autoevolution

Cristian Gnaticov

Staff Writer
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Growing up in the communist regime, little Cristian knew the local cars, whose models you could count using the fingers on one hand, by their sound. Scale models were a luxury back then, so he turned to old magazines for glimpses of famous models sold in the West.

Shortly after the regime fell, he started school and got his first four-wheeled toys. Not long after, he experienced the "brute force" of an old Dacia (long before the current Renault era) far away from public roads - and he instantly knew that his life won't have any meaning for the next 10 years or so, when he could get his license and take on the roads on his own.

As years slowly passed, his father started teaching him the basic parking and turning maneuvers. And before he knew it, he turned 18 and got his prized license.

He spent the next few years going to car meets and the occasional drag race, as part of local clubs, and when he finished school and started earning his first money, he knew what he had to do: modify an old Dacia (his first true love) and go rallying.

So the arduous process began. Finding a good engine, transmission and suspension, upgrading the brakes and reinforcing the chassis. An old Renault 5 Alpine supplied the power unit, whereas the suspension and brakes came from a Dacia factory rally car.

Countless sleepless nights later, his baby was almost ready to hit the asphalt, gravel and other fun surfaces. Unfortunately, a string of events that included a garage fire, among others, killed his dream. So, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living, and the rest is history.

He worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s.
Aston Martin DB11 vs. DB12: No Revolution, Just Evolution
Aston Martin DB11 vs. DB12: No Revolution, Just Evolution

28 May 2023, 02:14 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / For Aston Martin, 2023 represents its 110th anniversary. And what better way to celebrate blowing that many candles off the birthday cake than by launching a new car? Technically it's not new from the ground up, but a comprehensive mid-cycle r...

 
Welcome to the Mansory Universe, Where Rolls-Royce Dawns Taste the Rainbow
Welcome to the Mansory Universe, Where Rolls-Royce Dawns Taste the Rainbow

27 May 2023, 14:32 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / We had a small debate in the office if it's pink or purple, and since most of us lean towards the former, pink it is – or magenta/fuchsia if you're splitting hairs. But the exact hue is not essential. What matters is that Mansory de...

 
Toyota's 2024 Tacoma Gets New CGI Duds With an Aftermarket Whiff, Does the Look Suit It?
Toyota's 2024 Tacoma Gets New CGI Duds With an Aftermarket Whiff, Does the Look Suit It?

27 May 2023, 11:30 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Crossovers and SUVs still reign in today's automotive world, but pickups are just a little behind. It has been reported that 36% of new car buyers not into the premium brands are considering getting into workhorse ownership. Record-high int...

 
1-of-19 Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 Roadster Wants To Have a Word With Your Accountant
1-of-19 Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 Roadster Wants To Have a Word With Your Accountant

27 May 2023, 10:17 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Lamborghini has shifted towards electricity. The new Revuelto, aka the Aventador's successor, is a plug-in hybrid offering, and another electrified model is right around the corner: the Urus. However, despite having made the step towards the i...

 
BMW 5 Series New vs. Old Comparo: Less Swag and More Brag
BMW 5 Series New vs. Old Comparo: Less Swag and More Brag

27 May 2023, 07:53 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Seven years. That's how long the G3X generation BMW 5 Series stayed in production. But fret not, because the Munich marque hasn't given up on the business car game, as they just introduced a brand new one to battle the Audi A6 and Mercede...

 
Delta4x4's Volkswagen Amarok Is a Few Mods Away From Becoming a Monster Truck
Delta4x4's Volkswagen Amarok Is a Few Mods Away From Becoming a Monster Truck

27 May 2023, 06:42 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / The pickup crowd has its eyes on the new-gen Toyota Tacoma these days, which premiered recently with new everything, and it is about to get a new premium SUV sibling in the shape of the platform-sharing Lexus GX. Still, there are other contenders i...

 
'69 Chevy Chevelle Hits the Used Car Market With a Secret in the Trunk
'69 Chevy Chevelle Hits the Used Car Market With a Secret in the Trunk

27 May 2023, 06:09 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Muscle cars may not be as popular as they once were, with the modern-day establishment comprising only three made by Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge. Still, there was a time when the petrolhead crowd appreciated such rides. Back in the day, nearly ev...

 
Muscle Car Challenges You Not To Dodge the Swinger Life
Muscle Car Challenges You Not To Dodge the Swinger Life

26 May 2023, 18:42 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / You may want to erase those dirty thoughts from your mind, as we're talking about the Dodge Challenger Swinger and not a private party that would require skinny dipping in holy water at the end. You do know what a Dodge Challenger Swinger ...

 
Corvette C8 Stands Up for America, Drag Races Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro in Europe
Corvette C8 Stands Up for America, Drag Races Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro in Europe

26 May 2023, 15:52 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Considered by many to be a true blue-collar supercar, the latest generation Chevrolet Corvette has made the American dream of owning a mid-engine exotic real. It doesn't cost the proverbial arm and leg in the Stingray configuration, and if you...

 
Factor in the Fees, and the New Mercedes-AMG SL's Pricing Starts With a 4 in Australia
Factor in the Fees, and the New Mercedes-AMG SL's Pricing Starts With a 4 in Australia

26 May 2023, 06:44 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Can you believe it's been more than one and a half years since Mercedes-AMG pulled the wraps off the new-gen SL? The official unveiling of the roadster took place in October 2021, and now the first units of the SL 63, aka the current range-top...

 
2024 Lexus GX Strips for the Camera, Toyota Tacoma-Based SUV Due June 8
2024 Lexus GX Strips for the Camera, Toyota Tacoma-Based SUV Due June 8

26 May 2023, 06:07 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / With the production of the second generation commencing in 2009, the Lexus GX is almost as old as the third-gen Dodge Challenger. Toyota's premium car brand is well aware of this, so they are putting the final touches on the all-new model, due...

 
Carlex's Tune for the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe Costs the Equivalent of a New E-Class
Carlex's Tune for the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe Costs the Equivalent of a New E-Class

26 May 2023, 00:10 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / How much do you love your Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe? Enough to blow brand-new E-Class money on Carlex Design's complete interior and exterior upgrade package? If so, then you're in the right place, as you're about to find out what bund...

 
Lexus LBX Small Crossover Previewed in Unofficial Renderings, Do You Want It in the US?
Lexus LBX Small Crossover Previewed in Unofficial Renderings, Do You Want It in the US?

25 May 2023, 22:24 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / At the beginning of the week, Lexus announced a brand-new product dubbed the LBX, and all signs point towards being a rebadged version of the Toyota Yaris Cross with a more premium feel. The model has a muscular hood decorated by the corporate l...

 
Updated Mazda3 Makes the VW Golf Look Expensive Down Under
Updated Mazda3 Makes the VW Golf Look Expensive Down Under

25 May 2023, 07:53 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Last month, Mazda dropped the first details about the updated Mazda3 in its home market and Australia. More recently, they took to the internet to release the full pricing details of the entire range Down Under, which comprises no less than eleven ...

 
New Lexus LC 500 Ultimate Edition Demands To See How Much Money You Have in the Bank
New Lexus LC 500 Ultimate Edition Demands To See How Much Money You Have in the Bank

25 May 2023, 06:56 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Lexus took the automotive world by storm back in 2012 with the introduction of the LF-LC Concept at the Detroit Motor Show. After spending a jaw-dropping amount of money on research and development, they put it into production under the LC moniker ...

 
The World's Sexiest GT Is Here: Say Hello to the New Aston Martin DB12!
The World's Sexiest GT Is Here: Say Hello to the New Aston Martin DB12!

25 May 2023, 06:22 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Deep-pocketed grand tourer (GT) fans know what they want for Christmas this year: the new Aston Martin DB12. Technically an evolution of the DB11, with extremely familiar styling, it promises significant enhancements beneath the skin that improve i...

 
Lamborghini Urus Performante Hits the Racetrack, Can't Beat the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT
Lamborghini Urus Performante Hits the Racetrack, Can't Beat the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT

23 May 2023, 23:48 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / There is a vague idea that the Lamborghini Urus is the fastest super crossover the world has ever seen. But that's not the case, as the Performante recently proved it cannot beat its cousin from Porsche, the Cayenne Turbo GT, on the racetrack....

 
Rendering: This Kia Seltos Has a HEMI V8, Now You've Seen Everything
Rendering: This Kia Seltos Has a HEMI V8, Now You've Seen Everything

23 May 2023, 22:10 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Here's a model you probably forgot existed unless you're into subcompact crossovers: the Kia Seltos. Launched in 2019, it received a mid-cycle refresh last year, complete with an upgraded turbocharged engine. It is the same 1.6-liter l...

 
Would You Pay the Equivalent of $13K for the New Citroen My Ami Buggy?
Would You Pay the Equivalent of $13K for the New Citroen My Ami Buggy?

23 May 2023, 08:57 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Last year, Citroen announced a continuation of the Citroen My Ami Buggy. The eponymous model builds on the success of its predecessor, which was made in 50 copies destined for France that were entirely sold out in nearly 18 minutes, and its product...

 
Skoda Enyaq Joins the L&K Family With Premium Upgrades and Improved Performance
Skoda Enyaq Joins the L&K Family With Premium Upgrades and Improved Performance

23 May 2023, 08:11 UTC · By: Cristian Gnaticov / Skoda has just added the Enyaq and Enyaq Coupe to its L&K (Laurin and Klement) lineup. The battery-electric crossovers that are mechanically related to the Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron feature updated looks, additional gear, and enhanced ...

 

Stories by Cristian Gnaticov