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Cristian Gnaticov

Staff Writer
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Growing up in the communist regime, little Cristian knew the local cars, whose models you could count using the fingers on one hand, by their sound. Scale models were a luxury back then, so he turned to old magazines for glimpses of famous models sold in the West.

Shortly after the regime fell, he started school and got his first four-wheeled toys. Not long after, he experienced the "brute force" of an old Dacia (long before the current Renault era) far away from public roads - and he instantly knew that his life won't have any meaning for the next 10 years or so, when he could get his license and take on the roads on his own.

As years slowly passed, his father started teaching him the basic parking and turning maneuvers. And before he knew it, he turned 18 and got his prized license.

He spent the next few years going to car meets and the occasional drag race, as part of local clubs, and when he finished school and started earning his first money, he knew what he had to do: modify an old Dacia (his first true love) and go rallying.

So the arduous process began. Finding a good engine, transmission and suspension, upgrading the brakes and reinforcing the chassis. An old Renault 5 Alpine supplied the power unit, whereas the suspension and brakes came from a Dacia factory rally car.

Countless sleepless nights later, his baby was almost ready to hit the asphalt, gravel and other fun surfaces. Unfortunately, a string of events that included a garage fire, among others, killed his dream. So, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living, and the rest is history.

He worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s.
Head to Indy 2022 Next Month, Drive Back Home in This McLaren Speedtail
Head to Indy 2022 Next Month, Drive Back Home in This McLaren Speedtail

5 Apr 2022, 20:10 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Thinking of swiping right on a doozy vehicle? Well, this McLaren Speedtail could be the one to spice up your life, if you can afford such expensive toys. Speaking of prices, Mecum, which has listed it for the Indy 2022 event hosted between May 1...

 
Limited-Edition 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 by Virgil Abloh Is the Definition of Opulence
Limited-Edition 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 by Virgil Abloh Is the Definition of Opulence

5 Apr 2022, 11:53 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Mercedes has taken its collaboration with the late Virgil Abloh to a whole new level by unveiling a limited-edition Maybach S-Class. Designed by Gorden Wagener last year, it was finalized before Abloh passed away in November, and its launch coin...

 
BMW Prepping New Hot Hatch, Should the Mercedes-AMG A 45 Worry?
BMW Prepping New Hot Hatch, Should the Mercedes-AMG A 45 Worry?

5 Apr 2022, 10:38 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Having launched almost three years ago, the third-generation BMW 1 Series is in for a mid-cycle refresh, and by the looks of it, so is the M135i. But is this really the model snapped testing in Germany by our spy photographers? At first glance, ...

 
Ever Seen a POV Video of a McLaren 720S Crashing?
Ever Seen a POV Video of a McLaren 720S Crashing?

5 Apr 2022, 10:08 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / This McLaren 720S is going to need a whole lot of work after crashing on a public road, with a very cocky driver behind the wheel that should have gone easy on the brave pill. Shared by supercar.fails on Instagram, the 42-second long video shows...

 
Damn, Son, BMW's Sound Systems Are Built Like Tanks, Can Survive Horrific Crashes
Damn, Son, BMW's Sound Systems Are Built Like Tanks, Can Survive Horrific Crashes

5 Apr 2022, 09:07 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Imagine this: you’re cruising – okay, not cruising, but driving the hell out of your F30 BMW 3 Series, you lose control of the wheel, roll over, and find yourself in a ditch. What’s the next thing you do? Well, crawl out of the...

 
New 2022 Toyota GR 86 Arrives in the UK With Loads of Gear, Attractive PCP Offer
New 2022 Toyota GR 86 Arrives in the UK With Loads of Gear, Attractive PCP Offer

5 Apr 2022, 07:11 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Toyota has finally put a price tag on the new GR 86 in the United Kingdom, where the official sales launch is just around the corner. The brand’s third GR model (for now), after the GR Supra and GR Yaris, is offered in a single, well-equip...

 
2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Gets Standard AWD, Yours From $25,795
2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Gets Standard AWD, Yours From $25,795

5 Apr 2022, 06:36 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Mitsubishi has made a few adjustments to the Eclipse Cross family in the United States following last year’s mid-cycle refresh. As a result, the 2023 model year features additional gear and revised pricing. One of the biggest updates repr...

 
Video: Ram 1500 TRX Forces Itself on a Charger 392, That Probably Hurt
Video: Ram 1500 TRX Forces Itself on a Charger 392, That Probably Hurt

4 Apr 2022, 22:12 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Ah, yes, the Ram 1500 TRX, aka one of the coolest trucks that money can buy. It’s been a while since we’ve last seen it in action at the drag strip, but it’s back, leaving its mark on several drag racing events, including the Diab...

 
Lamborghini Teases New Model Ahead of Next Week's Unveiling, It's Probably a Huracan
Lamborghini Teases New Model Ahead of Next Week's Unveiling, It's Probably a Huracan

4 Apr 2022, 11:42 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Lamborghini took to the world wide web to announce the unveiling of a brand new product for next week, and by the looks of it, it is a Huracan in all likelihood. How do we know that? It’s simple, actually, because it’s their only mod...

 
Your Bentley Continental, Flying Spur May Need New Seatbelts, Recall Announced in the U.S.
Your Bentley Continental, Flying Spur May Need New Seatbelts, Recall Announced in the U.S.

4 Apr 2022, 11:19 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Owners of certain 2020-2022 Bentley Continental GT, Continental GT Convertible, and 2021-2022 Flying Spur should take notice of the latest recall issued for these models in the United States, especially if they have kids. That’s because th...

 
Aww, Isn't That Cute – New 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL Gets Its First Recall Stateside
Aww, Isn't That Cute – New 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL Gets Its First Recall Stateside

4 Apr 2022, 10:32 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / The new-generation Mercedes-AMG SL has popped its recall cherry, as the German automaker, together with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has just announced a recall for the roadster in the United States. Truth be told,...

 
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Enters Production, Supercilious Hypercar Ready for the Jet Set
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Enters Production, Supercilious Hypercar Ready for the Jet Set

4 Apr 2022, 09:54 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / You’ll soon be able to drive your very own Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, if you ordered one that is, because deliveries of the hypercar have finally commenced. As you likely already know, all build slots of the Chiron Super Sport have been res...

 
One of the Ugliest BMWs Ever Made Gets Visited by the Tuning Fairy
One of the Ugliest BMWs Ever Made Gets Visited by the Tuning Fairy

4 Apr 2022, 08:33 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / While the Chris Bangle-era E60 BMW 5 Series has aged quite fine, its two-door sibling, the 6 Series, is still an ugly duckling. Its controversial design won’t help it win any beauty contests anytime soon no matter how much certain tuners try ...

 
Driver Runs Out of Talent Less Than 2 Miles (!) After Taking Delivery of Ferrari 488 GTB
Driver Runs Out of Talent Less Than 2 Miles (!) After Taking Delivery of Ferrari 488 GTB

4 Apr 2022, 08:00 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / We’d expect to pay only for gas, and probably new tires, after buying a supercar and brace ourselves for the maintenance bills. However, a fresh Ferrari 488 GTB owner will now have to fix their Italian exotic, as they crashed it less than two...

 
Chrysler Pacifica, Voyager Recalled in the U.S. Over Second-Row Seating Problem
Chrysler Pacifica, Voyager Recalled in the U.S. Over Second-Row Seating Problem

4 Apr 2022, 07:26 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Chrysler has issued a recall for certain Pacifica and Voyager minivans. And it’s not due to a minor issue, because the fault could increase the risk of injury in the event of an accident. In as few words as possible, the vehicles in questi...

 
Buick Roadmaster Digitally Returns for 2022, but You Ain't Gonna Like This One
Buick Roadmaster Digitally Returns for 2022, but You Ain't Gonna Like This One

4 Apr 2022, 06:39 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Made up of crossovers entirely, Buick’s modern vehicle lineup isn’t that exciting anymore. You can blame it on a number of factors, but the truth is that the customer always decides what’s best for them, and companies are left cha...

 
Bland-Looking Honda Civic Hides a Spin Cycle Sound Secret
Bland-Looking Honda Civic Hides a Spin Cycle Sound Secret

3 Apr 2022, 21:02 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Is a tuned older-generation Honda Civic still relevant in today’s market? That’s a tricky one, because it all depends on what kind of mods it rocks. If we’re talking about engine swaps, big turbos, and perhaps all-wheel drive s...

 
Custom Dodge Charger Could Make SUV Owners Jealous, if It Wasn't So Ridiculous
Custom Dodge Charger Could Make SUV Owners Jealous, if It Wasn't So Ridiculous

3 Apr 2022, 14:00 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Can you tell what is special about this Dodge Charger just by looking at the opening pic? Probably not, though the flashy color could be a good hint. Okay, let’s cut to the chase, because it’s nothing that we haven’t seen befor...

 
This Pile of Rust Is the Cheapest Used Car for Sale on eBay, Should It Be Rescued?
This Pile of Rust Is the Cheapest Used Car for Sale on eBay, Should It Be Rescued?

3 Apr 2022, 11:22 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Ever dreamed about owning a classic car? Probably yes at one point, yet after becoming aware of the issues that come with these rides, not to mention that they’re not the best to drive, most of us have erased that thought from our minds. Not ...

 
Get Your Moist Ferrari California T Right Here, No One Has to Know About Its Wet Problem
Get Your Moist Ferrari California T Right Here, No One Has to Know About Its Wet Problem

2 Apr 2022, 21:02 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / This 2018 Ferrari California T is waiting for a gullible new owner to drive it home – well, drive it is too big a term, because it does have some serious electrical issues. In a more realistic scenario, it is actually looking for someone to s...

 

Stories by Cristian Gnaticov