Mircea Panait
20,114 ARTICLES
Personal motto:
"If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae
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.
2017 Toyota 86 Puts an Angry Face On at the New York Auto Show
24 Mar 2016, 10:36 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Other than the Yaris iA, Corolla iM, and the Prius Prime, the Toyota stand at the New York Auto Show saw the debut of the 2017 Toyota 86. Yes, the Scion FR-S is officially dead. I won’t miss it, though, because the Toyota-branded sports car s...
2018 Genesis G70 Sedan Previewed by Genesis New York Concept
24 Mar 2016, 09:02 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Have you seen a design study for a compact executive sedan such as the Genesis New York Concept? I haven’t either. The world has seen its fair share of rear-wheel-drive compact executive sedans, but once the Genesis brand finishes work on its...
2017 Subaru Impreza Promises Better Handling, Crash Safety, and Ride Comfort
23 Mar 2016, 17:52 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / It shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that the 2017 Subaru Impreza looks exactly as the current model. That’s because Subaru isn’t the type of manufacturer that mends something which isn’t broken. Instead of that, the Japan...
2017 Acura NSX GT3 Racecar Ditches Hybrid and AWD Systems
23 Mar 2016, 16:49 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / We’ve waited long enough for the second coming of the NSX, but the wait was worth it. Make no mistake about it, the 2017 Acura NSX is an impressive overall package in the realm of hybridized supercars. In this regard, it’s somewhat curi...
2017 Acura MDX Breaks the Norm with 3-Motor Sport Hybrid Model
23 Mar 2016, 16:32 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / For the 2017 model year, the best-selling three-row luxury SUV in America got a lot more enticing than the current model year. First and foremost, the MDX has lost the signature beak. Secondly, the Sport Hybrid model promises to be quite an interes...
2017 Hyundai Ioniq Shines in New York, Trumps the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime
23 Mar 2016, 15:35 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The 2016 Toyota Prius and the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime now have something to get anxious about. It’s the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq, which will go on sale later in the year in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric form. And yes, all three models are FW...
2017 Nissan GT-R Revealed, It Fits the Bill for a Swan Song
23 Mar 2016, 14:19 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / There’s no introduction needed to present the 2017 Nissan GT-R. For the final iteration of the R35, the Japanese automaker did everything it could to ensure that car nuts will always remember this generation of the Godzilla, both visually and...
2017 Kia Cadenza Stands Out in New York
23 Mar 2016, 13:28 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Three years after the Kia Cadenza went on sale in the United States of America and Canada, the South Korean company presented an all-new generation of the Cadenza. The exterior design and interior improvements are neat and all, but the 2017 Kia Cad...
2016 Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 Race Car Packs 900+ Horsepower
23 Mar 2016, 13:05 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Porsche has a knack for making fast cars, especially race cars. The Porsche 956 Group C in which Stefan Bellof set the record for the fastest lap around the Nurburgring in 1983 (6:11.13) is a case in point. As far as endurance racing is concerned, ...
Jaguar XKSS Gets Reborn as Continuation Model
23 Mar 2016, 10:36 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / For those who are into old Jags, the XKSS needs no introduction. For those who don’t know the story of the XKSS, the essential is that nine of the 25 units ever made were destroyed in a terrible fire. Alas, Jaguar only sold 16 examples o...
UPDATE: 2017 Subaru Impreza Unveiled in Sedan Form, 5-Door Hatchback Incoming
23 Mar 2016, 09:23 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Here it is, ladies and gentlemen with a love for the car brand with stars in its logo - the 2017 Subaru Impreza Sedan in all its sedan glory. The Japanese outfit is going to follow up this sneak peek of the 4-door sedan with an official debut later...
Ten of the Most Anticipated Cars of the 2016 New York Auto Show
22 Mar 2016, 18:11 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / New York, New York, a helluva town. Its nickname is relevant to this day because it still is the financial hotspot and the richest city in the world. To us car nuts, NYC is relevant thanks to its posh auto show. Believe it or not, the New York I...
Jeremy Clarkson Opens Up on His Darkest Year
22 Mar 2016, 13:56 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Jeremy Clarkson is known for his bravado and his car-related antics. What many people haven’t thought about or simply refuse to understand about the most prominent and hated man in the motoring industry is that the Jeremy Clarkson you see on ...
New TVR Factory to Be Set Up in Ebbw Vale, South Wales
22 Mar 2016, 13:12 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Other than Aston Martin and Lotus, Great Britain is the home of TVR. Founded in 1947 in Blackpool, and in limbo since 2006, the iconic brand is set to return to business in 2018. Two years from now on, TVR will churn out an all-new model at a produ...
UPDATE: 2017 Nissan GT-R Is the Final Model Year for the R35 Generation
22 Mar 2016, 10:44 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Godzilla is dead, long live Godzilla! Before it makes its world debut in New York tomorrow, a Japanese magazine and a Photoshop wizard have accurately rendered the 2017 Nissan GT-R, the ultimate model year for the R35 generation. These renderings a...
UPDATE: Could This Be the 2017 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid? Sure Looks like It
22 Mar 2016, 09:20 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The fourth-generation Toyota Prius family is about to gain an all-new member at the 2016 New York International Auto Show. Cue what appears to be the 2017 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid. Can we all agree that it looks great for a car with plenty of ec...
Top 10 Best Electric Cars You Can Buy in 2016
21 Mar 2016, 17:54 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / After Tesla started production of the Model X crossover, the outfit headed by Elon Musk stepped up the EV game for everyone. But the Model X isn’t as revolutionary and forward-thinking as the Model S was when it was introduced in 2012. The Te...
2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe Teased One Last Time Before NYIAS Debut
21 Mar 2016, 14:04 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Less than a year ago, Mercedes-Benz was presenting the GLC Coupe Concept at the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show. Fast-forward to the present today, he we are awaiting the 2016 New York International Auto Show to open its doors and for Mercedes-Benz to unve...
2017 Callaway Camaro SC740 Is Out for Hellcat Blood
21 Mar 2016, 13:10 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Not even a week has passed since Chevrolet took the covers off the 2017 Camaro ZL1 and Callaway Cars already promises to take things up a notch. The first unit of the 2017 Callaway Camaro SC740 is slated to be made by the end of calendar year 2016....
Hyundai Ioniq Recalled in South Korea over Rolling Backwards Problem
21 Mar 2016, 12:37 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The South Korean manufacturer launched the Ioniq in its home market two months or so ago, yet Hyundai had to recall the electric drive hatchback after a video was published on YouTube. That particular video can be found at the end of this story. Ju...