autoevolution
 

Aurel Niculescu

9,324  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.
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Costs $33,750, Choose the PHEV for Just $5,600 More
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Costs $33,750, Choose the PHEV for Just $5,600 More

10 Aug 2021, 14:14 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / While the company is keeping all U.S. media eyes firmly on the bite-sized Santa Cruz pickup truck, it is also diligently proceeding with its pricing strategy for the Santa Fe SUV lineup. Oddly enough, the HEV and PHEV were a bit shrouded in secrecy...

 
1971 Ford F-350 Was Reworked for Trips, Work, and Family Fun With Cummins 12V
1971 Ford F-350 Was Reworked for Trips, Work, and Family Fun With Cummins 12V

10 Aug 2021, 13:23 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / After a bit of wandering around into Bronco or Luxury Pre-Runner territory, Solomon Lunger (the host of the “Ford Era” channel on YouTube) is back to his greatest love. So, for the latest installment in the “What The Truck” ...

 
1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Gets JDM-Thrashed and 2JZ-Swapped on CGI Drift Altar
1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Gets JDM-Thrashed and 2JZ-Swapped on CGI Drift Altar

10 Aug 2021, 12:50 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / If there are a couple of American cars that are just as easy to recognize around the world as, let’s say, Superman, it must be the aero twins. The ‘69 Charger Daytona and ‘70 Plymouth Superbird have quirky traits, legendary perfor...

 
Grandparent-Owned 1968 Chevy Corvette 427 Gets Snatched Mere Hours After Listing
Grandparent-Owned 1968 Chevy Corvette 427 Gets Snatched Mere Hours After Listing

10 Aug 2021, 12:03 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Just in case you’re not familiar with the highly desirable C2 and C3 Corvette equipped with the 427ci Big Block V8 engine, here’s an example. One that goes in stark contrast with a recent Sunfire Yellow listing that asked for no less th...

 
2021 Genesis G80 Sport Reveals All the Technical Goodies, Dynamic Styling Cues
2021 Genesis G80 Sport Reveals All the Technical Goodies, Dynamic Styling Cues

10 Aug 2021, 10:49 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Hyundai’s luxury division Genesis is clearly on an expansion spree. It has finally arrived in major regions such as China or Europe. And is also catering to its model lineup with sense and sustainability (read electrified G80). And some sport...

 
Cobalt-Blue Chevy Malibu With Brushed 24s Is Not Just for Show, LSX Also Says Go
Cobalt-Blue Chevy Malibu With Brushed 24s Is Not Just for Show, LSX Also Says Go

10 Aug 2021, 10:04 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Named after the namesake coastal community in California, a big part of Chevy Malibu’s fame is thoroughly owed to the auto enthusiasts' community love for the G-body iteration from 1982 and 1983. So, here’s a perfect example from t...

 
Turbo Nitrous Toyota Supra Grudge Races Supercharged Camaro, One Gets Trampled
Turbo Nitrous Toyota Supra Grudge Races Supercharged Camaro, One Gets Trampled

10 Aug 2021, 09:20 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Coming from a legendary fourth generation, the Toyota GR Supra reinvented itself with help from Bavaria’s wonder-company, BMW. So, it could be said that when an Mk5 Supra races a muscle car it’s a case of Japan plus Europe against Ameri...

 
Desert Camo 2021 HWC Special Edition Ford F-150 Raptor Coming Very Soon for $30
Desert Camo 2021 HWC Special Edition Ford F-150 Raptor Coming Very Soon for $30

10 Aug 2021, 08:34 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Just seven more hours (at the time of writing) and the Hot Wheels Collectors special edition of the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor will become available online, for exactly $30. So, why not the all-new 2021 iteration of the dune-bashing truck?! It&rs...

 
Supercharged C7 Corvette Z06 Shows Hennessey They Probably Need a Longer Track
Supercharged C7 Corvette Z06 Shows Hennessey They Probably Need a Longer Track

10 Aug 2021, 08:01 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / We have seen a lot of shenanigans take place at the Pennzoil Proving Grounds at Lonestar Motorsports Park where Hennessey Performance operates its test track facilities. But it’s probably the first time we can humorously conclude that it need...

 
2022MY Updates for VW Models Bring More Standard Tech, Promise of More Refreshes
2022MY Updates for VW Models Bring More Standard Tech, Promise of More Refreshes

10 Aug 2021, 07:19 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Thanks mostly to the 2021 Chicago Auto Show, we already know the damage to the bank account when ordering a brand-spanking-new 2022 Volkswagen Golf Mk8 in GTI or flagship R form. But the latest batch of novelties brings something more. Quite ...

 
BMW M4 Loses Fugly Grille, Enters "Off-Road 4x4" Mode In Time for a Virtual Trip
BMW M4 Loses Fugly Grille, Enters "Off-Road 4x4" Mode In Time for a Virtual Trip

9 Aug 2021, 15:57 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Up until the G80 / G82 iterations, both the BMW M3 and its newer M4 sibling have been left mostly alone by their German designers. It was probably a matter of high-performance substance over style. Now it’s all about the controversy with that...

 
Spotted 2022 Ford Maverick Comparison Galore: Bronco, Ranger, And F-150 Join in
Spotted 2022 Ford Maverick Comparison Galore: Bronco, Ranger, And F-150 Join in

9 Aug 2021, 14:27 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Last year it was the 2021 Bronco that was considered the game-changer. Now it’s the bite-sized 2022 Maverick pickup truck doing the rounds among Blue Oval aficionados. And, of course, there’s a benchmark for all of them. That woul...

 
800+ HP Twin-Turbo Shelby F-150 Makes a Case for Dropping the Reaction Videos
800+ HP Twin-Turbo Shelby F-150 Makes a Case for Dropping the Reaction Videos

9 Aug 2021, 13:45 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / It’s 2021 already and automotive social media has presumably graduated from shady reaction videos. You know, the ones showing great-looking ladies in skimpy outfits being taken for a “surprise” ride in a car that “magically&...

 
1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Becomes Outrageous 24k Gold Roadster and Bagged Hot Rod
1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Becomes Outrageous 24k Gold Roadster and Bagged Hot Rod

9 Aug 2021, 13:01 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / A Bugatti Type 57 with Lamborghini-branded polished wheels, golden lug nuts, and cross-drilled brake rotors? If that sounds outrageous, better prepare for an overload, because that’s just one tiny detail extracted from this virtual reinterpre...

 
1976 Jeep CJ-5 Levi's Renegade Could Turn As a Cowboy's Summer Road Trip Dream
1976 Jeep CJ-5 Levi's Renegade Could Turn As a Cowboy's Summer Road Trip Dream

9 Aug 2021, 12:29 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Although it has been replaced since 1986 by the equally legendary Wrangler, Jeep’s CJ series has probably logged more adventures and off-road trail road trip miles than any other model from the iconic brand. This 1976 CJ-5, though, is respons...

 
Ford Focus ST Nails Easy Jump to 360 HP, Remains a Forbidden Fruit for the U.S.
Ford Focus ST Nails Easy Jump to 360 HP, Remains a Forbidden Fruit for the U.S.

9 Aug 2021, 11:06 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / According to the rumor mill, the European fans of the high-performance Ford Focus RS are out of luck for the Mk4 iteration because of increasingly stringent emission regulations. But the front-wheel-drive Focus ST remains around, and it’s alw...

 
Lambo Aventador SVJ Gives Lightning-Fast Shift Goosebumps on Its Way to 214 MPH
Lambo Aventador SVJ Gives Lightning-Fast Shift Goosebumps on Its Way to 214 MPH

9 Aug 2021, 10:14 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Except for the various special editions and the recently unveiled Aventador Ultimae, the SVJ is the pinnacle of Lamborghini’s flagship model for the second decade of the 20th century. And it’s a great roaring one... This recent vi...

 
Iconic 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Is Reborn as 37-MPH, $110k Scale Replica EV
Iconic 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Is Reborn as 37-MPH, $110k Scale Replica EV

9 Aug 2021, 09:43 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / Some examples of the epic 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa are now valued at tens of millions of dollars at auctions. And the bidding wars sometimes extend to the Prancing Horse’ kiddie car companions as well. So, Ferrari decided to do something ...

 
1962 Chevy Bel Air With LS9 and Bubble Top Is About As Good As it (Custom) Gets
1962 Chevy Bel Air With LS9 and Bubble Top Is About As Good As it (Custom) Gets

9 Aug 2021, 09:15 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / After recently driving the (in)famous winged Plymouth Superbird, Shawn Davis from the AutotopiaLA channel on YouTube follows up with another dream ride. It’s a custom one this time around, and something that manages to almost leave him s...

 
Durango Hellcat Drags Coyote F-150, Mustang GT, and 3 Series for Bus-Length Gaps
Durango Hellcat Drags Coyote F-150, Mustang GT, and 3 Series for Bus-Length Gaps

9 Aug 2021, 07:58 UTC · By: Aurel Niculescu / During the winter there’s a big chance to get covered in snow, and when the summer comes it’s logical to get drenched in smothering hot weather. Should that become an impediment to getting your quarter mile fix? Of course not. Thi...

 

Stories by Aurel Niculescu