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Mircea Panait

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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.
2014 Ram Power Wagon to Debut at NY Auto Show <span>· Video</span>
2014 Ram Power Wagon to Debut at NY Auto Show · Video

9 Apr 2014, 16:38 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The Ram Power Wagon is back! The latest version of America's first mass-produced civilian 4x4 truck will be officially unveiled at next week's New York International Auto Show. Introduced over sixty years ago, the Power Wagon legend conti...

 
This Is How Ford Torture-Tested the 2015 F-150 [Video Gallery]
This Is How Ford Torture-Tested the 2015 F-150 [Video Gallery]

9 Apr 2014, 15:58 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Every new vehicle has to take hardcore durability tests before it makes its way to the dealers. However, what the Blue Oval did with the all-new 2015 F-150 pickup truck beggars belief. From mountaintops to frozen lakes, the latest F-150 was put thr...

 
Mystery Camaros Photographed in Detroit
Mystery Camaros Photographed in Detroit

9 Apr 2014, 14:33 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Surfing the interwebs, we've stumbled across a pretty interesting photo on Instagram taken inside the GM Renaissance Center, featuring three unknown vehicles with heavy Chevrolet Camaro cues. You'd be tempted to think these three have som...

 
Chevy Unveils 2015 Silverado High Country HD <span>· Video</span>
Chevy Unveils 2015 Silverado High Country HD · Video

9 Apr 2014, 13:38 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Simply put, Chevrolet's premium heavy-duty pickup combines the convenience of the Silverado 1500 High Country with the rugged capability of the Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD. The up-market version of Chevrolet's Silverado HD will officially...

 
GM Invests $449 Milion in Next-Gen Chevrolet Volt and Two Other EVs
GM Invests $449 Milion in Next-Gen Chevrolet Volt and Two Other EVs

9 Apr 2014, 12:33 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / General Motors announced it will spend big bucks on battery technology research and on upgrading two of its plants in preparation for the next generation Chevy Volt and two other future electric cars. No less than $384 million will be invested a...

 
"50 Years of Mustang" Celebratory Events Kickstart on April 16
"50 Years of Mustang" Celebratory Events Kickstart on April 16

9 Apr 2014, 09:33 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Love it or hate it, the Ford Mustang is a timeless automotive design revered far beyond North American borders, all the way to the farthest places on Earth. Since the first 'Stang rolled off the assembly line in Detroit on April 17, 1964, more...

 
Ford Takes the Wraps Off the New Focus Sedan
Ford Takes the Wraps Off the New Focus Sedan

9 Apr 2014, 08:43 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / After revealing the hatchback and wagon versions at the Geneva Motor Show in March, Ford announced it will bring the 2015 Focus next week at the New York Auto Show in four-door sedan and Electric flavor. The all-new American-spec Focus sedan fol...

 
Ford S-Max Concept Breaks Cover in Vignale Flavor
Ford S-Max Concept Breaks Cover in Vignale Flavor

8 Apr 2014, 16:18 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Inspired by exquisite furniture and latest fashion trends, the Blue Oval's attempt to beautify the MPV segment materialized today with the unveiling of the S-Max Vignale Concept at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan. Essentially, it...

 
Dodge Challenger Gets Matt Blue Wrap from ProFoil
Dodge Challenger Gets Matt Blue Wrap from ProFoil

8 Apr 2014, 14:43 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / In the magnificent world of American muscle cars, the Dodge Challenger SRT8 in 392 HEMI guise is the kind of beast that looks pretty awe-inspiring fresh out of the production line. In standard, the model comes either with blue body paint and two go...

 
Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain Rated Top Safety Pick+
Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain Rated Top Safety Pick+

8 Apr 2014, 13:13 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Out of nine midsize SUVs recently evaluated, only a handful earned the prestigious Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). On the small overlap front crash test, the Equinox and its twin model from GMC were r...

 
Fiat USA Updates the 500 With New 7-inch Display
Fiat USA Updates the 500 With New 7-inch Display

8 Apr 2014, 12:13 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / A seven-inch high-definition TFT display will be included in the instrument panel of Fiat's 2015 US-spec 500. To be showcased at the 2014 New York International Auto Show, the revamped 500 will also feature a redesigned center console. The min...

 
Ford Joins IMSA On Official Motorsport Partnership
Ford Joins IMSA On Official Motorsport Partnership

8 Apr 2014, 11:38 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / A three-year agreement between the Ford Motor Company and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) will see the EcoBoost-powered Taurus SHO as the official safety car for Saturday's Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach. Th...

 
Mad Custom T Bucket Hot Rod Surfaces on eBay
Mad Custom T Bucket Hot Rod Surfaces on eBay

8 Apr 2014, 09:53 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / If you're in the market for a post-apocalyptic Mad Max-themed vehicle, then this custom 1923 Ford T Bucket might be the thing you've been searching for. Up for grabs on the world's favorite online auction platform, it's listed o...

 
Lancia Ypsilon Elefantino Freshens Up for the Summer
Lancia Ypsilon Elefantino Freshens Up for the Summer

8 Apr 2014, 08:28 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Emphasizing the link between the small city car from Turin and the world of Italian fashion, the updated Lancia Ypsilon Elefantino '14 Collection made its debut at the "Lancia Fashion Apartment" event in Milan. This update of the spe...

 
Honda Vezel Crossover to Be Named HR-V in North America
Honda Vezel Crossover to Be Named HR-V in North America

7 Apr 2014, 16:13 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / If certain reports are to be believed, the Japanese carmaker's Fit-based crossover will take the HR-V name when it will arrive on American soil later this year. According to Temple of VTEC forum, the SUV's production and assembly will be ...

 
Microsoft Challenges Apple CarPlay with "Windows in the Car"
Microsoft Challenges Apple CarPlay with "Windows in the Car"

7 Apr 2014, 13:58 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Quite a few car infotainment systems have been powered by Microsoft in recent years, including units made for BMW, Ford, Fiat, Kia and Nissan. But the software giant is stepping it up a notch with the new "Windows in the Car" Concept unve...

 
Support American Farming by Test Driving a Ram Truck
Support American Farming by Test Driving a Ram Truck

7 Apr 2014, 13:03 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Most test drives are usually the boring affair in the process of selecting your future ride. Inarticulate car salesmen that don't let you properly put the vehicle to the test on way too short routes put off most people ready to cash out on a b...

 
New Focus RS Delayed, Next-Gen Mondeo to Arrive Later This Year
New Focus RS Delayed, Next-Gen Mondeo to Arrive Later This Year

7 Apr 2014, 12:03 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Although Ford initially promised it would launch the new Focus RS in 2015, the brand's European president Stephen Odell recently told Autocar: "There's nothing to talk about. It’s great that we have a proud past with RS, and it...

 
Ex-Stirling Moss Maserati Racer Going Under the Hammer
Ex-Stirling Moss Maserati Racer Going Under the Hammer

7 Apr 2014, 10:13 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The 1956 Maserati 450S Prototype by Fantuzzi will cross the block on May 10 during the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique weekend. RM Auctions estimates a selling value between $5.5 and $7.5 million (€4 to €5.5 million) for the Italian racer...

 
Ford Transit Connect Wagon Earns Five-Star Safety Rating
Ford Transit Connect Wagon Earns Five-Star Safety Rating

7 Apr 2014, 08:48 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded Ford's 2014 Transit Connect Wagon a five-star Overall Vehicle Score in its New Car Assessment Program. This comes as no surprise after the European version of the vehicle, know...

 

Stories by Mircea Panait