Mircea Panait
19,999 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.
Imminent Recall: NHTSA Investigates Chrysler Over Two Broad Inquiries
28 Oct 2014, 16:03 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Just two months are left until the end of the year but watchdogs of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration aren't nearly done with their work. After the General Motors and Takata vehicle safety disasters, their focus is now on the ...
Ford and Telogis-developed Telematics Solution to Improve Police and Public Safety
28 Oct 2014, 14:52 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / This being an automotive website, I'm sure you are accustomed to what the Blue Oval does to make ends meet. But it's possible for some of our readers to not know exactly what Telogis, Inc. is specialized in. Established in 2001 and hea...
2015 Ford Kuga Upgrades Include Reworked 2.0 TDCi Turbo Diesel Engine
28 Oct 2014, 13:57 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Marketed as the Escape in the United States, the Ford Kuga has been upgraded recently with an extensive list of goodies, including previously optional features now offered as standard and a more efficient and powerful lineup of petrol and diesel en...
Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake (X117) Spied and Masterfully Rendered
28 Oct 2014, 12:45 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / First came the W176 A-Class hatchback. After it came the sedan variant dubbed CLA, then came the GLA crossover. But Mercedes isn't planning to stop here, oh no. As it happens, there's a Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake variant in the pipe...
Tesla Model S Lease Price Lowered, 3-Month Return Policy Added
28 Oct 2014, 10:58 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The Tesla Model S may benefit from a whopping $7,500 federal tax credit, but the 60 kWh model's $69,900 MSRP is still on the hefty side for most prospective buyers. However, the EV carmaker has significantly improved leasing only recently. ...
2015 Nissan Quest Pricing Announced, On Sale Now
28 Oct 2014, 10:08 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / For the 2015 model year, the Japanese carmaker detailed what enhancements have been made to keep the Quest minivan fresh. Built at Nissan's Shatai plant in Kyushu, Japan, the 2015 model year Quest is priced from $26,530 including $885 destinat...
2016 Chevrolet Volt Powertrain Teased
28 Oct 2014, 09:03 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Soon after the 2015 model year Chevrolet Volt was accidentally unveiled by dealer inventory listings back in July, the golden bowtie hinted there will be an all-new Volt coming next year. Although it's officially slated to debut at the 2015 De...
Talbot Sunbeam Lotus Hot Hatch With Just 193 Miles on the Clock Heading to Auction
27 Oct 2014, 18:35 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / If you though that the original Volkswagen Golf GTI is the first hot hatchback ever, think again. That model only popularized the genre, but it didn't invent it. As a prime example of what I'm trying to say, the Mk1 GTI is pre-dated by mo...
This Is How the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Is Made
27 Oct 2014, 17:54 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / It's not a secret anymore that the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is the new muscle car king. Some Mopar enthusiasts might know that VIN0001 was auctioned for a hefty $1.65 million last month by Barrett-Jackson, but did you ever wonder how ...
Cadillac CTS-V Runs the Quarter Mile In a Mere 9.19 Seconds
27 Oct 2014, 17:09 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Before the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V arrives with a minor horsepower bump, the outgoing CTS-V represents the luxury automaker's fastest and quickest accelerating production vehicle ever. But what would you say about an extensively tuned CTS-V that c...
Would You Pay $250,000 For a Citroen Traction Avant?
27 Oct 2014, 16:17 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / For those gearheads that aren't too into pre-war automobiles, you should know a few details on the Citroen Traction Avant. This is one of the most important cars of its time, a model that has redefined personal means of transport as we know it...
Troller T4 Concept Breaks Cover, Looks Like a Modern-Day Ford Bronco
27 Oct 2014, 15:21 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Remember the Ford Bronco? Yes, that one! It's such a shame the Blue Oval stopped making it in 1996, replacing the butch two-door SUV with the far more family-oriented Expedition. All the more reason why this Troller T4 thingy should be sold in...
Detroit Electric SP:01 Teased Again, It's Looking Like a Mashup of Different Sports Cars
27 Oct 2014, 14:16 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / It's been two years since the Tesla Roadster's demise, but fret not anymore because there's a new kid on the block ready to fill that empty niche. Dubbed the Detroit Electric SP:01, what you can see above is an American electric spor...
Carlex Design Works Its Magic With the Interior of a Mercedes-Benz E-Class
27 Oct 2014, 13:43 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Let's face it - it's darn hard to find someone who would say no to an absurdly powerful Brabus E V12 Coupe. But you'd be surprised to hear a few negative answers, even amongst die-hard fans of these kind of tuning jobs, those gearhea...
2015 Honda NSX Spied Near the Nurburgring Yet Again
27 Oct 2014, 11:44 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Since September 2011, when Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jr. was spotted driving a weird concept car wearing Acura badges, enthusiasts of the NSX breed and the media were left with a single, burning question: when will the second-generation of the ...
2015 Hyundai i20 Wagon In the Pipeline, Crossover Variant Possible
27 Oct 2014, 10:47 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / When Hyundai first unveiled the new-generation i20, some people sort of laughed at the South Korean manufacturer's intention to step up its game in the highly competitive European B-segment. If we're to be frank here, that's your typ...
2015 Subaru Forester STi Will Be Unveiled On November 25th, Teaser Photos Released
27 Oct 2014, 10:11 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / The wait is almost over, ladies and gents! As it happens, Subaru's STi motorsport division will stick some badges on the SJ-generation Subaru Forester, with the unveiling slated for November 25th. At the present moment, the Japanese carmake...
Hyundai JP Edition Sonata Looks Like It's Ready to Roll
26 Oct 2014, 11:45 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / When you hear the name of John Pangilinan, most would think of a guy that delivers full service marketing solutions. But Pangilinan can also customize cars for promotional use. That's why the following Hyundai Sonata is coming to SEMA. What...
GM Full-Size SUVs Updated for the 2015i Model Year
26 Oct 2014, 10:34 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / If you're in the market for a full-size SUV but don't want to go all out with buying a posh Cadillac Escalade, the General Motors stable has five other options for you from Chevrolet and GMC. For the 2015 interim MY, all five of them have...
ZZ Performance Cadillac ATS Coming to SEMA · Video
25 Oct 2014, 11:35 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / With the 2014 SEMA show just around the corner, the Wyoming-based tuning outfit ZZ Performance is hard at work adding the finishing touches to a trick Cadillac ATS sedan. Spolier alert: it's 2-liter engine will pack approximately 600 horsepowe...