Aurel Niculescu
9,339 ARTICLES
There he understood anything is possible if you work hard and passionately strive to follow your imagination. This is how at the age of 16 he managed to fulfill the first dream – flying alone in a glider plane. He was no Tom Cruise, of course, so young adulthood brought him back to reality.
With every kick in the familiar *utt comes a chance to step forward, so a seemingly unimportant ad in one of his favorite automotive magazines brought a dilemma - follow through with the current job or dare to achieve greatness by deploying (previously) unknown literary skills.
Since 2006, he’s been perfecting them at Automondial, Supercar, Cox, Autoshow, Autopro, Auto Motor & Sport, and more magazines plus their online versions. After driving some of the best and worst cars in Europe and around the world, he’s part of the autoevolution team, where he aims to develop his best-ever form.
1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass Becomes Outlaw Muscle Car, Too Bad It's Wishful Thinking
23 May 2022, 10:52 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Porsche enthusiasts who are aware of the popular “Outlaw” style will quickly raise a surprised eyebrow at the sight of this reimagined Cutlass. Everyone else might need a quick explanation as to why this is both audacious and outrageous...
Porsche 992 “Quatarga” Top Shows a Delirious 911 and Panamera Mix for Four
23 May 2022, 09:59 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Over in the real world, Porsche is mostly focused on building the hype around its EV nameplate rather than its ICE equivalent. But across the virtual realm, someone has found a way to make the latter enticing again. Albeit, with a little bit of 911...
Ford eGT Concept Imagines the Proper Way to Electrify a Classic Sports Nameplate
23 May 2022, 09:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Right now, Ford is still with one (firm) foot in the ICE past and another one in the upcoming EV future. Still, everyone must bend over and bow in front of the inevitable, both in the real and virtual world. Even Jay Leno, an avid car colle...
Modern, Removable Top GMC Jimmy Based on Sierra AT4X Feels Surreal, but It's Not
23 May 2022, 08:26 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / As the Overland Expo West wrapped up in Flagstaff, Arizona, we have already seen the 2022 GMC Sierra AT4X turn into the “ultimate overland truck,” choke-full of aftermarket parts and thoroughly rebuilt by Mule Expedition Outfitters. But...
Red Tesla Model S Plaid Drags Hayabusa, 720S, Corvette, and Simply Cannot Beat All
23 May 2022, 07:40 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Tesla and its cars might be just as renowned for their innovative EV technology and outstanding performance (for sedans and crossovers) as they are for the inherent early adopter flaws and level of ICE fans hate. Even when it does not win everythin...
Imagined Chevy Colorado Xtreme Doesn't Go Everywhere, Just Where a Tacoma Can't
23 May 2022, 06:57 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Toyota’s Tacoma may be America’s best-selling mid-size pickup truck, but at least part of its 17-year-old legacy has nothing on some of its local rivals. So, would it be possible for the latter to rekindle the sporty truck love and beat...
Chevy Silverado WT ZL1 Is a Supercharged LT4 Interceptor in Rad Mad Max Vision
23 May 2022, 06:20 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Not everyone is happy about the 2022 model year improvements brought to the fourth-generation Silverado by Chevrolet. Luckily, the General Motors brand offers an alternative, and if that’s not enough, then virtual automotive artists are alway...
Cadillac's Lyriq EV Starts at Less Than Half the Price of Escalade-V, Does ICE Matter?
22 May 2022, 10:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The American luxury automaker still has a couple of passenger cars in its lineup – which is more than other U.S. brands can brag about – but the month of May was all about crossover and SUV extremes. Sure, April brought us the de...
2023 Nissan Z Opposes Affordable JDM Heritage to “Germapanese” GR Supra Mix
21 May 2022, 10:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / After a long and arduous wait that included JDM or Aussie teasing, Nissan has finally lifted the pricing details curtain off its seventh-generation 2023 Z sports car. And, naturally, the reviews have started flowing – potentially highlighting...
Chevy Lumina NASCAR Might Be Possible, But Only When R34 Skyline GT-Rs Levitate
20 May 2022, 21:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / A little over a century ago, horseless motor carriages were just as alien as real extraterrestrials to most people around the world. Today, automobiles of all sorts can do just about anything, not just take people from point A to B. Alas, there are...
1970 Dodge Charger Predator Restomod Is Swedish, Will Hit the 2023 SEMA Show
20 May 2022, 21:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / While it’s a lot cheekier to own a ’69 muscle car, the fact that second-generation Dodge Chargers were also available as ’68 or ’70 model years should not be a deterrent. You can still easily achieve car indecency. Su...
Start Summer Road Trip Adventures the Right Chevy Express Thor Motor Coach Way
20 May 2022, 12:24 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / We know it is still spring, but it is never too early to prepare for the upcoming summer road trip vacation season. And, in case you are planning to travel a lot with the family, there is a one-owner, almost-brand-new opportunity that just arose. ...
2022 Range Rover Hikes the Baller Attitude With 26-Inch Forgiato Designs Wheels
20 May 2022, 11:06 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Over in the OEM automotive world, Land Rover is all about the 2023 Range Rover Sport and its daringness to fight a 633-foot (193-meter) dam spillway and 827 tons of water per minute. But the aftermarket realm wants nothing but 2022 Range Rovers. ...
D. J. Humphries' Murdered-Out 2022 Caddy Escalade Sport Platinum Rides Aired on 26s
20 May 2022, 09:26 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / No matter how hard the ultra-luxury Rolls-Royce Cullinan or Lambo Urus super-SUV try to emulate the perfect all-black atmosphere, nothing screams murdered-out Americana more than a fancy Caddy Escalade. Then, adding an NFL-level owner and some cust...
2023 Nissan Z Drops Virtual Convertible Top, Roadster Takes Double-Bubble Route
20 May 2022, 08:36 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / These days, the world has been taken by storm by Bavarian sports cars with cool little kidney grilles (3 Series LCI) or humongous nostrils, enhanced pony count, and lower weight, plus limited availability or a jaw-dropping MSRP (BMW M4 CSL). But su...
2023 BMW M4 CSL Gets Virtual “Nose Job,” 3-Series LCI Face Now Seems Too Bland
20 May 2022, 07:54 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / With the BMW M GmbH 50th anniversary celebrations ready to “gather steam” (and it’s not hard to, with those humongous kidney grilles), the Bavarian automaker just revealed its greatest M4 asset: the “very special limited edi...
Sluggish Nissan GT-R Drags Durango Hellcat and Supercharged Camaro, Surprises Ensue
20 May 2022, 07:16 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Over in the wonderful world of quarter-mile dragstrip racing, slow is an extremely relative concept. One can easily enjoy a few sluggish takeoffs past the Christmas tree if the monster gets unleashed to recoup the loss. Here is an example. W...
2022 Ford Maverick Sport, Unibody Truck Stuff of Dreams, With AWD and 400 HP
20 May 2022, 06:26 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Hyundai and Ford dared to leap forward and bring back compact pickup trucks to the U.S. market. Their faith was quickly rewarded with bonkers sales that ultimately led to even more delays and supply constraints. Even with those issues, Blue ...
Bugatti Chiron Speedtail Sounds Like a 3D Match Made in McLaren Hypercar Heaven
19 May 2022, 21:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Over in the rarefied ICE hypercar universe, there is not much that Bugatti must prove anymore. Even a dyno run of the automaker's most powerful road-going car might be an entirely memorable experience. Even though driving a Bugatti Chir...
Laid-Down Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van Looks Like Easy CGI Access for Everyone
19 May 2022, 21:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / One of the most ubiquitous light commercial vehicles out there, head-to-head with the older Ford Transit, the Mercedes-Bens Sprinter has lived a long and fruitful life by way of an enormous number of configurations. However, probably none of them w...