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Niel Stender on Muck Rack

Niel Stender

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New Hampshire
As seen in: The Knocking Rod, MSN, Yahoo Life, Aol, Substack, Flipboard, BGR, SlashGear, CarBuzz, Carsforsale, Hotcars and

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Niel Stender’s Biography

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Niel Stender grew up wrenching on his 5-speed 2-door sweet straight-six Cherokee and gremlin-filled turbo-tastic 1989 Starion. So it’s not surprising that he would put his mechanical engineering degree from the University of New Hampshire to use in the car world as a vehicle dynamics engineer with Ford's SVT program. His automotive writing infuses his industry experience with what he likes to think is humor. Writing about cars for many years now, Niel likes the more technical mechanical systems…

Niel Stender’s Journalist Portfolio

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A Trip To Destination Defender

A Trip To Destination Defender

Mud, Fun, and Massive Land Rover Enthusiasm

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The Top 10 Fastest Cannonball Run Records Ever Set - SlashGear

The Top 10 Fastest Cannonball Run Records Ever Set - SlashGear

The Cannonball Run is an unsanctioned race across America that has existed in one form or another since the 1…

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The 2025 Genesis G80 Is A Show Stopper

The 2025 Genesis G80 Is A Show Stopper

With head-turning good looks, all the power, and a heathy dose of luxury, the 2025 Genesis G80 is a sports se…

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Saleen Only Built 161 Of These RADwood-Ready Mustangs

Saleen Only Built 161 Of These RADwood-Ready Mustangs

Fans of RADwood culture will go weak in the knees looking over this ultra-rare Saleen Mustang.

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Ford's Wild New Mustang GTD

Ford's Wild New Mustang GTD

Every so often, a car comes along that defies description, and instead triggers a lizard brain response commo…

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Watch Out Germany, The All-New 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe Is Here

Watch Out Germany, The All-New 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe Is Here

Forget the boring "regular" SUVs and get a load of the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe with sleek raked lines and ALL…

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Articles

Hands on With Hyundai’s Flagship Electric SUV

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By Niel Stender Verified
| Carsforsale
Niel Stender grew up doing replacement work on his 1990 Cherokee and 1989 Starion, so it’s not surprising that he would put his mechanical engineering degree from the University of New Hampshire to use in the car world as a vehicle dynamics engineer. Now engineering sentence structures, his writing infuses his auto experience with his time in marketing and his sales experience.
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2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy Review

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By Niel Stender Verified
| theknockingrod.com
I’ve really come around to EVs. Initially a skeptic, I poo-pooed these modern rides for being cars without souls, as though I’m daily-driving a Boxster. Yeah right. My regular car is a Mazda6, albeit one with three pedals that I absolutely love to run. But my real daily life revolves around the three tiny humans whom occupy every waking moment of my day.
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5 Cars Gen X Loved That Younger Generations Don't Understand Original

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By Niel Stender Verified
| SlashGear Verified
As a kid, the phrase "they don't make 'em like they used to" was bandied about by my elders in reference to a range of topics, but mainly cars. Typically, this was met with eye-rolling by yours truly and, well, what goes around comes around, as they say. Because here I am, a fully adulted human sharing effectively the same complaint: These younger generations just don't understand the cars my generation loves. That being Gen X, the period that captures those born between 1965 and 1980.
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Interview

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What tools and software do you use to do your job?

Mainly Google search, my basic laptop, and as many phone calls with sources as possible.

Why did you become a journalist?

Because I loved reading Car and Driver as a kid (and today).

What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?

Don't give up. It takes time and effort, but it's worth staying the course.