Mircea Panait
20,328 ARTICLES
Personal motto:
"If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae
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.
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat to Make Its Public Debut in Michigan on August 15th
8 Aug 2014, 08:32 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Up to this point, only motoring journalists and a few select people had the occasion to see and hear the Hellcat in the flesh. Not anymore! As it happens, this year's edition of the Woodward Dream Cruise will be the place where the most powerf...
Maserati MC12 for Sale, Dealer Wants a Hefty $1.85 Million for It
7 Aug 2014, 18:00 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / When Ferrari introduced the Enzo (F60) back in 2002, the extreme Pracing Horse instantly became the hypercar yardstick. It's a spectacular looking car with a mind-glowingly potent V12 mounted in the middle, but it pales compared to its sister ...
Bugatti Veyron Ettore Bugatti Legend Edition to Debut at Pebble Beach
7 Aug 2014, 16:45 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / "Les Legendes de Bugatti," which translates to Bugatti Legends in English, is the name given to a series of ultra exclusive Veyron hypercars. Up to this point, five different models have taken our breath away, but the final model in the l...
Motorhome Sales On the Rise, Ford Is the Best-Selling RV Chassis Manufacturer
7 Aug 2014, 15:55 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / From January through May 2014, the U.S. recreational vehicle market has enjoyed a hike in sales volume. Class A motorhomes, which can retail for more than $150,000, are up 12 percent according to data from Statistical Surveys Inc., while the smalle...
2016 Chevrolet Volt to Debut at 2015 Detroit Auto Show in January
7 Aug 2014, 14:53 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / It's official! Chevrolet has confirmed that the second-generation Chevrolet Volt will be unveiled at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which will open its doors Monday, January 12th. According to the manufacturer, ...
Corvette-Driving Girlfriend Proposed To In a Unique Way
7 Aug 2014, 14:03 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Back in October 2013, a YouTube video that immediately became viral with the online automotive community has been uploaded. To make a long story short, a very caring boyfriend made a present to his chosen one - a brand spanking new Chevrolet Corvet...
OnStar 4G LTE Trial Period Activated by 98 Percent of Users
7 Aug 2014, 12:45 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Having an Internet connection in your car is not a fancy thing, but a useful feature, especially in the year 2014. Imagine the benefits of having 24/7 in-car access to the World Wide Web - restaurant guide and other free time apps, Google Maps sate...
Updated Heavy-Duty Trucks are the Fastest-Selling Pickups in the Month of July
7 Aug 2014, 11:54 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / As of recent months, the pickup segment in the United States was met with high demand for heavy-duty models. Due to its popularity and low starting MSRP, the 2014 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab sits at the top of July's fastest-selling pickup trucks...
Cadillac CT5 and CT6 Trademarks Filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office
7 Aug 2014, 11:01 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / When it comes to SUVs, the Cadillac brand currently boasts with only two models: the SRX crossover and the Escalade. But GM's luxury division has filed trademark applications for CT5, Cadillac CT5, CT6 and Cadillac CT6 nameplates, which sugges...
2015 Ford Mustang Owners Manual Available for Download
7 Aug 2014, 09:51 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The Blue Oval's service content website has recently released the owners manual for the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang (S550). Although deliveries of the fresh pony car haven't even started yet, a lot of people that dropped deposits on the new...
Schumacher Medical Record Thief Found Dead in His Prison Cell
7 Aug 2014, 08:45 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Michael Schumacher's unfortunate ski accident hasn't affected only the German Formula 1 champion, his family and his fans. The thief that stole Michael's medical record during his helicopter transfer from a French hospital to a clini...
Tesla Trademark Dispute in China Settled Out of Court
6 Aug 2014, 17:00 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Like many other trademark disputes, the one that made Tesla's China expansion difficult has been solved recently. What was the threat that might've made the automaker's offensive problematic? Right after Tesla Motors has began to ...
679 HP Ferrari M458-T to Debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show
6 Aug 2014, 16:18 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / When it was introduced in 2009, the Ferrari 458 Italia became the new yardstick in its segment. A 570 horsepower 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 mated to a fast-shifting seven-speed dual clutch tranny and a poised chassis were the elements that ma...
Chrysler Posts $619 Million Net Income in the Second-Quarter
6 Aug 2014, 15:20 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / That figure translates to a 22 percent hike compared to the second-quarter of 2013, which is encouraging news after a slightly embarrassing first-quarter. Chrysler also posted sales earnings of $20.5 billion, up 14 percent compared to the $18 billi...
Mitsubishi Outlander Recalled Over Power Steering Problem
6 Aug 2014, 14:39 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Contrary to popular belief, cars engineered and manufactured in Japan aren't not as reliable as ignorants believe them to be. Try to remember the notorious Toyota sudden unintended acceleration fiasco and other minor recall campaigns that invo...
700 BHP Caparo T1 Evolution Confirmed, Already Available to Order
6 Aug 2014, 13:45 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / When Jeremy Clarkson took the Caparo T1 for a test-drive round the Top Gear circuit, the floor of the car fell and there was a glitch with the fuel system. Fifth Gear's Jason Plato has experienced a fire at the wheel of the T1, so reliability ...
New Bugatti Veyron to Crack 286 MPH, Only 15 Current-Gen Veyrons Still Unsold
6 Aug 2014, 12:45 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Bugatti has confirmed a few weeks ago that research and development for the Galibier has been postponed to focus engineering efforts on the second-gen Veyron hypercar. Insider info hints that the all-new hypercar king will be able to reach a scarce...
636 HP Hennessey HPE600 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Hits the Dyno
6 Aug 2014, 11:47 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Although Hennessey Performance says that the HPE600 upgrade offers a steady 600 horsepower at 6,200 rpm, the modified Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 that hits the dyno in the video below develops 636 ponies and 545 lb-ft (739 Nm) at the flywheel. Those a...
2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Might Be Previewed on September 19th
6 Aug 2014, 10:02 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / During this weekend's Indianapolis Motor Speedway broadcast, a very special Easter egg was dropped around the 39:20 mark: "Right now what’s in development is that GT350 race car for next year. We should see that car on the track lat...
Fiat Punto Evo Facelift Bound for India
6 Aug 2014, 09:07 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Don't get fooled by the Evo in its name. The Fiat Punto is virtually the same car even if fancy names are slapped to the nameplate on certain markets, but the little Italian hatchback is the oldest geezer in its segment. So what does this Indi...