Mircea Panait
20,323 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.
Mitsubishi Pajero Facelift Launched in Japan
21 Jul 2014, 16:28 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Currently at its fourth-generation, the Mitsubishi Pajero is a very old full-size SUV. In fact, the model which is sold nowadays has been introduced some eight years ago and it looks rather old school both inside and outside. However, the automaker...
Tesla's CEO Says 500-Mile Range Car Is Possible
21 Jul 2014, 15:48 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Elon Musk has revealed last week that the upcoming BMW 3 Series-rivaling sedan will be called the Tesla Model III. Expected to be about 20 percent smaller than the Model S and to hold a $35,000 sticker price, the Palo Alto-based carmaker's nu...
1.3 Million GM Vehicles Recalled Over Electric Power Steering Issues
21 Jul 2014, 15:02 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / While the entire automotive industry has recalled almost 28 million automobiles last year, General Motors is getting perilously close to the 30 million mark. If you take into consideration this louse up happened in under 7 months, you can bet you f...
Buick Envision Unveiled in China
21 Jul 2014, 13:52 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / More than three years after the concept was exhibited at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show, Buick has finally revealed how the Envision mid-size crossover looks like and a handful of specs. To be offered only on the Chinese market, the all-new model sits...
Dodge Viper SRT Convertible Breaks Cover
21 Jul 2014, 11:45 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / We know what you're thinking, but no. Regrettably, this top-down American supercar isn't an official Dodge / SRT product, but the love child of Prefix Performance Vehicles and a heavy-duty chain saw. Baptized Medusa, this topless fifth...
2015 Chevrolet SS Gets 6-Speed Manual, Magnetic Ride Control, OnStar 4G LTE, New Colors
21 Jul 2014, 10:06 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / At last, General Motors decided to equip the sleeper special SS performance sedan with a six-speed stick shift gearbox and Delphi-developed MagneRide trick suspension. Just check GM's 2015 Online Order / Reference Guide and you'll find ev...
Former Ford COO Nick Scheele Dies at 70, Honored by Bill Ford
21 Jul 2014, 09:03 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Born in Essex, United Kingdom, in January 1944, Briton Sir Nicholas Scheele is one of the most highly regarded executives in recent automotive history. Unfortunately, the Blue Oval announced that Nick, aged 70, has died on July 18th from natural ca...
Cadillac CTS, SRX Stop-Sale Order Is a Little Late
21 Jul 2014, 08:21 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Although Caddy should be focusing its efforts with the launch of the 2015 model year CTS and fine-tuning the 2016 CTS-V, something big came up and it's not pretty at all. A call back operation was announced on June 30th, but GM ordered dealers...
SUVs Outsold Sedans in the US According to IHS
19 Jul 2014, 22:58 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Global information company IHS informs that U.S. drivers are slowly ditching sedans over SUVs. Including crossovers and CUV models, sport utility vehicles account for 36.5 percent of new-vehicle registrations from January through May, while sedans ...
Nissan Juke 80th Special Color Limited Edition Launched in Japan
19 Jul 2014, 22:21 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Founded the dar after Chrismas in 1933, the Nissan Motor Corporation has made lots of curious vehicles over the years. The Juke is one of them and now you can have the cheeky crossover in 80th Special Color Limited Edition flavor only if you live i...
Mercedes-Benz C350 Plug-In Hybrid to Use Less Fuel Than a Toyota Prius
19 Jul 2014, 21:46 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Have you ever imagined that one day a Mercedes-Benz would come boasting a better fuel economy figure than the best-selling eco-friendly vehicle out there? Neither did we, but it seems like the upcoming C-Class Plug-in Hybrid will shame the Japanese...
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Production Limited to 1,200 Units
19 Jul 2014, 20:57 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / A Chrysler Group development employee has recently dropped a curious hint about the most powerful muscle car ever. Those among you that are thinking of dropping $60,990 on a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat should better hurry 'cause only 1,2...
Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale by Zagato Advertised for $700k
19 Jul 2014, 20:11 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / First presented back in 2010, the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale by Zagato is a very special Italian grand tourer underpinned by an all-American drivetrain. Only 9 were made and this is #7 of the lot, for sale at a Californian dealership for an eye tearin...
2015 Chevrolet & GMC Models to Get 8-Speed Automatic Transmission
18 Jul 2014, 20:24 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / At this year's Detroit Auto Show, Chevrolet debuted the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. A new eight-speed automatic transmission has been announced as an optional extra that offers full-throttle upshifts quicker than those of the PDK dual-clutch ...
Skoda Black Edition Introduced in the UK
18 Jul 2014, 17:32 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / From the Citigo urban dweller all the way to the Superb family car, Skoda's model lineup in the United Kingdom is now offered with a special trim level. Although it's called the Black Edition, 5 out of 8 models can be had with white exter...
Top Gear Episodes Taken Down from Final Gear
18 Jul 2014, 16:48 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Any proper TG fan has heard about Final Gear. No, it's not a spin-off of the British television series, but a website that hosts every episode of the show to date. Sorry to break it down to you so bluntly, but you can no longer enjoy the most ...
Watch the Porsche 911 GT3 Lift System in Action
18 Jul 2014, 16:08 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Modern supercars, especially hunkered down track-day specials like the Porsche 911 GT3, are a pain to drive around town due to their low ground clearance. That's why some manufacturers offer lift kits as an optional feature to make owner'...
Vehicle Safety Recalls Explained
18 Jul 2014, 15:01 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / You may have heard on the news or read on our website that the recall tally in the United States is breaking records this year, with 37.5 million cars called back in the first six months of 2014 over various non-compliance or safety defects. Natura...
Tesla Model S Hacked by Qihoo 360 at Security Conference
18 Jul 2014, 13:04 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / A team of Chinese hackers managed to break into the electronic brain of the Tesla Model S and control various core functions of the electric vehicle. This first documented successful hack of the EV happened at this year's SyScan +360 security ...
2015 smart fortwo vs Mercedes S-Class Crash Test
18 Jul 2014, 12:14 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / One of them is a full-size sedan that weighs 2 tons (4,409 lbs) or so, while the other is a teeny-weeny city car that tips the scale at under 1,000 kilograms (2,204 lbs). The first of them is heralded as one of the most technologically advanced, lu...