Florin Amariei
1,626 ARTICLES
Personal motto:
It's better to die than to live without passion
Years passed and I found myself more and more in love with cars. It wasn`t about their speed or their looks. Heck, it wasn`t even about clout, but about the freedom they represented, the happiness they provided and the magnitude of options that were available to each and every type of driver.
After witnessing a lot of TV coverage for some of my favorite cars, I decided that it`s time to act on what I like. I started by watching random TV shows and ended up loving British presenters. I bought a lot of magazines and found out that I simply cannot ignore the shape of a Ferrari - especially a yellow one. That may the influence of my father who had a Fiat Tempra. Nowadays, I`m leaning towards enjoying a F-150 Raptor, rather than exploring the Riviera with a small car.
That being said, years of just reading, listening and watching turned into a passion for discovery. That is why I started to write about what I know, experience or find out to be interesting. After 5 years of news for print and online outlets, travels and a whole lot of test driving, I joined the autoevolution family to spread this passion and share relevant information.
Tesla Pushes FSD V12 to Hardware 4-Equipped EVs, but It's Still in Beta
21 Jan 2024, 23:06 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Five months ago, Elon Musk drove a Tesla Model S equipped with FSD V12 and live-streamed the whole thing on Twitter (X). The EV performed pretty well, even though there were a couple of hiccups here and there. Now, that slightly revised software is...
Tucked Away in Eastern Europe, This '76 C3 Chevy Corvette Now Wants To Return Home
21 Jan 2024, 20:07 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Needing little to no introduction, this iconic product of America's automotive industry remains an attractive machine despite its reputation for not being as fast as it looks. Larry Shinoda and Bill Mitchell created a timeless design. You coul...
Bavarian Showdown! BMW i7 Fights BMW 740i, Winner Takes It All
19 Jan 2024, 22:37 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / In the beginning, we were told that switching to electric vehicles (EVs) would be the right thing to do for the environment. Then, incentives and fights followed. Now, we have plenty of options and have become picky. But are EVs going to take us wh...
This Cybertruck Hit 10,000 Miles. Here's the One Thing Owners Praise
19 Jan 2024, 04:22 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Tesla's first pickup truck has been out for almost two months now, and people have already been putting it through its paces. Two employees who got their hands on one of the low VIN units explained what they liked, disliked, and found interest...
You Shouldn't Fear Being Stuck in an EV During Winter
17 Jan 2024, 03:54 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Last year, all-electric vehicle sales increased by 50% in the US. There are over four million zero-emission vehicles on the road. Most of that growth happened thanks to Tesla's Model Y and Model 3. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the recent reports a...
Tesla Cybertruck Tows a Tesla Model Y, Doesn't Go Very Far
16 Jan 2024, 19:51 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Tesla made a big fuss about the Cybertruck's impressive towing capabilities. While nobody is denying that the pickup truck can comfortably deal with most of the things attached to its rear end, it's the efficiency that's dragging it ...
These 5 Non-Tesla EVs Charge Really Fast and Are Good for Road Trips
14 Jan 2024, 21:57 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / If you are wondering what your next car should be, you shouldn't automatically dismiss battery-electric vehicles. Some are really good and can even help you spend less money on mobility. The ones we picked are also great for traveling long dis...
Cybertruck Lead Engineer Confirms Elon Musk Misspoke, but There's an Upside
14 Jan 2024, 01:07 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / The infamous quarter-mile drag race where the Cybertruck beat a Porsche 911 while towing another 911 did not happen. Tesla Cybertruck lead engineer Wes Morrill confirmed on Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) that the initial eighth-mile test run...
Yes, You Should Buy the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. Here's Why
12 Jan 2024, 22:22 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / If you ever wanted to have a personal isolation bubble on wheels, the high-riding all-electric EQS SUV is something you should have considered in 2023. Fret not; time is not lost yet. You might even score a deal! Here's why this eSUV is worthy...
Mechanical Engineer Argues Elon Musk Should Apologize to Porsche
12 Jan 2024, 21:57 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Tesla made a big fuss about how the Cybertruck was much better than an internal combustion engine-powered 911 at the delivery event. Elon Musk doubled down by publicly reiterating some wild claims about the pickup truck being better than the iconic...
Confirmed: The Detroit Auto Show Is Not Happening in 2024
12 Jan 2024, 01:02 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / The Detroit Auto Show reinvented itself in 2022 after a three-year hiatus. Uncle Sam offered the organizers a grant of $9 million to get things going again, and the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) got to work. The global health crisis re...
Porsche's Upcoming Macan EV Kills Range Anxiety for Good, but It's Not Perfect
11 Jan 2024, 21:53 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Porsche proved it can make great EVs with the Taycan. Panamera's zero-emission sibling debuted as an important bet for the future, and it worked out. Customers loved it. Now, it's time for the Macan to prove what the Stuttgart-based marqu...
A New Era: Porsche and Audi Might Soon Launch Full-Size Three-Row eSUVs
10 Jan 2024, 22:13 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Although it looks massive, the seven-seater Audi Q7 is not very accommodating. It's just not as spacious inside as the BMW X7 or the Mercedes-Benz GLS. It appears that the four-ring marque is going to change that by adding a new member to its ...
2024 BMW 760i xDrive Looks Like a Monolithic Rocket With Only a Few Add-Ons
7 Jan 2024, 21:57 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / The all-new V8-powered BMW 7 Series looks weird from the outside. There's no beating around the bush about that. The humongous hot-water radiator-like grille and the somewhat slim taillights that do nothing to make the busy rear end look harmo...
Demystifying the Cybertruck: It's 100% a Tesla EV, and That's Not What You Want To Hear
5 Jan 2024, 21:59 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Elon Musk once said that the Cybertruck's development was more challenging than what was required to bring the Model X with its fancy falcon-wing doors to market. But Tesla doesn't give up easily. If it did, we wouldn't have an EV ma...
It's 2024, and Road-Tripping With a Non-Tesla EV Can Still Be a Nightmare
2 Jan 2024, 21:54 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / A former Lucid Air owner rented a Ford Mustang Mach-E for a trip to Southern Florida. His decision ended up becoming a reminder for EV drivers that DC charger research is important. His misfortune also shows us why information about high-power elec...
Daredevil Uses Two Airplanes and a Rolls-Royce To Pull Off Wild Stunt
1 Jan 2024, 21:58 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Didn't we all dream about doing something incredibly reckless at some point in our lives? It happens. These absurdly adventurous thoughts can cross our minds from time to time. They allow us to temporarily escape the monotony of the day-to-day...
The $73,900 Kia EV9 Is a Monster of a Road-Tripper That's Worth the Money
1 Jan 2024, 21:04 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Spending almost $80,000 (with tax and freight) on a Kia can seem outrageous. However, the brand evolved tremendously in the last few years. The latest lineup refresh and the gradual move to battery-electric drivetrains helped the Hyundai Group memb...
Only Seven EVs Qualify for the New Federal EV Tax Credit, Which Can Now Also Be a Rebate
1 Jan 2024, 20:36 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Planning on buying a new battery-electric vehicle in 2024 that's eligible for an Uncle Sam discount? Your options are now limited to only four manufacturers: Chevrolet, Ford, Rivian, and Tesla. Here's the gist of it. "New year, ne...
Bold! Angry Customer Brings "Tank" to Home Improvement Store, Makes a Stand
31 Dec 2023, 19:39 UTC · By: Florin Amariei / Almost anyone in this world had a problem with a vendor at least once. It happens. After all, companies are run by people, and people do make mistakes. It's understandable, especially if your grievance is resolved in due course or there's...