the dedication and professionalism of such a massive endeavor. Besides, there are a lot of Toyotas launched in 2023 that would make fine additions to our gara...

 
2025 Toyota GR Celica Sport Digital Rebirth Shows Its Potential in Fantasy Land
2025 Toyota GR Celica Sport Digital Rebirth Shows Its Potential in Fantasy Land

31 Dec 2023, 02:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The Japanese automaker is about to conclude a year full of tidal waves of introductions. However, no one really wants them to stop – especially the rumor mill and the imaginative realm of digital car content creators. A lot of reports ...

 

Stories by Aurel Niculescu