autoevolution
 

Vlad Radu

1,142  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.
Porsche’s Quest to Build the Perfect EV Battery
Porsche’s Quest to Build the Perfect EV Battery

19 Nov 2020, 17:19 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The first all-electric vehicle manufactured by the German carmaker made its way to the streets this year, and apart from the beautiful exterior design, drivers were treated to a high-capacity battery that can be charged from 5 to 80% in a little ov...

 
How To Transform a 2021 Camaro Into a Dragstrip Monster
How To Transform a 2021 Camaro Into a Dragstrip Monster

19 Nov 2020, 10:26 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The legendary Camaro is one of the most sought-after and modified American pony cars of all time. It has graced numerous racetracks and dragstrips over the years and the current generation aims to achieve the same level of popularity as previous mo...

 
Bugatti's History of Speed
Bugatti's History of Speed

18 Nov 2020, 17:13 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Ever since its early years, the French carmaker has been setting new standards in luxury and performance. The ambition of its founder to build the fastest and most exclusive vehicles the world has ever seen was kept alive through the years, as cars...

 
The Most Useful Winter Accessories for Your Car
The Most Useful Winter Accessories for Your Car

18 Nov 2020, 14:40 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / In most parts of the world winter is almost here, and by now you should have already stared to prepare your car for the rough weather. Check your tires, brakes, fluids, and battery, and after making sure everything is okay you should consider ...

 
Picking the Right Off-Road Tires for Your Truck
Picking the Right Off-Road Tires for Your Truck

18 Nov 2020, 13:15 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The truck is revered by many for being a highly versatile vehicle that allows us to travel anywhere, without worrying too much about the road conditions. An important factor in the way they perform is the tires, which make the difference between ge...

 
How to Install the Official Lotus Digital Dashboard on the Elise and V6 Exige
How to Install the Official Lotus Digital Dashboard on the Elise and V6 Exige

18 Nov 2020, 09:38 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Earlier this year, Lotus launched an all-new ‘plug and play’ digital instrument panel that is preloaded with data from thousands of tracks around the world and displays valuable car information using a specially designed interface. ...

 
The LumoFuel Bioreactor Lets You Create Carbon Neutral Fuel at Home
The LumoFuel Bioreactor Lets You Create Carbon Neutral Fuel at Home

17 Nov 2020, 17:15 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Reducing global greenhouse gas emissions is a common goal for our society and the automotive industry has been busy creating efficient powertrains that reduce or eliminate the harmful substances released into the atmosphere. But what if there is a ...

 
Ford’s New Seats Allow Owners to Take a Comfortable Nap in Its Trucks
Ford’s New Seats Allow Owners to Take a Comfortable Nap in Its Trucks

17 Nov 2020, 16:09 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The F-Series trucks have been around for 80 years and became America’s favorite pickup truck. Now in its 14th generation, Ford continues to offer new technologies and comfort features that competing trucks do not. The latest innovation brings...

 
This Is How the Toyota GR Yaris Is Assembled
This Is How the Toyota GR Yaris Is Assembled

17 Nov 2020, 10:45 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Toyota’s highly anticipated hot hatch was launched earlier this year, bringing WRC technologies to the open roads. The highly capable performance car features a six-speed intelligent manual transmission, permanent four-wheel-drive, and the mo...

 
Porsche Technologies Making Their Way from the Racetrack to the Road
Porsche Technologies Making Their Way from the Racetrack to the Road

17 Nov 2020, 09:20 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Porsche’s racing pedigree is well known in the automotive world, wining the Paris-Dakar rally two times and the prestigious 24-hour race at Le Mans a record nineteen times, among many others. Some of the innovative technologies used on the le...

 
A Look at Ferrari SF90 Stradale’s 1,000 PS PHEV Powertrain
A Look at Ferrari SF90 Stradale’s 1,000 PS PHEV Powertrain

16 Nov 2020, 17:50 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Ferrari is the most famous name in the automotive industry. It stands in a league of its own, building some of the most successful cars of all time while pioneering many innovations on racecars and applying them to road-legal sports cars. One such ...

 
This Is How Audi Reduces the Emissions of Its Gasoline and Diesel Engines
This Is How Audi Reduces the Emissions of Its Gasoline and Diesel Engines

16 Nov 2020, 14:16 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / Part of the Volkswagen Group, the Ingolstadt-based carmaker is no stranger to emission standards. With government agencies breathing down their necks and stricter European legislation, Audi is effortlessly developing and enhancing technologies for ...

 
What to Look for When Buying a Performance Braking System
What to Look for When Buying a Performance Braking System

14 Nov 2020, 14:45 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The braking system is a vital part of any vehicle and greater stopping power brings an increase in safety and performance. Here are some basic tips you can use when upgrading your brakes. Bigger brakes mean a faster car, that is a fact. When yo...

 
Here Is What the Tremor Off-Road Package Brings to the 2021 Ranger
Here Is What the Tremor Off-Road Package Brings to the 2021 Ranger

14 Nov 2020, 11:46 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The Ranger made a name for itself as a dependable mid-size pickup truck in several international markets, so Ford decided to bring it to North American roads in 2019. To increase its versatility, the F-150’s little brother receives a factory ...

 
A Look at the New Platform and PHEV Powertrain of the 2021 Kia Sorento
A Look at the New Platform and PHEV Powertrain of the 2021 Kia Sorento

13 Nov 2020, 15:34 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The South Korean manufacturer revealed the fourth generation Sorento recently, and among the available engine options two hybrid powertrains were introduced, a first for the flagship SUV model. The Sorento debuted in 2002 as a traditional truck...

 
Here Is the V8 Powering the Ultimate Road-Legal Track Car, the McLaren Senna
Here Is the V8 Powering the Ultimate Road-Legal Track Car, the McLaren Senna

13 Nov 2020, 14:53 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / There is no question about it, the Senna is the ultimate track weapon, and it does a terrific job of living up to its legendary name. It can shatter lap records with annoying ease, powered by the most advanced V8 engine McLaren has ever built. ...

 
An Insight into Mazda’s Innovative Skyactiv-X Engine
An Insight into Mazda’s Innovative Skyactiv-X Engine

12 Nov 2020, 15:37 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The automotive industry is rapidly moving toward a new era of downsizing and hybridizing conventional internal combustion engines, or replacing such units with all-electric alternatives. Mazda, on the other hand, has been determined to prolong the ...

 
How Much of a Lamborghini Is the Urus?
How Much of a Lamborghini Is the Urus?

12 Nov 2020, 09:36 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The Italian manufacturer joined in the SUV craze by introducing the Urus in 2018 and it quickly became one of the best-selling vehicles of its current range but not every bit of it is developed from the ground up by Lamborghini. Many have met t...

 
This Is How the Corvette's First Mid-Mounted V8 Was Developed
This Is How the Corvette's First Mid-Mounted V8 Was Developed

11 Nov 2020, 17:34 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / The eighth generation of the legendary Chevrolet Corvette brings the model's first mid-engine layout. At the center of it is a new, specially developed unit that continues the small-block V8 tradition. The Corvette has been around since ...

 
How to Paint Your Brake Calipers
How to Paint Your Brake Calipers

11 Nov 2020, 16:48 UTC · By: Vlad Radu / A painted set of brake calipers adds a lot of personality to a car if done right. Whether you want to restore their original look or make the dull factory ones stand out, there are a few essential things you should consider. Before you start th...

 

Stories by Vlad Radu