autoevolution
 

Vlad Radu

1,148  ARTICLES

Personal motto:

“From success, you learn absolutely nothing. From failure and setbacks conclusions can be drawn. That goes for your private life as well as your career.” - Nikki Lauda

Contributor
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At age five Vlad built a car cockpit out of wood, carboard and an old Trabant steering wheel under his desk and dreamed about driving the world’s most exotic cars. He grew up watching Michael Schumacher become a legendary driver, falling in love with speed and all things Ferrari in the process.

In high school, he crashed a communist-era Dacia 1310 with no brakes into a military base’s fence and almost got arrested on terrorism charges but bribed the base’s sentinel with three packs of cigarettes and only got in trouble for ruining the car.

He then decided to put his passion for cars on hold and concentrate on playing professional basketball. Due to a lack of talent, size, and a serious injury, he was forced to abandon professional sports and take a job as a video game tester. It was during this period that he discovered a passion for reading and writing after finding Hunter S. Thompson’s Hell’s Angels on a park bench.

The author’s writing style was fascinating to young Vlad and he continued to read all his books while creating a blog where he wrote about controversial social issues, inspired by his favorite author.

Years later, he got back to his first passion, taking a job at a local car parts dealership. He worked his way up from the sales department to a successful regional manager position, but something was still missing.

His biggest dream was to write so, when Autoevolution approached him to become a member of the team, he quit his old job instantly, and has been passionately writing ever since.

When he’s not busy creating articles or playing with his two-year-old son, he can be found working on his old BMW 3 Series Wagon or shredding trails on a mountain bike he assembled himself.
The Story of the Original Mustang: The Final Three Model Years (1971–1973)
The Story of the Original Mustang: The Final Three Model Years (1971–1973)

21 May 2021, 16:38 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The series dedicated to the first-generation Ford Mustang draws to a close with an overview of the 1971–1973 models. The iconic pony car would become bigger and heavier yet again, but this time the change didn’t meet expectations. Coupl...

 
Five Ford Models We Would Love to See Powered by the Predator V8
Five Ford Models We Would Love to See Powered by the Predator V8

21 May 2021, 15:44 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The mighty Predator V8 is one amazing powerplant that makes the current Shelby GT500 a tire-shredding monster. Let’s ignore all the obvious reasons why it only powers the high-performance pony car and imagine how outrageous it would be if the...

 
Let’s Take a Break From EVs and Admire This Quad-Cam V12 by GTO Engineering
Let’s Take a Break From EVs and Admire This Quad-Cam V12 by GTO Engineering

21 May 2021, 12:36 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / After becoming the go-to company for classic Ferrari restorations, GTO Engineering is now busy developing a twelve-cylinder that Enzo would definitely approve of. It’s set to power the Squalo, an amazing retro-inspired grand tourer that aims ...

 
Here’s Everything We Know About the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning’s Available Trims
Here’s Everything We Know About the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning’s Available Trims

20 May 2021, 13:41 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / After months of teasers, Ford finally revealed the revolutionary battery-powered F-150 Lightning. For the first time in the model's history, America’s best-selling pickup truck will come with an all-electric powertrain, and there will be...

 
The Story of the Original Mustang: The Era When Performance Peaked (1969–1970)
The Story of the Original Mustang: The Era When Performance Peaked (1969–1970)

19 May 2021, 12:20 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The third part of our series dedicated to the first-generation Mustang continues with an overview of the 1969–1970 model years. While 1969 brought an unprecedented variety of performance models, 1970 marked the final year for the iconic Shelb...

 
Meet the 4–005 Prototype, the Most Battered and Bruised Chiron You’ll Ever See
Meet the 4–005 Prototype, the Most Battered and Bruised Chiron You’ll Ever See

18 May 2021, 11:10 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Scratches, paint chips, or adhesive strips are not what you would expect to see on a Bugatti. However, this is no ordinary Chiron, but a prototype that was instrumental in the development of the ultra-luxurious hypercar. Every Bugatti embodies ...

 
After 40 Years, Rally Icon Walter Rohrl Is Reunited With the 924 Carrera GTS
After 40 Years, Rally Icon Walter Rohrl Is Reunited With the 924 Carrera GTS

18 May 2021, 07:35 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / On the morning of his birthday, rally legend Walter Röhrl got a surprise from his friend and former Porsche engineer Roland Kussmaul. After 40 years, Röhrl was reunited with the fully restored 924 Carrera GTS he drove in the German Rally ...

 
The Story of the Original Mustang: The Big Block Era Begins (1967–1968)
The Story of the Original Mustang: The Big Block Era Begins (1967–1968)

17 May 2021, 08:35 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The next chapter of our Mustang history series looks at the 1967–1968 models of the first generation. After the tremendous success of the first three production runs, the Blue Oval rolled out a redesigned version that was bigger, heavier, yet...

 
The Story of the Slow and Ugly Mustang II, the Nameplate's Unsung Hero
The Story of the Slow and Ugly Mustang II, the Nameplate's Unsung Hero

17 May 2021, 05:10 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / As part of our Mustang Month celebration, we remember the second-generation model. It was slow, ugly, and grossly underpowered, but it became a commercial success that helped keep both Ford and the Mustang brand alive during the 1973 oil crisis and...

 
These Five Performance Wagons Are Not Available in the U.S., but They Should Be
These Five Performance Wagons Are Not Available in the U.S., but They Should Be

14 May 2021, 12:27 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / With the rise in popularity of SUVs, wagons have become an endangered species in the U.S., where they used to be enjoyed by many. However, elsewhere in the world, particularly in Europe, they still thrive and even come in performance-oriented versi...

 
Let’s Discover the Baby II, a Scaled-Down Bugatti EV for Children of All Ages
Let’s Discover the Baby II, a Scaled-Down Bugatti EV for Children of All Ages

13 May 2021, 12:09 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / In close collaboration with the famed luxury car manufacturer, London-based Little Car Company has created a scaled-down, electric-powered version of the legendary Type 35 called Baby II. Deliveries of the first bespoke models have commenced this y...

 
The Story of the Original Mustang: The First Three Production Runs (1964–1966)
The Story of the Original Mustang: The First Three Production Runs (1964–1966)

13 May 2021, 08:00 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / As part of our Mustang month, the series dedicated to the iconic nameplate continues with an extensive overview of the first-generation pony car. This article focuses on the development process and examines the first three production runs built fro...

 
Here Are Five Interesting Facts About the VW Golf You Probably Never Knew
Here Are Five Interesting Facts About the VW Golf You Probably Never Knew

12 May 2021, 13:32 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Volkswagen’s most successful model has been around for almost half of century. It has been marketed worldwide in an astonishing number of trim levels and powertrain options, becoming one of the most popular vehicles ever built. Determined...

 
The Forgotten Story of the Wild Concept Car That Led to the Very First Mustang
The Forgotten Story of the Wild Concept Car That Led to the Very First Mustang

10 May 2021, 09:39 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / This month, we’re celebrating one of the most famous nameplates in automotive history, the iconic Mustang. Throughout a series of articles dedicated to the legendary car, we’ll take an in-depth look at how the first generation evolved t...

 
The Pros And Cons of the Dacia Spring, Europe's Cheapest EV
The Pros And Cons of the Dacia Spring, Europe's Cheapest EV

30 Apr 2021, 13:51 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Renault’s Romanian subsidiary Dacia recently revealed Europe’s cheapest electric vehicle, the Dacia Spring. While its performance figures are less than impressive, its price tag makes it extremely attractive for European buyers. Aft...

 
Hydraulic vs. Electric Power Steering: Is One Really Better Than the Other?
Hydraulic vs. Electric Power Steering: Is One Really Better Than the Other?

30 Apr 2021, 13:15 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / For years, gearheads have been arguing whether hydraulic or electric power steering is better, citing various advantages and disadvantages. For those knowledgeable people and those who have no idea which one is which, this guide compares the two sy...

 
2022 Honda Civic Sedan Is Here, So Let’s Take a Closer Look at Its Elegant Cabin
2022 Honda Civic Sedan Is Here, So Let’s Take a Closer Look at Its Elegant Cabin

30 Apr 2021, 11:29 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The latest Civic sedan is here, and its cabin is a huge step up compared to the previous model. Built around a new design language inspired by earlier Hondas, it perfectly combines simplicity, practicality, and elegance. After revealing its new...

 
A Minivan or a Three-Row SUV? Which Vehicle Is Better for Your Family?
A Minivan or a Three-Row SUV? Which Vehicle Is Better for Your Family?

30 Apr 2021, 08:20 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Not long ago, nobody would even ask this question as minivans reigned supreme in the family vehicle segment. Still, the evolution of SUVs has fundamentally changed that perception since they come in many shapes and sizes nowadays. If your famil...

 
British Startup Viritech Is Developing an 1,100-HP Hydrogen-Powered Hypercar
British Startup Viritech Is Developing an 1,100-HP Hydrogen-Powered Hypercar

29 Apr 2021, 15:57 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Although it doesn’t have a very catchy name, the Apricale limited series hypercar unquestionably catches the eye. It’s the brainchild of UK startup Viritech, which intends to showcase its hydrogen fuel cell tech in an epic way. Whil...

 
The Uplifting Story of a Wilful East German Shoemaker Who Built His Own Porsche
The Uplifting Story of a Wilful East German Shoemaker Who Built His Own Porsche

29 Apr 2021, 13:10 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Although imports of western-built Porsches were prohibited in East Germany, Hans Miersch didn’t give up on the dream of owning a 356 and decided to build one himself. He risked his freedom on multiple occasions, smuggling parts from West...

 

Stories by Vlad Radu