Bogdan Popa
13,294 ARTICLES
Personal motto:
"Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow" - Jeff Valdez, Stand-up Comedian.
He typically carries both an iPhone and Android device because there’s no such thing as the perfect phone, and he drives a car that some say is blue, others say is green.
His guilty pleasure is finding bugs in Android Auto (cc @Google, you’d better keep an eye on his reports, as these could actually help you refine the experience behind the wheel), and he occasionally tries out all kinds of weird gadgets that many people didn’t even know they exist.
His daily tech arsenal also includes a smartwatch and earbuds because that’s how geeks rock, as well as a laptop that has nothing in common with fruit.
Bogdan’s long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space in the trunk for his kid’s toys, as well as convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as the phones that these two companies build.
When he’s not writing about cars, Bogdan’s probably trying to fit a bike in the 375-liter trunk of his car or posting tech stuff for autoevolution’s sister site Softpedia.
2010 Lincoln MKZ Gets IIHS Top Safety Pick
7 May 2009, 07:24 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Ford proudly announced today that the 2010 Lincoln MKZ luxury midsize sedan received a Top Safety Pick rating from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an award that underlines once again, if needed, that the new model is indeed a very sa...
Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. Electric Vehicle Unveiled
7 May 2009, 06:33 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Renault yesterday unveiled a new prototype electric vehicle at the Annual General Meeting of its shareholders in Paris that gives us a hint into how the future electric lineup of both Renault and Nissan might look like. Called Kangoo be bop Z.E., t...
Sport Divisions in the Spotlight - Opel OPC
6 May 2009, 15:08 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / After we previously stepped in the worlds of AMG and BMW, today we'll continue our debate over sport divisions around the world with a new and well-known unit: OPC. Mostly known as Opel's sport subsidiary, the Opel Performance Center (abb...
Next Chrysler CEO Won't Get More Than $500,000 a Year
6 May 2009, 13:13 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / After the United States government has severely criticized officials of both General Motors and Chrysler for the big salaries they got while working within the two companies, the next Chrysler CEO won't get more than $500,000 a year, according...
Chrysler Unlikely to Repay Government Loans
6 May 2009, 12:38 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / An interesting story, related to the same over-discussed bankruptcy filing of Chrysler, saw daylight today, this time pointing to a subject we all think about, but only a few had the guts to tackle it: the American manufacturer who is now living un...
Fiat 500, Alfa Romeo MiTo, Milano 940 Go to the US
6 May 2009, 11:21 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Just as we told you a long time ago, Fiat plans to use the Chrysler alliance to launch some new products in the United States that could expand the company's coverage in this unexplored region. But what would be the models to be launched in th...
Saab 9-3X UK Pricing Announced
6 May 2009, 10:45 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / This is probably the only Saab report this week that isn't at all related to the economic recession and to the difficult situation the company is currently living in. Well, the Swedish company has just announcing pricing for the 9-3X, a model ...
Lexus Prepares 1-Series Rival Based on Prius Hybrid
6 May 2009, 09:43 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Lexus isn't as popular in Europe as its chief executives would desire but it may seem like things are going to change very soon. A report issued by Top Gear hints that Lexus is now considering launching an affordable model on the Old Continent...
Next-Generation Peugeot 208 Very Early Rendering
6 May 2009, 09:40 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / There are a lot of rumors surfacing the new-generation Peugeot 208 but there are no official details for the time being, other that it may arrive in late 2011 or early 2012. However, what we have here is the first photo showing the upcoming Peugeot...
Chrysler's Non-US Assets Still on the Safe Side
6 May 2009, 08:45 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Although the company has filed for bankruptcy in the United States, Chrysler insists the assets it owns outside its domestic market are still on the safe side, with no major changes to be announced for the time being. The announcement was made at a...
2011 Nissan 370Z Hybrid on the Table
6 May 2009, 08:05 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / How often do you get to see a hybrid version of a high-performance car? Fairly rarely we would say but, given the current economic situation, things are by far different from the last few years. The best example comes straight from Japanese automak...
Chrysler to Kill Dodge Viper, Jeep Wrangler
6 May 2009, 07:16 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Just as we told you yesterday, Chrysler's Chapter 11 filing might delay the company's 2010 and 2011 models, with several vehicles likely to go on sale later than initially expected. But a different and more serious consequence of the bank...
Fiat Needs Up to 7 Billion Euros to Form Europe's Biggest Automaker
5 May 2009, 15:20 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Fiat is slowly but surely becoming one of the world's biggest automakers and, even if it finally formed the over-discussed strategic alliance with Chrysler, it is now aiming to purchase the German brand Opel. Although reports claiming a potent...
Hitachi Designed World's Most Advanced Hybrid Battery
5 May 2009, 15:17 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / What's the main disadvantage when opting for a hybrid detrimental to gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles? You're right, the battery, but manufacturers around the world struggle to design more advanced battery packs that could last more a...
Ford F-150 Diesel Indefinitely Put on Hold
5 May 2009, 15:14 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The number of projects cancelled or delayed as a result of the economic turmoil is growing day by day. For example, Ford is now considering putting on hold the diesel engine prepared for the refreshed Fusion, partially due to the economic recession...
Germany and the Story of the 14 Conditions for State Loans
5 May 2009, 14:04 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Opel has longly been in the spotlight, mostly due to its financial instability which led to a bunch of rumors claiming GM Europe, the mother company, is aiming to get rid of the German unit. It appears that speculation is indeed true but before see...
New Renault Clio to Take on Peugeot 207 in European Small Segment
5 May 2009, 14:01 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The small-car segment has turned into the main target for most automakers around the world, mostly due to the economic chaos which encouraged people to migrate to small-displacement engines boasting a reduced fuel economy and very low CO2 emissions...
Chrysler's 2010 and 2011 Models in Doubt Due to Chapter 11
5 May 2009, 12:36 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Chrysler's recently-confirmed filing for Chapter 11 might also influence the company's short-term plans as 2010 and 2011 models might be delayed, Chrysler manufacturing chief Frank Ewasyshyn said. The main reason is obviously the avalanch...
GM Receives C$500 Million Loan in Canada
5 May 2009, 10:45 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / General Motors has just made another step towards its restructuring plan in Canada with the help of Export Development Canada, who agreed to provide up to C$500 million to the American automaker. However, General Motors has been asked to continue i...
Renault Clio Campus.com Launched, Priced at 9,999 Euros
5 May 2009, 10:44 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Renault has just unveiled the latest Clio Campus, the so-called Campus.com, a model especially addressed to young drivers buying their first car, as the company said in a statement. The new car is based on the Dynamique equipment level and could br...