autoevolution
 

Aurel Niculescu

9,214  ARTICLES

Staff Writer
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Once upon a time there was a little boy that didn't know his age but dreamed of reaching high in the sky alongside the absolute best aviators. He was passionate about reading books (action and Sci-Fi), grew up with many great authors and soon discovered the mirage of cinema.

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.
Hellcat Durango and Challenger Drag 911, M4, AMG C 63 in Quick and Decisive Battles
Hellcat Durango and Challenger Drag 911, M4, AMG C 63 in Quick and Decisive Battles

3 Feb 2022, 07:36 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Everyone knows that German cars are not to be trifled with. Their homeland harbors one of the coolest stretches of tarmac ever known to humankind: the Autobahn. Hence, their propensity for high-speed shenanigans. Ever since influencers and so...

 
Lowered GMC Yukon “Shadow Line” Knows the North Remembers in Winter CGI
Lowered GMC Yukon “Shadow Line” Knows the North Remembers in Winter CGI

2 Feb 2022, 14:38 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Born in 1991 as the direct successor of the GMC K5 Jimmy, the badge-engineered Chevy Tahoe sibling is called Yukon. After the namesake territory located in northern Canada, of course. The genealogy tree can have numerous ramifications. And th...

 
“Venomized” Ford Mustang Boss Might Seek Carnage Among Mopar and GM Symbiotes
“Venomized” Ford Mustang Boss Might Seek Carnage Among Mopar and GM Symbiotes

2 Feb 2022, 13:36 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Say what you will about comic book-based Hollywood movies. But one thing is for sure. They do touch everything in our daily lives. Even some of the rides we see out on the streets. Cammed, bagged, and supercharged. Spider-Man fans already know ...

 
Mercedes-AMG ONE Gets Virtually “Ambitioned,” Ready for Subtlest Makeover
Mercedes-AMG ONE Gets Virtually “Ambitioned,” Ready for Subtlest Makeover

2 Feb 2022, 12:41 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / One delay after another, Mercedes-AMG's ONE hypercar project keeps growing longer in the tooth. So much so that automotive virtual artists are going out of their usual CGI business way to play with it. Presented back in September of 2017...

 
1932 Ford Hot Rod Channels the Inner CGI Water-Tiger to Welcome Lunar New Year
1932 Ford Hot Rod Channels the Inner CGI Water-Tiger to Welcome Lunar New Year

2 Feb 2022, 11:05 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / We are well into 2022, according to people in many parts of the world. But another New Year celebration is not going to hurt anyone. Especially when there is a neat companion to welcome the fresh beginning. If anyone needs a bit of context, t...

 
“Classic” Ford Mustang Turns Into Digitally Yellow Boss With Carbon Black Wide Body
“Classic” Ford Mustang Turns Into Digitally Yellow Boss With Carbon Black Wide Body

2 Feb 2022, 10:24 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Whenever an original Ford Mustang wears yellow and black attire, one can bet this is no run-of-the-mill pony car. Instead, we should suspect all sorts of wonderful things happening under the dress code. Fans of vintage pony/muscle cars know w...

 
Subaru “2022B” WRX Imagines Sports Coupe Rebirth of Iconic Impreza 22B STI
Subaru “2022B” WRX Imagines Sports Coupe Rebirth of Iconic Impreza 22B STI

2 Feb 2022, 10:01 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Certain automotive introductions get hyped for all the right reasons. Others also get a lot of publicity. But it is mostly negative. And we have a particularly good JDM example. Britain’s Aston Martin just dropped its DBX707 as the most...

 
Lifted, Wider Badlands Drops Plastic Fenders to Shame 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor
Lifted, Wider Badlands Drops Plastic Fenders to Shame 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor

2 Feb 2022, 08:48 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Being a Ford professional can always have its perks. Add into the mix a social media craving. And you have gotten yourself a potentially great dose of Blue Oval entertainment. With a focus on what is most hyped. The entire sixth-generation Br...

 
GMC Yukon Drags Camaro ZL1, Mustangs, Stinger, Golf, and It's Not Even Close
GMC Yukon Drags Camaro ZL1, Mustangs, Stinger, Golf, and It's Not Even Close

2 Feb 2022, 07:52 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Often, the secret to quarter-mile dragstrip happiness does not have much in common with purist muscle cars or high-dollar supercars. Perhaps one just needs an older SUV and a quick mod recipe. Track action can always be a tough nut to crack. ...

 
Nardo and Hermes Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk RS Edition Rides Stylish on 24s
Nardo and Hermes Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk RS Edition Rides Stylish on 24s

1 Feb 2022, 15:25 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Although currently deposed of the world’s most powerful SUV title via internal competition, Jeep’s Grand Cherokee Trackhawk still has not been banished from the Mopar castle. Especially if the aftermarket world can do something about it...

 
Mercedes EQS 450 and 580 Still Don't Look Pretty, Even When Tucked on Forgiato 24s
Mercedes EQS 450 and 580 Still Don't Look Pretty, Even When Tucked on Forgiato 24s

1 Feb 2022, 14:41 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / While reviewers have kind words for Mercedes-Benz's all-new EQS, there is a more nuanced reality. For example, physics agrees that it will not pass the dreaded moose test with flying colors. And it might not be an aftermarket darling either. ...

 
Ferrari Roma SW 4x4 Family Car Doesn't Seem Afraid of World's Most Powerful SUV
Ferrari Roma SW 4x4 Family Car Doesn't Seem Afraid of World's Most Powerful SUV

1 Feb 2022, 13:51 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / With its “La Nuova Dolce Vita” neo-retro theme and a stark departure from all current street-legal Ferrari models, their Roma mid-engine twin-turbo V8 clearly stands out in any Tifosi crowd. Need it to also wow the crossover SUV world? ...

 
Refreshed Lambo Urus Gets Countach Transformation, Ready for Classy Fight
Refreshed Lambo Urus Gets Countach Transformation, Ready for Classy Fight

1 Feb 2022, 13:13 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Just a couple of months ago, Lamborghini blew four candles off its super-SUV cake. Naturally, the potential Urus refresh has already been spied extensively. Including far up into the frozen European north, for low-temperature prototype testin...

 
Street “Blazin” Chevy Blazer Fights K5 Bias With Monochromatic, Slammed CGI
Street “Blazin” Chevy Blazer Fights K5 Bias With Monochromatic, Slammed CGI

1 Feb 2022, 12:23 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Many people believe that Chevrolet’s K5 Blazer is one epic SUV nameplate America should have received again. Instead of GM’s sporty-inspired contemporary makeover. But few also think the latter has potential. As if to spite K5 pur...

 
1960s Aston Martin DBX Digitally Travels Back in Time to Spite Old Luxury SUVs
1960s Aston Martin DBX Digitally Travels Back in Time to Spite Old Luxury SUVs

1 Feb 2022, 11:14 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Unlike certain other 4x4 models – such as the 1963 Jeep Wagoneer – the original 1969 Range Rover was not really the luxury SUV we know today. As such, it was not exactly worthy of current praise. Nor did it have four doors. Before...

 
Ford “MustangLyle” Is a Virtual Carbon Fiber and BASF Copy of Brazen, Rusty OG
Ford “MustangLyle” Is a Virtual Carbon Fiber and BASF Copy of Brazen, Rusty OG

1 Feb 2022, 10:45 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Some are slowly dying and coming back to life with every S650 Ford Mustang teaser. Others could not care less for anything the world has to say about their OG ride. And that surely warrants a tribute from friends. Even if just a virtual one. D...

 
Forged Carbon Subaru WRX STI Looks Like an S209 Varis Masterpiece (but It's Not)
Forged Carbon Subaru WRX STI Looks Like an S209 Varis Masterpiece (but It's Not)

1 Feb 2022, 09:59 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Even for automotive fans that are not necessarily JDM aficionados, Subaru’s WRX and STI lines have become the stuff of legends. It’s probably partly due to the rally heritage, great boxer and AWD powertrain, as well as the aftermar...

 
Chevy Astro RS Revival Unexpectedly Mixes Up Kia Carnival Body With Equinox Face
Chevy Astro RS Revival Unexpectedly Mixes Up Kia Carnival Body With Equinox Face

1 Feb 2022, 09:09 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Loved by many not just because of its boxy design or the fact it was “secretly a truck” with huge towing capability, Chevrolet’s Astro minivan is on many lists of passenger car revivals. Odd, isn’t it? After all, it wa...

 
C8 Chevy Corvette Drags Caddy ATS-V, Custom Bolt-On Recipe Beats Tuning
C8 Chevy Corvette Drags Caddy ATS-V, Custom Bolt-On Recipe Beats Tuning

1 Feb 2022, 07:48 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Because General Motors still does not allow owners and aftermarket outlets to fiddle with C8 Chevy Corvette powertrain electronics, people have gotten highly creative. Some went down the forced induction route, others have found their recipes. ...

 
2023 Sequoia and Corvette Z06 70th Anniversary Deserve a Larger Spotlight
2023 Sequoia and Corvette Z06 70th Anniversary Deserve a Larger Spotlight

30 Jan 2022, 11:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Maybe all the hype surrounding Blue Oval’s high-performance, dune-bashing, and rock-crawling SUV is warranted. But perhaps we should give the Bronco Raptor a moment of respite along with all the other juicy Raptors we heard about over the pas...

 

Stories by Aurel Niculescu