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Dragos Chitulescu

1,544  ARTICLES

Personal motto:

Do, or Do Not. There is no try!

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I have been obsessed with cars and motorcycles for as long as I can remember. From agreeing with dentist appointments only in exchange for diecast cars, to buying diecast cars with my lunch money in elementary school, to spending hours and hours playing any video games with cars and bikes in it.

The Fast and the Furious series has had quite an impact on me back in the day, and Tokyo Drift made me realise that drifting would be one day a part of my life, and that I would also absolutely have to go to Japan and experience the amazing car scene over there for myself.

A few years later I was graduating from the MyWay Drift School in Hungary, and actively being involved in the professional drifting scene in Europe. Attending the SEMA Show for a few years in a row only added to my love for cars, and experiencing Japan first hand on two different occasions ultimately almost had me relocate so that I could go immerse myself deeper into the drifting scene.

Instead, I chose to follow up on two other dreams, and I ended up spending a good chunk of my life savings buying a rotary powered, 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II, which I had been actively dreaming about for more than a decade. And because the love for two wheels never faded either, I even went on to ride a few race bikes around the local racetrack, alongside with buying a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S for daily adventures.

I have been actively working on various media projects, mostly revolving around motorsports since 2009, and joining Autoevolution has come as sort of a natural progression, as I aim to share my love for cars and motorcycles with the world and further experience more of what the automotive industry has got to offer.
1970 Oldsmobile 442 Is the Star of the New Matchbox Collectors Mix
1970 Oldsmobile 442 Is the Star of the New Matchbox Collectors Mix

27 Feb 2024, 10:11 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu /  I've noticed a strange phenomenon lately. Dozens of collectors in my area have found the new Matchbox Super Chase item. Some got three of them in the same store. That means one of two things. Either they're super lucky. Or the Super...

 
Ultimate '90s JDM 5-Car Garage Can Cost Over $1 Million
Ultimate '90s JDM 5-Car Garage Can Cost Over $1 Million

26 Feb 2024, 13:55 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / A few days ago, I met up with a friend who had just bought lottery tickets. The whole thing reminded me why I stopped doing the same years ago. I'd buy them on Monday and then spend the entire week building my fictional dream garage. I nev...

 
740-HP Lancer Evo Drag Races Twin-Turbo R8, All Bets Are Off
740-HP Lancer Evo Drag Races Twin-Turbo R8, All Bets Are Off

25 Feb 2024, 17:19 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / We sometimes think we'd make good F1 drivers if we had the chance. But we're likely just too confident of our skills. Just think of it this way: those guys have been racing since they were four or five. They have been training for the job...

 
10 Most Exciting Hot Wheels Boulevard Legends
10 Most Exciting Hot Wheels Boulevard Legends

25 Feb 2024, 14:45 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Once you become addicted to something, it's hard to escape that world. For most addictions, you can try going to rehab to free yourself of them. But what about Hot Wheels? Can you ever indeed refrain from buying more of them? That's po...

 
5 Most Exciting Hot Wheels Ford F-150s
5 Most Exciting Hot Wheels Ford F-150s

25 Feb 2024, 08:36 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I only remember driving a few pickup trucks over the past 17 years. I was most impressed by the Toyota Hilux. But I have always had a soft spot for Ford's F-150, especially the older models. There comes a moment in a man's life when a big...

 
2015 Hot Wheels Set of Six Cars Pays Tribute to the Golden Age of Star Wars
2015 Hot Wheels Set of Six Cars Pays Tribute to the Golden Age of Star Wars

25 Feb 2024, 07:02 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I've been a Star Wars fan for almost my entire life. I couldn't wait to see episodes IV, V, or VI on TV when I was five or six. Years later, I enjoyed the prequel trilogy just as much. I know most OG fans will disapprove, but I loved ...

 
GT7 Time Attack: Duel of the Hot Hatches
GT7 Time Attack: Duel of the Hot Hatches

24 Feb 2024, 20:24 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I've decided to restart learning Japanese again. I started in 2013 and have now racked up about 200 hours of study. But I've never had continuity. Now, I've set my eyes on passing the JLPT N5 level, which is the easiest one you could...

 
Driven: 2024 Mazda MX-30 R-EV Was Better Than I Expected
Driven: 2024 Mazda MX-30 R-EV Was Better Than I Expected

24 Feb 2024, 17:35 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / People should allow themselves to talk about the reliability of a car only after they've lived with it for at least 20,000 miles (32,186 km) or two years. Anything less than that can rarely lead to an educated opinion. That said, I'm ...

 
5 Best Hot Wheels Chase Cars of 2023
5 Best Hot Wheels Chase Cars of 2023

24 Feb 2024, 15:36 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I find a new attractive Hot Wheels collection every day. You could organize these as you please: manufacturer, model, theme, or color. But it's essential to figure out your budget first. Otherwise, you could end up depressed about the situatio...

 
5 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars of 1995
5 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars of 1995

24 Feb 2024, 08:07 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I went through an old archive and found some photos of me in kindergarten. I still remember those days, even though it happened almost 30 years ago. I'm still that little guy deep down inside, but many things have changed since. Do you ever...

 
Artsy Hot Wheels Version of a Porsche 911 Will Cost $70
Artsy Hot Wheels Version of a Porsche 911 Will Cost $70

22 Feb 2024, 16:19 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I went through seven different toy stores yesterday without buying any Hot Wheels. I couldn't find anything I liked. And I'm not hoarding any more Mainline castings. I'm past that part of my collecting life. But I'm always keen ...

 
2004 Corvette Z06 Races Honda S2000, Should've Stayed Put
2004 Corvette Z06 Races Honda S2000, Should've Stayed Put

19 Feb 2024, 17:06 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I think I might be entering a Corvette phase in my life. I'm still all about rotaries and Japanese cars. But I want to feel the torque and throttle response of a big, American V8 engine. Something amazing has happened recently, but I'll t...

 
10 Most Exciting Hot Wheels Boulevard Big Hits
10 Most Exciting Hot Wheels Boulevard Big Hits

18 Feb 2024, 16:14 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / People tend to become very attached to their collections. The deeper you dive into a hobby, the more its grip on you will tighten further. The Hot Wheels Universe is vast, and your best chance to survive it is to focus your energy on only a few col...

 
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Conquers Famous Australian Mountain in 117 Seconds
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Conquers Famous Australian Mountain in 117 Seconds

18 Feb 2024, 15:03 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I have a love-hate relationship with Sim Racing. At times, it feels like the best thing in the world. But after driving my project car, it just feels boring. Still, I might have never toured the world one racetrack at a time without it. You may...

 
Challenging the World's Best Pro Drifters Is a Dream Come True for Simen Olsen
Challenging the World's Best Pro Drifters Is a Dream Come True for Simen Olsen

18 Feb 2024, 13:25 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I've been watching the US drift scene since circa 2008. I had already been following the action in Japan. Over the years, I've seen many drivers coming and going. Whenever one of the top guys leaves, someone new comes in to fill in his sh...

 
A Brief History of Hot Wheels Premium Collector Sets
A Brief History of Hot Wheels Premium Collector Sets

18 Feb 2024, 10:47 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Proper packaging can be as important as the right product. If copying Ikea's model, you'd better include clear instructions and essential tools with every shipment. Otherwise, people will have a negative purchasing experience, which may i...

 
10 Premium Cars That Celebrated 50 Years of Hot Wheels
10 Premium Cars That Celebrated 50 Years of Hot Wheels

17 Feb 2024, 16:45 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I am celebrating my 35th anniversary this year. I'll either go out for a track day with my friends or throw a BBQ party in front of my home. But in just a few years, Mattel will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of Hot Wheels. That'...

 
2012 Hot Wheels Boulevard Debut Was Ahead of Its Time
2012 Hot Wheels Boulevard Debut Was Ahead of Its Time

17 Feb 2024, 12:15 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Digging through Mattel's Hot Wheels archives is like going on a Treasure Hunt (pun intended). There's always something exciting to find. And as you keep searching, you'll understand the natural progression of these collectibles. ...

 
Tiny Monster Truck Performs Wicked Tricks, Costs $650
Tiny Monster Truck Performs Wicked Tricks, Costs $650

16 Feb 2024, 11:48 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Shortly, seeing grandparents playing video games will be the norm. Most kids entered the virtual realm back in the '90s and early 2000s. And it was all about the gameplay back then! And one of the titles that left a lasting impression on me wa...

 
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 Is Back With an Italian Surprise
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 Is Back With an Italian Surprise

15 Feb 2024, 13:45 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / I bought my Suzuki SV650-S in July 2019. I immediately refreshed it: new tires, brakes, and fluids. After just one season, I had to do a complete engine rebuild. And now, I'll need to spend another $1,000 for much-required maintenance. I h...

 

Stories by Dragos Chitulescu