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.
2024 Kia Sportage Recalled Over Shorting Circuit Board
2024 Kia Sportage Recalled Over Shorting Circuit Board

12 Jun 2024, 14:12 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / A small number of 2024 model year Kia Sportage crossovers produced at the automaker's plant in Georgia have been hit with a safety recall over a loss of power steering. The root cause for this? According to Kia America, the printed circuit boa...

 
GM Recalls 2024 Chevrolet Corvette and – Rather Surprisingly – the 2025 Corvette
GM Recalls 2024 Chevrolet Corvette and – Rather Surprisingly – the 2025 Corvette

12 Jun 2024, 13:10 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The latest reports on the 2025 Corvette suggest that September 9 is when customer vehicles will start rolling off the assembly line in Bowling Green. However, as per the attached report, GM has issued a recall for 2024 and 2025 models produced thro...

 
The Volkswagen Group Commits €60 Billion for Internal Combustion Vehicles
The Volkswagen Group Commits €60 Billion for Internal Combustion Vehicles

11 Jun 2024, 20:59 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Remember Dieselgate? That scandal prompted the Volkswagen Group to invest billions over billions of euros in electric vehicles, which resulted in the MEB-based ID.3 and ID.4 entering production in the latter part of 2019 and in the summer of 2020. ...

 
Upcoming Ferrari Electric Vehicle Will Sound "Authentic"
Upcoming Ferrari Electric Vehicle Will Sound "Authentic"

11 Jun 2024, 19:55 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / A little over three years ago, Ferrari boss John Elkann said that Ferrari's forthcoming electric vehicle will be landmark product. Due in the latter half of 2025, the yet-unnamed electric vehicle will be produced in a new facility dubbed e-bui...

 
Nissan Leaf Enters 2025 Model Year With Unchanged Prices
Nissan Leaf Enters 2025 Model Year With Unchanged Prices

11 Jun 2024, 18:58 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / 2025 marks the final model year of the second-gen Leaf, which is codenamed ZE1. The next generation is expected to drop in late 2024 for the 2026 model year, and in stark contrast to the current five-door hatchback, the newcomer is a crossover with...

 
Heavily Tuned Audi RS 3 Drag Races Heavily Tuned BMW M140i, It's Over in 9.2 Seconds
Heavily Tuned Audi RS 3 Drag Races Heavily Tuned BMW M140i, It's Over in 9.2 Seconds

11 Jun 2024, 16:11 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The compact-sized models in the following video aren't your usual Audi RS 3 and BMW M140i. Both develop in the ballpark of 1,200 metric ponies, which converts to *check notes* 1,184 horses. Pictured in the United Kingdom at Officially Gasse...

 
Incorrect Power Distribution Center Prompts 2024 Jeep Wrangler Safety Recall
Incorrect Power Distribution Center Prompts 2024 Jeep Wrangler Safety Recall

11 Jun 2024, 15:11 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / A small number of Jeep Wrangler vehicles produced for the 2024 model year have been hit with a recall for having been produced with the incorrect power distribution center. This, in turn, prevents trailer lighting from operating properly. Januar...

 
Ram Recalls ProMaster Vans for Two Separate Issues
Ram Recalls ProMaster Vans for Two Separate Issues

11 Jun 2024, 14:06 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / What do you call a Fiat Ducato with Ram badging? The answer is ProMaster, and similar to the Fiat-branded sibling, the ProMaster is a bit lacking in terms of quality control. How lacking? Picture this: Ram has recalled certain 2021 to 2024 models f...

 
BMW M340i Races Budget Performance EV, Instantly Regrets Decision
BMW M340i Races Budget Performance EV, Instantly Regrets Decision

11 Jun 2024, 12:56 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Although MG is a completely different automaker from what MG stood for back in the days of the MGA and MGB, the British marque continues to make sporty cars. The MG4 EV XPOWER comes to mind, a small hatchback that packs a tremendous punch for a pre...

 
Hyundai Recalls 2024 Santa Cruz and Tucson for Loss of Power Steering Assist
Hyundai Recalls 2024 Santa Cruz and Tucson for Loss of Power Steering Assist

11 Jun 2024, 12:00 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Hyundai Motor America has issued a recall for a small number of Santa Cruz and Tucson vehicles produced for the 2024 model year. Due to contaminated solder flux on the printed circuit board in the electric power pack, a short may lead to a loss of ...

 
Kia Recalls EV9 Light Electric Crossovers for Inadequate Headliner Impact Protection
Kia Recalls EV9 Light Electric Crossovers for Inadequate Headliner Impact Protection

10 Jun 2024, 20:35 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / In production at Kia's West Point assembly plant in Georgia since May 2024, the EV9 has been hit with a safety recall comprising 2,401 units produced at the South Korean automaker's Gwangmyeong assembly plant. As it happens, the impact-ab...

 
Dodge Demon 170 Drag Races 900-WHP C7 Corvette Z06, Traction Not Found
Dodge Demon 170 Drag Races 900-WHP C7 Corvette Z06, Traction Not Found

10 Jun 2024, 19:13 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The world's most powerful series-production muscle car versus a very capable sports car that makes 900 wheel ponies with methanol injection and E50 in the fuel tank. Which one is better in the quarter mile? Their owners are much obliged to ans...

 
Ram Trucks Recalled Over Transmission Fluid Leaking Over Electrical Components
Ram Trucks Recalled Over Transmission Fluid Leaking Over Electrical Components

10 Jun 2024, 17:50 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The Stellantis-owned Ram truck brand has identified an issue affecting certain vehicles produced for the US market for the 2023 model year. As it happens, an iffy weld between the transmission's control unit cover and baseplate may result in t...

 
BMW 7 Series Drag Races Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Result Is Very Conclusive
BMW 7 Series Drag Races Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Result Is Very Conclusive

10 Jun 2024, 17:00 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Over in the United States, both Mercedes-Benz and BMW have two plug-in hybrid full-size luxury sedans with six-cylinder engines hiding underhood. The vehicles in question have been recently tested by Sam CarLegion, and not surprising in the least, ...

 
2024 Ford Mustang GT With MBRP Active Profile Exhaust Sounds Real Mean
2024 Ford Mustang GT With MBRP Active Profile Exhaust Sounds Real Mean

8 Jun 2024, 16:24 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Canada's MBRP has recently launched a fine-sounding exhaust system for the 2024-and-newer Mustang GT Fastback. For the rag-top variant, MBRP says that pipe modifications may be required. Made from T-series 304 stainless steel, the quad-tip act...

 
Four-Time Subaru Owner Takes Delivery of the 3,000,000th Outback Sold by Subaru of America
Four-Time Subaru Owner Takes Delivery of the 3,000,000th Outback Sold by Subaru of America

8 Jun 2024, 15:17 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Subaru of America has recently hit a sales milestone with the delivery of the 3,000,000thOutback. Rather than a cold-weather state, it was delivered to a customer living in Florida. His name is David Jett, and Subaru of America claims that he�...

 
Unplugged Performance's UP.FIT Tesla Cybertruck Police Vehicle Sure Looks Imposing
Unplugged Performance's UP.FIT Tesla Cybertruck Police Vehicle Sure Looks Imposing

7 Jun 2024, 22:11 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Tesla specialist Unplugged Performance has recently unleashed the first-ever Cybertruck police vehicle. Modified by the company's UP.FIT division for police duty, this fellow is said to have "garnered substantial interest from agencies ac...

 
Nissan Recalls Ariya EV Over Damaged Front Motor O-Rings
Nissan Recalls Ariya EV Over Damaged Front Motor O-Rings

7 Jun 2024, 20:55 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Nissan North America has identified a problem affecting a small number of Ariya electric vehicles produced for the 2023 model year between May 30, 2022 and February 27, 2023. During the front motor's assembly process, the O-rings inside might ...

 
BMW M3 Drag Races Audi RS 7, Only Two-Tenths Separate Them
BMW M3 Drag Races Audi RS 7, Only Two-Tenths Separate Them

7 Jun 2024, 18:59 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / carwow has recently compared two hi-po Germans in the form of the BMW M3 Touring and Audi RS 7 Sportback Performance. As you can already tell, said Germans couldn't be more different both from the standpoint of design and in regard to what...

 
Kia Recalls Telluride for Overheating Power Seat Motor, 462,869 Vehicles Affected
Kia Recalls Telluride for Overheating Power Seat Motor, 462,869 Vehicles Affected

7 Jun 2024, 17:59 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Back in May 2024, Kia America recalled no fewer than 427,407 units of the 2020 to 2024 model year Telluride over the risk of rollaway while in park. More recently, the Korean automaker's American division recalled 462,869 examples of the 2020 ...

 

Stories by Mircea Panait