Aurel Niculescu
9,200 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.
CGI Hyundai Santa Cruz SUV Return Flaunts Tuned Looks, Tucson Might Be Envious
11 Oct 2021, 09:59 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Showing a major return to form for compact pickup trucks in North America, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz even became the fastest-selling new car in August 2021 in the United States. So, getting the spotlight everywhere is becoming mandatory. Vi...
Rowdy Chevy Corvette C1 Mixes Slammed Racer Looks and Virtual C7 Powertrain
11 Oct 2021, 09:29 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Many enthusiasts say there’s no cooler blank canvas for making a vehicle your own than “America’s sports car.” And with no less than eight generations under the belt, there’s a wide range to pick from. Sure, cont...
Street-Legal, Race-Ready Mustang SVT Cobra R Hypothetically Returns as 2022MY
11 Oct 2021, 09:08 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Ford Motor Company's Special Vehicle Team unit was responsible for the modern Cobra Mustang for a brief time. But that doesn’t mean the SVT Cobras didn’t have a major impact on the legendary series. The high-performance versi...
Chevrolet Monte Carlo 5.0 Fox Mustang G-Body Cabrio Is a True 1980s “Blasphemy”
11 Oct 2021, 07:58 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Some people never settle on just one thing they like. So, perhaps it’s better to have a piece of each treasured object. Or, if the virtual world is allowed to have a saying, combine the beloved features into a singular creation. Jim, th...
Spearmint 1955 Chevy Bel Air Looks Pristine, Rips Highway on 24-In Forgiatos
11 Oct 2021, 06:52 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / While some icons come and go, certain legends are here to stay, even if they were made six or seven decades ago. Need an example? Here’s a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air to remind us of the rock and roll times... with a modern twist. Taking jus...
Turbo Pontiac Trans Am Drags Toyota Supra, Domestic vs. Import Is Photo Finish Classic
11 Oct 2021, 06:14 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Coincidence or not, both Pontiac’s fourth-generation Firebird and the iconic Mk IV Toyota Supra were offered in North America around the same time. It was the early 1990s (1993, to be more precise), and everything was cool. No one seeme...
Don't Forget, Alfa Romeo's Giulia and Stelvio Are Still Available for 2022MY
10 Oct 2021, 10:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Stellantis is a giant automaker – currently the sixth-largest in the world – that stretches its influence across the two continents bordered by that slight puddle of water named the Atlantic Ocean. But it’s also akin to a haunted ...
Land Rover Defender X 110 Looks Custom-Ready for Elegant Forgiato Off-Roading
10 Oct 2021, 08:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Going for a 2022 Land Rover Defender 110 will set U.S. fans back at least $50,500. The elegant looks of the X trim are even more expensive, though, at $86k. Meanwhile, a custom appearance is probably priceless. Shading away heritage is hard, ...
Challenger Hellcat Drags GTO and BMW, Classic Wheelie Camaro Poses a Real Threat
10 Oct 2021, 07:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Although it’s typically easy to highlight the usual suspects in a drag racing crowd, experience teaches quarter-mile fans to be patient and always on the lookout for surprises. So, here goes another one. A belief that one knows everythi...
All-Electric Rolls-Royce Spectre: New Chapter or Return to Prophesized Future?
9 Oct 2021, 10:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The company’s CEO, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, has seemingly teased the entire world to the way he intends to keep the promise of seeing Rolls-Royce “go electric, starting this decade.” It’s going to happen soon eno...
Ultimate Ball and Buck Jeep Has Arrived As $110k CJ-8 ARB Overland Edition
9 Oct 2021, 08:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / In case you’re not into fishing and hunting, for our information (myself included) Ball and Buck is a fancy outdoor clothing and shoe company. But, oddly enough, they also have a lucrative side business taking old Jeeps up to contemporary sta...
Slammed Kamaz Truck and Widebody Lada Settle Upon Digital “Itasha” Way of Life
9 Oct 2021, 07:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Russia’s Kamaz trucks are well known for their off-road abilities. Those record eighteen Dakar rally wins might have something to do with it. Meanwhile, Ladas probably have nothing to do with motorsport in a Westerner’s eyes. But ...
2021 Tesla Model S Plaid Races Lambo Aventador SVJ: Another ICE Bites the Dust
9 Oct 2021, 06:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Once considered as the Achille’s Heel for Tesla, the half-mile drag and roll races show that’s not the case anymore with the Model S Plaid. Even against mighty competition represented by the “typical” Italian supercar. ...
Like-New 1990 Chevy Corvette ZR-1 Presents Itself in Rare Quasar Blue Shade
8 Oct 2021, 13:23 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Every generation of “America’s sports car” managed to bring something special to the performance table. As far as the C4 is concerned, chief among the accomplishments was the creation of the ZR-1, for sure. And without furth...
Romero Britto Ford Explorer Awareness Vehicle Is Miami's Funkiest Police Art Car
8 Oct 2021, 12:33 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Because they’re an expression of imagination on wheels, Art Cars come in all shapes, sizes, and designs. But how about a Ford Police Interceptor Utility designed to raise awareness about a very tangible health hazard? Meet the 2021 Brea...
Unofficial Hyundai Sonata “Cross-Wagon” Doesn't Seem Like a Poor Man's Allroad
8 Oct 2021, 11:40 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Take a good look at the Volvo V60 Cross Country, Mercedes-Benz C-Class All-Terrain, or the Audi A4 Allroad quattro. They all have in common not just the crossover looks and AWD, but also the big price tag. While right now it feels like the en...
1990s Mazda RX-7 Looks CGI Rejuvenated Enough For Electrified Rotary Times
8 Oct 2021, 10:35 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Although its powertrain choice made it a potential niche sports car, the trio of Mazda RX-7 generations was more than successful by Wankel rotary engine standards. But unfortunately, its story ended almost two decades ago. More than 800k units...
Cyber-Tuned 2023 Nissan Z “Widebody Fairlady” Looks Ready to Battle Any Supra
8 Oct 2021, 09:53 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Following a lengthy and iconic lineage of previous generations, the 2023 Nissan Z is almost ready to hit intended markets and prove its mettle. Sitting in a sports car sweet spot, it’s going to be a tough nut to crack. When trying to fi...
Virtual Lexus ES “Estate” Tries to Prove Wagons Still Deserve a Second Chance
8 Oct 2021, 08:53 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / The current model lineup of Japanese automaker Lexus doesn’t include a single station wagon. But that’s a golden opportunity for a certain virtual artist that has embarked on a CGI quest of “touring the world.” With al...
Cadillac Escalade Squats Down to Station Wagon Level, Looks Totally Believable
8 Oct 2021, 08:15 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Sometimes, an obsession doesn’t necessarily translate into something bad. For example, this virtual artist has a few passions that sometimes get carried to extremes. Luckily, they’re just CGI in nature. Jim, the pixel master behin...