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Sebastian Toma

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Personal motto:

"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson

Senior Contributor
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Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. He cannot put a finger on what started it all, but it was there, and it grew day by day. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver).

It all started with him pointing at cars on the street and asking what make and model they were. Sebastian couldn't wait to be tall enough to see over their steering wheel and be allowed to drive them.

When was ready to hit the road, Sebastian was left without a potential first car after his family's '72 Mercedes-Benz was rolled by his father. While the early '70s sedan proved unexpectedly safe, Sebastian was left without a ride, so he took various jobs and saved up for an E30 BMW 3 Series. Months later, he got his dream job – writing about cars for a local website while he was getting a bachelor's degree in Journalism.

Fourteen years had passed since Sebastian started writing about cars and motorcycles, and his job took him behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles, as well as through some of the most important local publications.

Just before returning to autoevolution, he was the editor-in-chief of the country's most-read car magazine and its website. Sebastian took on the challenge and started writing for us again, so sit back and enjoy the read!
Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard: 470,000 Euros of Bulletproof Protection
Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard: 470,000 Euros of Bulletproof Protection

22 Feb 2016, 12:10 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / The Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard, the special bulletproof version of the German limo, has received recognition for its ballistic protection. The flagship Maybach Guard model features the VR10 protection level certification. This is the highest ba...

 
Audi Unveils New quattro ultra All-Wheel-Drive System, It Saves Fuel
Audi Unveils New quattro ultra All-Wheel-Drive System, It Saves Fuel

22 Feb 2016, 10:21 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Audi has developed an ultra version of the quattro all-wheel-drive system for the 2016 A4 and other models in its range. The system will be available for numerous Audi models that have their engines mounted longitudinally in the front. The first...

 
2016 Renault Megane Estate Revealed in First Official Photos
2016 Renault Megane Estate Revealed in First Official Photos

22 Feb 2016, 09:34 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Renault has chosen the 2016 Geneva Motor Show to reveal the new station version of the latest Megane. The French brand will publicly unveil the new body style of the fourth-generation Megane in March, but has published two official photos of the...

 
How to Become a Safer Driver - 2016 Edition
How to Become a Safer Driver - 2016 Edition

18 Feb 2016, 17:03 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Driving is dangerous, and cars can become weapons. Every time you get behind the wheel, you risk your life and the lives of others. You might do this unknowingly, but it is still not an excuse. Statistically, driving is a dangerous way of getting a...

 
New Hybrids Coming Your Way with Electric Torque Vectoring, Says GKN Driveline
New Hybrids Coming Your Way with Electric Torque Vectoring, Says GKN Driveline

18 Feb 2016, 14:17 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / GKN Driveline has announced it has developed a new electric torque vectoring system for hybrid cars. The British automotive supplier says its eTwinster system is going to make hybrid vehicles more efficient and more dynamic, and that several automa...

 
UPDATE: Toyota Will Recall 2.87 Million RAV4 Models For Rear Seats Issue
UPDATE: Toyota Will Recall 2.87 Million RAV4 Models For Rear Seats Issue

18 Feb 2016, 12:40 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Toyota Motor Company has announced a recall campaign for the RAV4 model in the United States, soon extending it globally. The 1,124,000 vehicles that will be called back in the U.S. are RAV4 units of the 2006-2012 model years and MY 2012-2014 RA...

 
Lexus LC500h Revealed, Is an RWD Hybrid Coupe with 354 HP
Lexus LC500h Revealed, Is an RWD Hybrid Coupe with 354 HP

18 Feb 2016, 10:39 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Lexus’s LC500h has been fully revealed before its presentation at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The new hybrid coupe of the Japanese premium brand features a new platform and a multi-stage hybrid system. Thanks to the new powertrain...

 
Mercedes-Benz Teases C-Class Cabriolet Again, It Will Be Shown in Geneva
Mercedes-Benz Teases C-Class Cabriolet Again, It Will Be Shown in Geneva

18 Feb 2016, 09:34 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Mercedes-Benz keeps teasing the C-Class Cabriolet ahead of its unveiling at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. This time, the German carmaker published an image on its official Facebook page. The picture shows its convertible lineup for the 86...

 
How to Save Money on the Gas Bill for Your Commute
How to Save Money on the Gas Bill for Your Commute

17 Feb 2016, 17:07 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Even with the recent drop in fuel prices, it's nice to know how you can reduce your fuel costs. We’ve put together a simple guide to help you achieve this goal. Before we get started with our guide, the easiest way to reduce your fuel...

 
First Unofficial Picture of New Aston Martin DB11 Revealed on Twitter
First Unofficial Picture of New Aston Martin DB11 Revealed on Twitter

17 Feb 2016, 13:40 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Aston Martin’s DB11, the successor of the DB9 and the next step in the British carmaker’s lineup, has been revealed online. Like the DB9 before it, the DB11 has a V12 engine, but this model drops the naturally aspirated unit for a tw...

 
2019 Land Rover Defender Launch Could Be Delayed, Reports Say
2019 Land Rover Defender Launch Could Be Delayed, Reports Say

17 Feb 2016, 12:42 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Land Rover’s Defender ended production last month, but its replacement might be delayed. According to reports, the Solihull off-road legend’s successor could be launched in 2019, instead of the original deadline of 2018. This informa...

 
GM Will Recall 200,000 Saab and Saturn Vehicles over Takata Issues
GM Will Recall 200,000 Saab and Saturn Vehicles over Takata Issues

17 Feb 2016, 10:55 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / General Motors will issue a recall action for two brands that it killed off years ago. GM will recall around 200,000 Saab and Saturn vehicles in the USA and Canada. The recall campaign is related to the Takata airbag fiasco, and targets MY 2003-...

 
Skoda Showcases VisionS Concept Study, It's a Plug-In Hybrid SUV
Skoda Showcases VisionS Concept Study, It's a Plug-In Hybrid SUV

17 Feb 2016, 09:48 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Skoda has revealed its latest concept study, the VisionS, which is the brand’s first-ever plug-in hybrid SUV model. The new SUV promises an evolution of the Skoda design language with the bonus of a spacious interior and an efficient power...

 
How to Make Your Diesel-Engined Car Sound Cool
How to Make Your Diesel-Engined Car Sound Cool

16 Feb 2016, 17:55 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Fake exhaust noise. The worst crime in the automotive world after fake vents, fake brake discs, fake performance badges, and fake turbo sounds. Okay, it is not that immoral, but why does it exist and can you do it yourself? Fake exhaust notes ar...

 
Ford Testing Next-Generation Focus in Winter Conditions - First Spyshots
Ford Testing Next-Generation Focus in Winter Conditions - First Spyshots

16 Feb 2016, 14:22 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Ford is testing the next generation of the Focus using a mule based on the current generation’s body. Our friends at CarPix have provided us with the first spy shots of the Ford Focus Mk4. The vehicle you see in the attached photo gallery ...

 
Renault Alpine Vision Concept Revealed, Looks Amazing
Renault Alpine Vision Concept Revealed, Looks Amazing

16 Feb 2016, 14:09 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Alpine, the sports-car brand owned by Renault, is finally reborn. Today, officials of the Alpine brand have revealed their latest concept car, the Alpine Vision Concept. Production of the road-going version will begin in 2017, and the vehicle th...

 
BMW Didn't Get US Sales Crown for 2015, Report Says
BMW Didn't Get US Sales Crown for 2015, Report Says

16 Feb 2016, 10:40 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / It is 2016 now, but it sure feels like 2012’s scandals are back on the table, at least when it comes to US sales figures in the premium segment. A recent report from IHS/Polk has revealed an inconsistency in the sales and registrations for...

 
2017 Maserati Levante Spied with Less Disguise
2017 Maserati Levante Spied with Less Disguise

16 Feb 2016, 09:29 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Maserati engineers are hard at work testing the Levante SUV, set to launch as a 2017 model. However, they need to stop from time to time, so our spy photographers managed to snap a few shots of the prototype from close range. Unlike previous pro...

 
Top Five Fastest Diesel Cars in 2016
Top Five Fastest Diesel Cars in 2016

15 Feb 2016, 18:37 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / Whoever said that diesel-engined cars are slow and agricultural didn't know what they were talking about. A brief look through the offerings of carmakers that build high-powered diesel vehicles reveals that you can buy som pretty fast oil-burn...

 
SsangYong Will Bring Two SUVs to Geneva, Tivoli XLV Is One of Them
SsangYong Will Bring Two SUVs to Geneva, Tivoli XLV Is One of Them

15 Feb 2016, 14:29 UTC · By: Sebastian Toma / SsangYong, the Asian brand specialized in SUVs, will bring two exhibits to this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The SsangYong range will be enhanced this year with an extended version of the Tivoli, which will be called XLV. The model is a compa...

 

Stories by Sebastian Toma