Michael Teo Van Runkle
Expertise
Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles
- Michael has jumped a Ford Bronco and a Lamborghini Huracan, both on purpose.
- He has eaten a Michelin-starred meal in the Bugatti workshop and tracked a Hyundai Elantra.
- One day, he wants to enter a proper stage rally race.
Experience
The car bug bit Michael as a kid, staring at makes and models in LA traffic. Mastering stick shift in a 1948 Chevy pickup with no first gear began a labor of love on a six-speed Mk1 Audi TT that eventually led to a career in automotive journalism. Everything fits the bill, from commuter sedans to EVs, 4x4s, and supercars. He currently splits daily driver duties among a Mitsubishi Montero, Pajero Evolution, and Porsche Cayenne Turbo while that old 914 project sputters along.
Education
Michael made up his own major at UC Berkeley.
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Stories By Michael Teo Van Runkle
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Ducati's Diavel takes an unexpected twist, with a new engine and a riding style at odds with the in-your-face styling.
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Lucid's most affordable Air may also be its most appealing. Pure trim cuts some of the electric excess to find a new fight in the heart of the luxury segment.
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Lamborghini may be going electric, but that just means a chance to say a wild goodbye to the V10 engine. Can the Huracán Tecnica survive as your daily driver?
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The 2023 Lexus RX gets its most potent drivetrain yet. Problem is, with Porsche-level pricing, is the RX 500h F Sport Performance over-estimating its appeal?
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With tried & tested engineering and a ridiculously affordable price, Honda's XR150L is undeniably appealing. Just make sure you know what you're signing up for.
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Whether off-road or on, Chevy's beefy new Silverado ZR2 Bison promises the best of both worlds. Is that enough to compete with Raptor and Rebel, though?
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How to make Mercedes' legendary G Class even wilder? Add the secret ingredient to off-road prowess: the infamous portal axles.
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Toyota's Grand Highlander targets families wanting a three-row SUV that keeps up with their adventures. In an age of BEVs, though, is this hybrid left behind?
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If there's a recipe for the perfect motorcycle, Aprilia may have figured it out. The right weight, the right balance, and the right power make the RS660 a star.
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Toyota aims the 2024 Tacoma at the top of its class, with huge improvements - including a 2-door TRD PreRunner - even as it keeps long-time fans happy.
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Honda never made an S2000 Type R, but that hasn't stopped tuners from imagining what such a feisty roadster could be like - or how it might conquer Pikes Peak.
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Honda's affordable adventure bike takes a clever rider to squeeze out its best behavior. Here's what we learned on - and off - the road.
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Fast, convenient, and unnervingly quiet: electric motorcycles deliver no shortage of speed and torque, but are they lacking in soul, too?
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Jeep may refuse to build a modern-day CJ-8 Scrambler, but Quadratec rose to the challenge with the two-door hybrid pickup of our dreams.
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Genesis' strategy of turning gas cars electric continues, with the Electrified GV70 promising near-silent power to go with its style. Does range hold it back?
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More aero, more power, more focus: the 992 Porsche 911 GT3 RS is a road-legal racecar, but its greatest gift is how it delivers confidence as well as speed.
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Maserati is embracing electric with the GranTurismo Folgore, but gas engine enthusiasts will still find something to excite them in this gorgeous GT car.
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Raw speed meets Ducati's motorcycle engineering magic. Can the Streetfighter V4 SP justify being twice the price of the base V2?
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SEMA may be best known for pushing gas power to excess, but electric conversions are stealing the show in 2022 as old cars and new get wild EV upgrades.
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Fiercer, stiffer, and even more expensive, the Urus Performante might not be your first pick for a rally course, but this super SUV loves going sideways.