Dragos Chitulescu
1,545 ARTICLES
Personal motto:
Do, or Do Not. There is no try!
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.
Pro Drifter Puts His Dad Behind the Wheel of 800 HP GR Supra, Guess What Happens
1 Jan 2021, 17:11 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Over the past few years, we've seen an abundance of Youtubers playing pranks on their fathers, mothers, relatives, and friends, by taking them out in fast cars in the passenger seat. We've also seen the occasional seat switch, as people w...
If Darth Vader Collected Cars, This One Would Probably Be on His A-List
31 Dec 2020, 13:30 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Most car enthusiasts love to stand out in a crowd, one way or another. That's why most of them resort to custom wraps, tuning, or buying rare cars from the very beginning. And for some, owning a "normal" supercar just won't cut ...
Drift Cars: This 2JZ-Powered Opel GT Belongs to the "Troll", Is One of a Kind
31 Dec 2020, 08:18 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Many have argued that drifting isn't a real kind of motorsport since the competitors aren't actually racing against the clock, and the winners are established by judges who can be more or less subjective in some cases. Some argue that dri...
Formula Drift Driver Ken Gushi Takes The Lexus IS 350 F-Sport for a Donut Test
30 Dec 2020, 14:45 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Modern-day vehicles are built with safety in mind, and that means more and more driver aids are being added to these vehicles. That somewhat detracts from the fun factor we used to experience, say thirty years ago. But, given a controlled environme...
Toyota GR Yaris Goes After Older Celica GT-Four Sibling, Crushes It in Race
30 Dec 2020, 12:32 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / It's good to see a shootout between the GR Yaris and another vehicle that isn't a drag race for once. While that might be the most simple test you can conduct, it's definitely not the most relevant or the most exciting. What makes th...
Drift Cars: This 380 Horsepower Nissan PS13 Is Perfect To Start Drifting In
27 Dec 2020, 13:15 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / The world of drifting has been continually expanding, and as a result, you can see a huge variety of cars if you attend an event of this kind these days. Walking through the paddock area, you'll always find yourself surprised by strange engine...
Drift Cars: Chevy-Powered Aston Martin Vantage Repurposed for Sideways Action
27 Dec 2020, 08:30 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Professional drifting has been around for almost 30 years now. Over that period, the cars converted for competition duty have gone to levels nobody could have really anticipated back in the day. When talking about drift cars, most people will just ...
Breaker, Breaker to the Bandit! Jay Leno Experiences 1979 Firebird Trans Am
26 Dec 2020, 12:50 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / You can always count on Jay Leno to showcase some of the most amazing cars ever built, and once again he doesn't disappoint. This time he drives the 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, an instant reminiscence of "Smokey and the Bandit," ...
Car Buying Guide: What Kind of Sports Car Should You Get For $30,000?
26 Dec 2020, 10:40 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / The automobile has been around for more than 130 years now. Over time, manufacturers have come and gone, and cars of all shapes and sizes have been made available to consumers worldwide. But with so many models available on the market, it can somet...
Sebastien Ogier Gives Toyota Yaris WRC a Good Shakedown Around Snowy Monte Carlo
25 Dec 2020, 19:25 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / The 110th anniversary of the Monte-Carlo Rally is just around the corner, as the event is scheduled to take place January 18 through January 24, in close proximity to Sebastien Ogier's birthplace. Preparations for the rally have already begun,...
This Is What It Takes to Build a '64 Lowrider Hot Wheels Chevrolet Impala
25 Dec 2020, 05:50 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Most petrolheads will tell you that when they were growing up, they were playing around with various types of diecast vehicles, and most of the times the name Hot Wheels will be mentioned. While some people remember having a few of them back at hom...
Ken Block Stars in a Ford vs. Ferrari Drag Race, F8 Tributo Comes Out To Play
24 Dec 2020, 17:08 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Since the start of the "Hoonicorn vs. the World Series" we've seen many cars getting crushed by Ken Block in his one of a kind Ford Mustang. They've thrown almost everything at him but to no avail, as he just keeps winning. But ...
Renault Celebrates Fernando Alonso's Return to F1 With a Hot Lap in the V10 R25
22 Dec 2020, 10:40 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / After retiring from Formula 1 at the end of the 2018 season, it did seem like Fernando Alonso would not be making a comeback to the series, as he turned his attention to other forms of racing. Then again, you never know what fate has got in store f...
The Sinister Lamborghini Urus Esteso Looks Like It Was Built for Dark Troopers
21 Dec 2020, 16:19 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Sometimes, a few slight touches are all a car needs to stand in a crowd. And with the Lamborghini Urus already being a very special vehicle, the upgrades Novitec bring to the table further increase the desirability of this super SUV. If you...
Give the Stig a Toyota GR Supra and He'll Start Drifting It Up the Road
18 Dec 2020, 15:24 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / They've given the Stig another go up the Longcross hill, this time in the brand new Toyota GR Supra. Coming right after the replica Aston Martin stunt, the Supra does benefit from a more modern drivetrain, but it's heavier than the James ...
Ken Block Is Undefeated in the Hoonicorn, 1,100 HP Chevy Nova Tries Anyway
18 Dec 2020, 07:39 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / At this point in the time, it doesn't really look like we're going to see Ken Block lose a race in the "Hoonicorn vs. the World" series. Quite a few cars have been brought forth to take on the task, but apart from winning one ou...
Hop Onboard for One More Lap at the Ring in the Toyota GR Yaris Before Christmas
16 Dec 2020, 15:27 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / It's not long until 2020 becomes 2021, and with temperatures dropping fast around Europe, motorsport-related events are being put on hold until spring. But that doesn't mean Nürburgring aficionados won't try to squeeze in a few ...
This 1971 Supercharged Dodge Charger Would Make Dominic Toretto Green With Envy
16 Dec 2020, 07:48 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Different people enjoy different things in life. Some are fond of tuner cars, others aim for the exotic category, Euro cars are also a big thing for most people, but American Muscle also has a special place in the hearts of many. Especially for a m...
Ken Block Drag Races Rob Dahm in the "Close to 3,000 Horsepower" Battle of 2020
14 Dec 2020, 20:23 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / The most anticipated drag race of the year has finally happened. Rob Dahm in the turbo four-rotor Mazda RX-7 has taken on the colossal task of racing against Ken Block in the turbo V8 Ford Mustang, and the result is hard to describe using simple wo...
HKS GR Yaris Gets 400+ HP, Becomes First One to Lap Tsukuba in Under 1 Minute
12 Dec 2020, 09:52 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / The people over at HKS Japan are really pushing the Toyota GR Yaris forward with their development plan, as the once stock engine that came with the car is now rated at over 400 horsepower. And as with any upgrades, a test was in order to see how t...