autoevolution
 

Mircea Panait

20,114  ARTICLES

Personal motto:

"If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae

Senior Contributor
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Little did he knew back then, but a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO is what sparked Mircea’s interest for cars when he was just a kid. Despite studying mathematics and informatics in high school and economics in university, Mircea turned his passion for all things automotive into a job.
 
Interning for Top Gear was his first foray in automotive journalism, and not long after that, a full-time position was opened for Mircea to seal the deal. Just about three years later, autoevolution became his new home.
 
Especially interested in American ponies and muscle cars, Mircea also finds the Japanese domestic market appealing thanks to the quirkiness of kei cars. Full-size pickups like the Ram 1500 and off-roaders such as the Ford Ranger Raptor and Jeep Gladiator Rubicon are much to his liking as well.
 
A self-described master of pasta and an avid CCG player, Mircea’s past-time activities include playing his Epiphone Les Paul Special Vintage Edition electric guitar, discovering the wonders of the Carpathian mountains by foot, and driving to the Black Sea to get a well-deserved tan.
Peugeot Boxer Van Gets Nip and Tuck Job
Peugeot Boxer Van Gets Nip and Tuck Job

22 Apr 2014, 13:40 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Sporting a redesigned front fascia and minor cabin upgrades, the French automaker's workhorse is now more refined than ever before. Aesthetic improvements aside, the facelifted Peugeot Boxer also gets a strengthened body structure and slightly...

 
"Need for Speed" Ford Mustang Raises $300,000 for Charity
"Need for Speed" Ford Mustang Raises $300,000 for Charity

22 Apr 2014, 12:21 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / If you're a serious petrolhead, then you certainly know the custom 2013 Ford Mustang GT featured in the blockbuster movie "Need for Speed". That very car was sold by the Blue Oval for $300,000 at the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company&#...

 
2015 Ford Mustang GT Is the Perfect Ride for Burnout Junkies
2015 Ford Mustang GT Is the Perfect Ride for Burnout Junkies

22 Apr 2014, 11:38 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Just like the stationary burnout a drag racer needs to perform in order to warm the rear tires for maximum grip off the line, Ford engineers equipped the 2015 Mustang with an electronic gizmo that does virtually the same thing at the touch of a but...

 
Jeep Debuts Four Concepts at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show
Jeep Debuts Four Concepts at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show

22 Apr 2014, 10:16 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Two special edition Cherokees, a posh Wrangler and a unique interpretation of the all-new 2015 Renegade are the weapons of choice the Jeep brand selected to unveil at the 13th Beijing International Auto Show. The quartet takes production models ...

 
Ford Unveils All-New Escort and Everest Concept at 2014 Beijing Auto Show <span>· Live Photos</span>
Ford Unveils All-New Escort and Everest Concept at 2014 Beijing Auto Show · Live Photos

22 Apr 2014, 09:02 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The 13th Beijing International Automobile Exhibition marks the global debut of Ford's long-awaited Escort compact sedan, as well as the unveiling of the Everest Concept. The Escort will join the company's best-selling Focus to provide mor...

 
Lincoln MKX Concept Exposed at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show <span>· Video</span>
Lincoln MKX Concept Exposed at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show · Video

21 Apr 2014, 07:03 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / After the Blue Oval officially introduced the Lincoln brand in China on April 17, Ford’s luxury arm unveiled the MKX Concept at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show. Lincoln’s first ever concept premiered outside the United States hints at the Am...

 
100 Years of Dodge Muscle and Wisdom
100 Years of Dodge Muscle and Wisdom

20 Apr 2014, 05:03 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / We've all been there, interrupted by annoying ads when we want to watch our favorite videos on YouTube. However, if all commercials were as cool as this one Dodge came up with for its 100th anniversary, the Internet would be a much better plac...

 
Get Your Kicks the Chevrolet Super Sport Way
Get Your Kicks the Chevrolet Super Sport Way

19 Apr 2014, 14:04 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Meet Mark Lundquist. Even though he looks like your typical friendly senior neighbor, there's nothing typical about what's lying in his garage. During his high school years, Mark worked at Standard Oil gas station, filling up the tan...

 
Chevrolet Reveals the Latest Generation of Autobots
Chevrolet Reveals the Latest Generation of Autobots

19 Apr 2014, 12:38 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The General Motors subsidiary once again teamed up with director Michael Bay by providing a new generation of four-wheel Autobots for the upcoming "Transformers: Age of Extinction" movie. The fourth installment of the saga will come to...

 
Jaguar Says Goodbye to the XK with Final Fifty Limited Edition
Jaguar Says Goodbye to the XK with Final Fifty Limited Edition

18 Apr 2014, 17:31 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The British car manufacturer announced yesterday evening at the New York International Auto Show that it will send off the XK with a limited-run edition dubbed Final Fifty. As the name suggests, only 50 units will be made. More exactly, the fina...

 
Mopar Announces 100+ Accessories for 2015 Dodge Charger and Challenger
Mopar Announces 100+ Accessories for 2015 Dodge Charger and Challenger

18 Apr 2014, 15:52 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / A day after Dodge officially unveiled the 2015MY Charger and Challenger at the New York International Auto Show, Mopar announced it will develop more than 100 design accessories and performance parts for both models. Fresh off the launch of the ...

 
How the Mustang Evolved in the Last 50 Years
How the Mustang Evolved in the Last 50 Years

18 Apr 2014, 13:27 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Yesterday, the original pony car turned 50 years old since it was first unveiled at the 1964 New York World Fair. To celebrate this grand feat, the Blue Oval displayed 95 examples of the breed (including the all-new 2015 model) in front of the Unis...

 
Morgan Introduces the Limited Edition Plus 8 Speedster
Morgan Introduces the Limited Edition Plus 8 Speedster

18 Apr 2014, 11:47 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Combining aircraft industry technology with quintessentially British craftsmanship, the Plus 8 is one of the core models in Morgan's current lineup. To celebrate 100 years in the business of vehicle manufacturing, the British carmaker announce...

 
MG Dynamo: Out With the Old, In With the New
MG Dynamo: Out With the Old, In With the New

18 Apr 2014, 10:07 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Marking MG's 90th anniversary and meant as a preview to the British marque's future plans, the Dynamo electric concept was revealed this week at a private exhibit in London. If you're into British cars, then you know that MG has b...

 
All-New 2015 Honda HR-V Will Launch This Winter
All-New 2015 Honda HR-V Will Launch This Winter

18 Apr 2014, 09:02 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / We've reported you a little while back that the Fit-based crossover Honda intends to bring Stateside could be marketed as the HR-V. And our intuition was right: the Japanese carmaker officially confirmed at the New York Auto Show that the 2015...

 
New York: 2015 Subaru Outback Breaks Cover <span>· Video</span>
New York: 2015 Subaru Outback Breaks Cover · Video

17 Apr 2014, 17:43 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / To put it simply, the Outback is Subaru's jack-of-all-trades as it combines the off-road versatility of the Forester SUV with the roominess and comfort of a station wagon. The Japanese company introduced the fifth generation of the model today...

 
New York: 2015 Acura TLX Replaces the TL and TSX <span>· Video</span>  <span>· Live Photos</span>
New York: 2015 Acura TLX Replaces the TL and TSX · Video · Live Photos

17 Apr 2014, 15:52 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / After a whole lot of teasing material, the Japanese manufacturer finally revealed the all-new TLX in production form. According to Acura, the TLX is "designed to deliver a unique and compelling blend of sports-sedan athleticism and premium lux...

 
2015 Jeep Renegade Makes North American Premiere in New York <span>· Video</span>  <span>· Live Photos</span>
2015 Jeep Renegade Makes North American Premiere in New York · Video · Live Photos

17 Apr 2014, 14:27 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Marketed as the "most capable small SUV", the all-new Renegade is the first small sport-utility vehicle produced by the American brand. Prices for the "baby Jeep" will start at a little over $18,500 and work their way up into th...

 
2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Goes Topless at the New York Auto Show <span>· Video</span>  <span>· Live Photos</span>
2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Goes Topless at the New York Auto Show · Video · Live Photos

17 Apr 2014, 13:36 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Chevy's most powerful convertible ever made its world debut at the New York International Auto Show. According to General Motors, the drop-top Z06 "will be one of the most capable convertibles on the market, with 0 to 60 miles per hour (0...

 
2015 Ford Focus Sedan and Electric Debut at New York Auto Show <span>· Live Photos</span>
2015 Ford Focus Sedan and Electric Debut at New York Auto Show · Live Photos

17 Apr 2014, 12:19 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The world's best-selling vehicle nameplate in 2013 made its appearance at the New York International Auto Show in both sedan and Electric variants. Featuring updated exterior styling themes, the 2015 Focus looks sportier than ever before espec...

 

Stories by Mircea Panait