autoevolution
 

Mircea Panait

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Personal motto:

"If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae

Senior Contributor
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Little did he knew back then, but a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO is what sparked Mircea’s interest for cars when he was just a kid. Despite studying mathematics and informatics in high school and economics in university, Mircea turned his passion for all things automotive into a job.
 
Interning for Top Gear was his first foray in automotive journalism, and not long after that, a full-time position was opened for Mircea to seal the deal. Just about three years later, autoevolution became his new home.
 
Especially interested in American ponies and muscle cars, Mircea also finds the Japanese domestic market appealing thanks to the quirkiness of kei cars. Full-size pickups like the Ram 1500 and off-roaders such as the Ford Ranger Raptor and Jeep Gladiator Rubicon are much to his liking as well.
 
A self-described master of pasta and an avid CCG player, Mircea’s past-time activities include playing his Epiphone Les Paul Special Vintage Edition electric guitar, discovering the wonders of the Carpathian mountains by foot, and driving to the Black Sea to get a well-deserved tan.
INEOS Recalls Grenadier Station Wagon for Relay Control Wire That May Short Circuit
INEOS Recalls Grenadier Station Wagon for Relay Control Wire That May Short Circuit

30 Dec 2023, 20:15 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Masterminded by Jim Ratcliffe and penned by Toby Ecuyer, the Grenadier is best described as the Land Rover Defender for those who cannot imagine the Defender without body-on-frame construction and solid axles. Production started in October 2022, an...

 
2014 Chevrolet Cruze and 2014 Buick Verano Recalled for Airbag Inflators That May Rupture
2014 Chevrolet Cruze and 2014 Buick Verano Recalled for Airbag Inflators That May Rupture

29 Dec 2023, 23:14 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / General Motors has issued a recall for approximately 21,000 vehicles produced for the 2014 model year. The 2014 model year Chevrolet Cruze and 2014 model year Buick Verano vehicles in question feature roof rail airbag inflators with inflator chambe...

 
2024 Hyundai Sonata Coupe Rendering Looks Exotic, Too Bad It's Just Wishful Thinking
2024 Hyundai Sonata Coupe Rendering Looks Exotic, Too Bad It's Just Wishful Thinking

29 Dec 2023, 22:13 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Everyone and their dog wants a sport utility vehicle, which is why automakers have pivoted to SUVs in the last decade. Hyundai is one of those automakers, and increasing demand for SUVs may result in the Sonata getting discontinued around the year ...

 
Kia Recalls 2011 Sorento With 2.4L Theta II MPI Engine Over Fire Risk
Kia Recalls 2011 Sorento With 2.4L Theta II MPI Engine Over Fire Risk

29 Dec 2023, 21:12 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Back in December 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an engineering analysis to investigate engine fires in Kia and Hyundai vehicles produced for the 2011 to 2016 model years with 2.4-liter Theta II MPI engines. At the t...

 
Audi Recalls e-tron Quattro and e-tron Sportback Quattro for Battery Issue
Audi Recalls e-tron Quattro and e-tron Sportback Quattro for Battery Issue

29 Dec 2023, 17:29 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Based on the MLB Evo platform rather than an EV-specific architecture, the Audi e-tron and its better-looking brother have been hit with a recall. An estimated 26,866 vehicles produced for the 2019 through 2022 model years are equipped with LG Ener...

 
Your 2024 Hyundai Kona May Catch Fire, South Korean Automaker Recalls 10,984 Vehicles
Your 2024 Hyundai Kona May Catch Fire, South Korean Automaker Recalls 10,984 Vehicles

29 Dec 2023, 16:17 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / In production since early 2023 for the 2024 model year, the second-generation Kona has been hit with another safety recall. Back in September, the South Korean automaker had to recall 2,354 vehicles due to defective rear seat belt assemblies. On th...

 
2024 Toyota GR Yaris Automatic Will Reportedly Debut at Tokyo Auto Salon 2024
2024 Toyota GR Yaris Automatic Will Reportedly Debut at Tokyo Auto Salon 2024

29 Dec 2023, 02:05 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Arguably the most exciting B-segment hot hatchback in production today, the GR Yaris will receive a facelift in January 2024. Or so claims Magazine X, which understands that Toyota will unleash the mid-cycle refresh at Tokyo Auto Salon on January 1...

 
Sublime Green 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 Up for Grabs With 12 Miles on the Clock
Sublime Green 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 Up for Grabs With 12 Miles on the Clock

29 Dec 2023, 01:04 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Unleashed in March 2023, the most powerful muscle car of all time offers up to 1,025 horsepower and 945 pound-feet (1,281 Nm) on E85 corn brew for the relatively sensible recommended price of $96,666. However, you've missed your chance of plac...

 
2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class EV Speculatively Rendered, Will Compete Against BMW i3 Sedan
2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class EV Speculatively Rendered, Will Compete Against BMW i3 Sedan

29 Dec 2023, 00:07 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / In the coming years, German automaker Mercedes-Benz AG will unleash three passenger vehicle platforms and one for vans. The MB.EA is meant for medium and larger passenger vehicles, and this platform is believed to underpin the C-Class EV. Spied ...

 
Stellantis Ends L-Platform Dodge Charger Production
Stellantis Ends L-Platform Dodge Charger Production

28 Dec 2023, 23:01 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Developed during a time when Chrysler and Daimler were joined at the hip, the L platform gave us two sedans, two wagons, and a two-door coupe. Stellantis, namely the automaker resulted from the merger between Fiat Chrysler and Groupe PSA, ended pro...

 
Daimler Vans USA Recalls 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Over Unsecured Suspension Bolt
Daimler Vans USA Recalls 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Over Unsecured Suspension Bolt

28 Dec 2023, 22:05 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Not exactly the most popular full-size van in the United States of America, the Sprinter is also notorious for its abysmal build quality. As a case in point, certain examples may feature an unsecured suspension bolt. How did that happen? Daimler...

 
Ferrari's New V12 Flagship GT Spied Testing, Will Debut May 2024
Ferrari's New V12 Flagship GT Spied Testing, Will Debut May 2024

28 Dec 2023, 20:09 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The Prancing Horse of Maranello and naturally aspirated V12 engines are inseparable partners, for the automaker founded by Enzo Ferrari made a name for itself with V12-powered sports cars and GTs. While on the subject of V12 masterpieces, did yo...

 
Land Rover Recalls Range Rover and Range Rover Sport for Improperly Bonded Body Panels
Land Rover Recalls Range Rover and Range Rover Sport for Improperly Bonded Body Panels

28 Dec 2023, 19:06 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Land Rover's quality woes date back to 1967, the year when Leyland Motors absorbed the Rover Company. The latest recall involving Land Rover involves only a handful of Range Rover and Range Rover Sport vehicles produced for model year 2024. ...

 
2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Collector’s Edition Hits Auction Block With Delivery Miles
2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Collector’s Edition Hits Auction Block With Delivery Miles

28 Dec 2023, 18:18 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / 2023 is the final year of the sixth-generation Camaro, with Chevrolet producing very few examples for the 2024 model year. The rarest version is the ZL1 Collector's Edition, of which 350 were produced. Coming courtesy of Rydell Chevrolet B...

 
Your Ford Pickup Truck's Driver Airbag May Become Deactivated, 18,000 Vehicles Recalled
Your Ford Pickup Truck's Driver Airbag May Become Deactivated, 18,000 Vehicles Recalled

28 Dec 2023, 17:18 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The F-Series pickup truck may be America's number one truck for the 47th consecutive year in 2023, but alas, the F-Series also happens to be a favorite of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The latest recall involving the Ford...

 
Ford F-Series Crowned America's Favorite Truck Yet Again
Ford F-Series Crowned America's Favorite Truck Yet Again

28 Dec 2023, 16:13 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / We're days away from 2023 turning into 2024. Although the final number hasn't been determined yet, Ford claims that F-Series pickup truck sales totaled over 700,000 units in 2023 in the US market. This, in turn, means that Ford's ...

 
Mercedes Fuel Pump Issue Prompts Recall, Almost 80,000 Vehicles Affected
Mercedes Fuel Pump Issue Prompts Recall, Almost 80,000 Vehicles Affected

28 Dec 2023, 15:17 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / While everyone and their dog is preparing for New Year's Eve fireworks and socializing with our loved ones, Merc is busy filing recalls with the federal watchdog. The latest campaign involves model year 2021 through 2024 vehicles from the C-Cl...

 
Rivian R1T Drag Races Jaguar F-Type, BMW X5 Also Tastes Defeat
Rivian R1T Drag Races Jaguar F-Type, BMW X5 Also Tastes Defeat

28 Dec 2023, 00:14 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Although not as fast to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) as the Cybertruck in Cyberbeast flavor, the R1T is no slouch. Rivian estimates 3.0 seconds flat for the quad-motor specification, which results in quarter-mile times in the 11-secon...

 
2023 Range Rover Sport Hit With Recall Due to Moisture Accumulating in the Rear Lamps
2023 Range Rover Sport Hit With Recall Due to Moisture Accumulating in the Rear Lamps

27 Dec 2023, 23:18 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Land Rover has issued a recall for an estimated 4,347 examples of the Range Rover Sport. As it happens, the right-hand tailgate and body-mounted rear lamps may fail due to water ingress. Dealers will be instructed to replace said lamps on January 4...

 
The Most Popular 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 Paint Color Is Pitch Black
The Most Popular 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 Paint Color Is Pitch Black

27 Dec 2023, 21:59 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / On December 22nd, the final Chrysler L-platform vehicle rolled off the assembly line at Brampton Assembly Plant in Canada. The car in question is a Pitch Black Demon 170, which – coincidentally – is the most popular Demon 170 paint colo...

 

Stories by Mircea Panait