autoevolution
 

Aurel Niculescu

9,667  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.
Unofficial 2025 Mitsubishi Montero SUV Looks Ready For a Brawl With the 2024 Land Cruiser
Unofficial 2025 Mitsubishi Montero SUV Looks Ready For a Brawl With the 2024 Land Cruiser

24 Aug 2023, 09:50 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / There's no reason to beat around the bush – as far as I am concerned, Mitsubishi is but a pale shadow of its former self across two main regions – Europe and North America. And I dare you to contradict me! Think about it for ...

 
8-Second Turbo LS Nissan 240SX Drags Spirit, Supercharged 'Stang, Turbo Trans Am, Wins All
8-Second Turbo LS Nissan 240SX Drags Spirit, Supercharged 'Stang, Turbo Trans Am, Wins All

24 Aug 2023, 08:51 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The spirit of quarter-mile drag racing lies deeply connected with the values of freedom and innovation. Just look at all the gloriously tuned and modified rides that exist across the nation's dragstrips if you don't believe us. Eve...

 
2026 Rivian R2S Looks Virtually Ready to Conquer Compact Electric SUV Market
2026 Rivian R2S Looks Virtually Ready to Conquer Compact Electric SUV Market

24 Aug 2023, 08:15 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / From an outsider's point of view, things are looking great for Rivian Automotive, an American EV manufacturer set to follow in the footsteps of Tesla – but with a more outdoorsy focus as far as its vehicles are concerned. Earlier ...

 
Mercedes EQE SUV Family Lands Down Under Costing Quite a Lot More Than in America
Mercedes EQE SUV Family Lands Down Under Costing Quite a Lot More Than in America

24 Aug 2023, 07:45 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / When the Mercedes EQE SUV became available in the United States back in spring, some lamented the steep pricing configuration, as the base version had an MSRP of almost $78k. But wait until you see the MRLPs (Manufacturer's Recommended List Pr...

 
A Volvo Electric Minivan (Yes, You Read That Right: A Volvo Minivan) Is Coming November 12
A Volvo Electric Minivan (Yes, You Read That Right: A Volvo Minivan) Is Coming November 12

24 Aug 2023, 07:06 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The Chinese-owned premium Swedish marque touts the model's global debut, but it's only fair to say this model is a dedication to China - pre-orders start there first, on the same day of the official reveal. At the beginning of 2023...

 
The BMW Group Is All Focused on Electrification at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich
The BMW Group Is All Focused on Electrification at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich

23 Aug 2023, 12:46 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / After the craziness of this last summer of month (which is not complete yet, as an Alfa Romeo supercar is coming on August 31), automakers are probably hoping for a relaxed start to autumn. Well, it will be a lot more traditional, at least. ...

 
Wacky Ferrari 12XX Design Project Feels Like a Stealth (F-117) Bomber for the Road
Wacky Ferrari 12XX Design Project Feels Like a Stealth (F-117) Bomber for the Road

23 Aug 2023, 12:16 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Just like the other 99% of the automotive world, Ferrari was present and accounted for at 'Casa Ferrari' during Monterey Car Week. There, it presented a unique take on the Ferrari 812 Competizione during an exclusive event. Sure, o...

 
Check Out the All-New 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan Before You're Supposed to See It. Again!
Check Out the All-New 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan Before You're Supposed to See It. Again!

23 Aug 2023, 10:12 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The 'MQB-Coding & Retrofit' group on Facebook was the source of this second alleged leak, so do take all this with a hint of salt before there's anything official on the matter. There's no secret that Volkswagen is on...

 
Snazzy Mazda6 Vision Wants to Make Sure the U.S. Knows That Sedans Can Be Great, Again
Snazzy Mazda6 Vision Wants to Make Sure the U.S. Knows That Sedans Can Be Great, Again

23 Aug 2023, 09:41 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / As far as the US automotive market is concerned, the records are simple yet unbelievable – compact crossover SUVs rule on top of the delivery charts after the first half of the year, followed by full-size trucks. And the first passenger car s...

 
Tesla Model 3 'Project Highland' Gets Rendered One More Time Before Its Official Reveal
Tesla Model 3 'Project Highland' Gets Rendered One More Time Before Its Official Reveal

23 Aug 2023, 08:19 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / American EV automaker and clean energy company Tesla, headquartered in Austin, Texas (formerly Palo Alto, California), is known for many good and bad things. For example, they are credited with kicking the EV revolution in the nuts and givin...

 
C8 Chevy Corvette Z06 Drags McLaren 570S. It's Eerily Close, But Not Close Enough!
C8 Chevy Corvette Z06 Drags McLaren 570S. It's Eerily Close, But Not Close Enough!

23 Aug 2023, 07:38 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Matt from the RearWheelDrive channel is back for more quarter-mile dragstrip action, and he's at Orland Speed World Dragway with some British-style car-loving friends sporting a couple of lightweight McLaren 570S sports cars. Durin...

 
Redesigned 2024 Cadillac CT5 Adopts CT5-V Lifestyle Before Official Unveiling
Redesigned 2024 Cadillac CT5 Adopts CT5-V Lifestyle Before Official Unveiling

22 Aug 2023, 21:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Cadillac was in a state of grace this month, as it 'occupied' Times Square in New York City with the launch of the 2025 Escalade IQ, its first-ever zero-emissions full-size SUV. But that's not all, according to the rumor mill. ...

 
Tesla Model 3 Drags a Green Hot Rod, Absolute ICE vs. EV Destruction Is Ensured
Tesla Model 3 Drags a Green Hot Rod, Absolute ICE vs. EV Destruction Is Ensured

22 Aug 2023, 20:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Currently, Tesla is the exponent of the novel EV lifestyle – with both the good and the bad. And, while we wait for the first Cybertruck deliveries (which could happen around Christmas) and for FSD Beta to start behaving properly, let us reme...

 
R35 Nissan GT-R and Lambo Gallardo Drag Race MG4 XPower, ICE vs. EV Surprises Abound
R35 Nissan GT-R and Lambo Gallardo Drag Race MG4 XPower, ICE vs. EV Surprises Abound

22 Aug 2023, 12:13 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Mat Watson and the 'carwow' team are back again with the Chinese-British (slightly high-riding) hot hatch MG4 XPower, and now it's an ICE versus EV affair all the way, complete with R35 and Lambo invitees. The British MG brand...

 
Second-Gen Mercedes-AMG GT Rocks Virtual Upgrades, Looks Like a Widebody 911 Killer
Second-Gen Mercedes-AMG GT Rocks Virtual Upgrades, Looks Like a Widebody 911 Killer

22 Aug 2023, 09:45 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / If you want to believe in miracles, then you had better avoided Mercedes-AMG's presentation of the all-new, second-generation GT model at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance during Monterey Car Week. Otherwise, you would easily get ...

 
Big Hyundai Palisade Family SUV Gets Another Facelift, Albeit Only in Fantasy Land
Big Hyundai Palisade Family SUV Gets Another Facelift, Albeit Only in Fantasy Land

22 Aug 2023, 08:16 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / We are genuinely mesmerized by all the glamorous novelties from Monterey Car Week. Still, we should remember the star attractions that came before to make this August a glorious month for the automotive industry. It all started with the worl...

 
Will Mitsubishi's Endeavor Return With Triton DNA to Make 'Project America' Great Again?
Will Mitsubishi's Endeavor Return With Triton DNA to Make 'Project America' Great Again?

22 Aug 2023, 07:37 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Unlike its Japanese peers – Subaru, Honda, Nissan, and especially Toyota – Mitsubishi is but a pale shadow of its former self in North America. To make matters worse, it's even becoming a copycat across the Old Continent. We...

 
Tuned BMW M5 Drags Modded RS 6 and Reworked E 63 S, This Combo Is Pretty Bonkers
Tuned BMW M5 Drags Modded RS 6 and Reworked E 63 S, This Combo Is Pretty Bonkers

21 Aug 2023, 21:00 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / On the occasion of this new drag and roll race video, Mat Watson and the carwow channel on YouTube have a fairly standard setup for us - the triumvirate of executive German models - but with a couple of twists between them. Normally, th...

 
2025 Kia Sorento GT Arrives From Fantasy Land as Company's Most Powerful CUV
2025 Kia Sorento GT Arrives From Fantasy Land as Company's Most Powerful CUV

21 Aug 2023, 20:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Unlike many automakers, which made a splash at the many events forming the Monterey Car Week 2023 or a few others, which wanted the spotlight all for themselves, Kia was quite subtle and quiet about its redesigned 2024 Sorento mid-size crossover SU...

 
550-HP RUF Tribute and 750-HP Gunther Werks Touring Turbo Edition Are Some Fine 911s
550-HP RUF Tribute and 750-HP Gunther Werks Touring Turbo Edition Are Some Fine 911s

21 Aug 2023, 13:22 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Of course, everybody wanted a piece of the Monterey Car Week and its many events - and so did specialist Porsche 911 restomod aftermarket companies like RUF or Gunther Werks. Not long ago, the 2023 edition of Monterey Car Week featured no le...

 

Stories by Aurel Niculescu