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Vlad Mitrache

5,348  ARTICLES

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Having the memory of an elephant suffering from amnesia, I'm the exact opposite of an automotive encyclopedia. That's exactly why you can very often find me studying the spec sheets of cars or asking my colleagues who are very much more knowledgeable than me about facts and figures. On the bright side, though, that means I get to learn new things every day.


Contrary to most of the people here, I didn't get my driving license right after my 18th birthday, but it wasn't because I didn't want to. I won't get into details, but three years later I was the proud owner of that piece of plastic and a piece of trash car with which I quickly established a love and hate relationship. Mostly hate.

However, driving I loved, so that's what kept me going until my first decent car. By this time, I started thinking about mixing my degree in Journalism with my passion for driving, and so there I was working as an editor for a car magazine. A few good years later, nothing much has changed. But don't take my word for it, I tend to forget stuff. Now, if I could just remember where I parked my car...
Turbo vs Supercharged Challenge, the Exciting Small French Hot Hatch Edition
Turbo vs Supercharged Challenge, the Exciting Small French Hot Hatch Edition

9 Jan 2023, 12:38 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / Say what you want about the French, but they sure know how to make fun cars. Some people will insist they're not exactly stellar when it comes to reliability - though, like in so many other cases, that's more myth than reality - and I kno...

 
Lewis Hamilton Open to Joining Ratcliff in Potential Manchester United FC Purchase
Lewis Hamilton Open to Joining Ratcliff in Potential Manchester United FC Purchase

8 Sep 2022, 14:26 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / With his Formula 1 career presumably reaching its golden years, the 37-year-old Brit must be beginning to think about the things that will keep him busy after he retires from the competition that built his fame after winning it a joint-record seven...

 
Taking a Dodge Challenger Off-Road Proves a Very Dodgy Decision
Taking a Dodge Challenger Off-Road Proves a Very Dodgy Decision

8 Sep 2022, 13:13 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / "So, we got a call for a Dodge Challenger that is stuck in the sand out here in Washington" is probably one of the phrases you are least expected to hear. First off, you're not into off-road recovery, so why would anyone call you for...

 
Jeep Trackhawk Vs Hennessey Mammoth Drag Race Can't Have Any Losers
Jeep Trackhawk Vs Hennessey Mammoth Drag Race Can't Have Any Losers

7 Sep 2022, 15:34 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / I honestly wish someone could have counted how many times a Hellcat V8 has been involved in a drag race because I have a strong feeling it would be one of the largest figures we've ever heard of. Not only is the 6.2-liter unit quite ubiquitous...

 
Overlanding Legend Demolishes New Land Rovers, Issues Challenge to Be Proven Wrong
Overlanding Legend Demolishes New Land Rovers, Issues Challenge to Be Proven Wrong

6 Sep 2022, 15:16 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / I'm willing to bet this is not the first time you've heard somebody slag off the new(ish) Land Rover products for their reliability. However, most people tend to complain about how likely the British SUVs are to break down, but Australian...

 
A Mark 4 VW Golf Wagon and 1,080 HP - Could That Just Be the Perfect Sleeper Recipe?
A Mark 4 VW Golf Wagon and 1,080 HP - Could That Just Be the Perfect Sleeper Recipe?

6 Sep 2022, 08:20 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / Look, I don't know what it's like in your neck of the woods, but over here, not a day goes by without crossing paths with a car that looks like it has 1,000 hp while actually being bone-stock from a technical perspective. There's ...

 
18 YO in a Tesla Clocked at 118 MPH in a 25 MPH Zone, Instant Torque FTW
18 YO in a Tesla Clocked at 118 MPH in a 25 MPH Zone, Instant Torque FTW

8 Aug 2022, 11:09 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / If this were to happen during medieval times (that would have to be a very fast horse, I know, but bear with me, it will kind of make sense shortly) and the punishment for speeding was stoning, then this guy could very easily come out of it unscath...

 
This Imperial Star Destroyer Build Has a Swedish Twist, Lots of Explaining to Do
This Imperial Star Destroyer Build Has a Swedish Twist, Lots of Explaining to Do

8 Aug 2022, 09:20 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / The only thing scarier than what some of the world's most ridiculous car mods look like is the fact there seems to be a seemingly endless supply of them. If you look in the right places, you'll find dozens showing up every day for us to l...

 
High Stakes All-Ford Drag Race: Mustang GT vs Mach-E GT Mustang-Wannabe
High Stakes All-Ford Drag Race: Mustang GT vs Mach-E GT Mustang-Wannabe

27 Jul 2022, 13:41 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / Welcome to yet another confrontation between a car that uses an internal combustion engine (ICE) and one that relies on the flow of electrons to get its wheels spinning. Yes, we too have seen more than we can count over the past five years or so, a...

 
2006 Corvette C6 Gets Mazda RX7 Three-Rotor Turbo Engine, Plenty Attitude Too
2006 Corvette C6 Gets Mazda RX7 Three-Rotor Turbo Engine, Plenty Attitude Too

13 Jul 2022, 20:33 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / When it comes to how safe the LS V8 should feel inside a Chevrolet Corvette's engine bay, the answer is "very." Not only does it provide a more than an adequate match for America's favorite sports car, but the cult following of ...

 
Donald Trump and Elon Musk Enter Spicy Online Feud, Popcorn Stock Value Rises
Donald Trump and Elon Musk Enter Spicy Online Feud, Popcorn Stock Value Rises

13 Jul 2022, 12:11 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / There was a time when both Elon Musk and Donald Trump were both fighting for the title of Twitter's Greatest of All Time (GOAT), but then one got banned for spreading misinformation, leaving the other with a clear run to the prize. Not the ...

 
BMW iX M60 Top Speed Autobahn Review Drops a Lot of Truth Bombs
BMW iX M60 Top Speed Autobahn Review Drops a Lot of Truth Bombs

12 Jul 2022, 13:27 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / Even though it's been a while since BMW's electric SAV broke cover, we haven't quite reached that moment where we can talk about the iX without mentioning its exterior design. It's like that famous Marilyn Monroe picture - it�...

 
All-Ferrari Drag Race Offers Answer for Eternal "Road Vs Track" Debate
All-Ferrari Drag Race Offers Answer for Eternal "Road Vs Track" Debate

12 Jul 2022, 08:53 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / Ferrari may not be the first name that pops into mind when thinking about track cars, but that's only because the Italian manufacturer's creations tend to maintain a certain level of luxury not normally associated with this type of vehicl...

 
Compact SUVs Monster Off-Road Test - Don't Fall for Jeep's Trailhawk Rating
Compact SUVs Monster Off-Road Test - Don't Fall for Jeep's Trailhawk Rating

24 Apr 2022, 11:34 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / I'll let you in on a little secret: people who buy compact SUVs don't really care about their off-roading capabilities. But since so many drivers seem to turn to this type of vehicle lately, there's a very good chance your colleague ...

 
2023 BMW i7 - Could This Be The Start of Something Nice? OK, Less Ugly, at Least
2023 BMW i7 - Could This Be The Start of Something Nice? OK, Less Ugly, at Least

24 Apr 2022, 06:46 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / This is all BMW's own doing, to be fair. Over the past few years, we've seen some shockers coming off the drawing boards of the Bavarian carmaker, with the iX electric SUV and the Concept XM performance SUV being the first that come to mi...

 
Very Real Porsche 911 Safari Build Is the Best Thing That Could Happen to a 996
Very Real Porsche 911 Safari Build Is the Best Thing That Could Happen to a 996

23 Apr 2022, 10:33 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / The 996 generation of Porsche's legendary 911 model has had (and continues to) its fair share of critiques. Think of it as one more confirmation the German manufacturer received that the best way to go about making a new 911 is to change as li...

 
Honda Accord Vs Subaru Legacy GT Drag Race - Not as Straightforward as You'd Think
Honda Accord Vs Subaru Legacy GT Drag Race - Not as Straightforward as You'd Think

23 Apr 2022, 08:07 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / Those born in the last two decades might find it hard to, but there used to be a time when sedans ruled the world. Yes, before SUVs and crossovers took over, it was the three-box design that was pretty ubiquitous all around the world. With the t...

 
Future Jeep Wrangler Rendering Is a Mash-up of Various Influences, All 100% Cool
Future Jeep Wrangler Rendering Is a Mash-up of Various Influences, All 100% Cool

22 Apr 2022, 13:02 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / For a model so heavily linked to its past like the Wrangler, Jeep has done a surprisingly good job of keeping it modern and up to date. Not only can you buy a plug-in hybrid version these days, but people don't even seem fazed by talks of usin...

 
Porsche 996 Driver Crashes After Full Demonstration of What Not to Do on an Interstate
Porsche 996 Driver Crashes After Full Demonstration of What Not to Do on an Interstate

22 Apr 2022, 11:02 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / The whole idea of Interstates and other similar fast-paced roads is to simplify driving and, at the same time, make getting around as quick and safe as possible. The idea is simple – instead of worrying about cars coming the other way, the...

 
This Smart Fortwo on 30" Off-Road Tires Is the Car Equivalent of a Good Tickling
This Smart Fortwo on 30" Off-Road Tires Is the Car Equivalent of a Good Tickling

19 Apr 2022, 08:57 UTC · By: Vlad Mitrache / It'd be totally understandable if you thought the smart Fortwo was a Japanese model the first time you came across it. After all, they are pretty big on tiny vehicles over there, aren't they? Well, unlike Kei cars that try to keep the ...

 

Stories by Vlad Mitrache