Dream on wheels

Written by: Daniel Ivanovici

I’m standing in the brisk Icelandic wind, my breath coming out in visible puffs, and I can almost taste the anticipation in the air. My name is Daniel Ivanovici, and for as long as I can remember, my life has revolved around cars. Race cars, to be precise. Ever since I was a little boy clutching toy Hot Wheels in both hands, I knew I wanted to feel the roar of an engine course through my veins. Each daydream centered on me, guiding a finely tuned performance machine through dramatic landscapes. Even in my wildest childhood fantasies, I never could have predicted I’d eventually turn that passion into an actual project, something I now call Race Taxi.

Looking back, I’d say the seed was planted around 2016, when I decided it was time to treat myself, to reward the younger me who used to get scolded for pretending the living room carpet was a racetrack. It was November of that year. Dark afternoons and cold nights up here in Iceland. But the excitement in my heart was anything but chilly. I custom-ordered a car, not just any run-of-the-mill model, but one that embodied my lifelong fascination with speed, handling, and raw mechanical prowess. Placing that order was like stepping onto a path I’d always known I was meant to follow.

I can still remember the surge of adrenaline when I got the first notification from Ford: Your car has been built. I’m pretty sure my heart rate spiked so high I could’ve measured it on a seismograph. Then came the next one: Your car has left the factory line. Each update felt like an episode in my own personal miniseries. I’d find myself checking my email compulsively, hoping for a new message: It’s on the boat. Then, the big one: It has arrived in the harbor. Every time I read a fresh notification, my mind raced with images of the paint job gleaming under the factory lights, the engine purring with readiness, the tires itching to grip Icelandic roads.

Finally, came the day I was invited to the dealership in Iceland to see my car before it was even unwrapped. I vividly recall how I could not sit still at work. Whatever I was doing that morning... answering emails, talking to clients, or maybe making a lunch run, it became a blur. My thoughts buzzed like a racing drone. Would it look as amazing as I imagined? Would it be precisely the color, the trim, and the stance I’d obsessed over in my mind?

During the drive to the dealership, I felt my emotions rising to the surface: excitement, nerves, and a profound sense of gratitude that my childhood dream was materializing. By the time I arrived, I actually had tears in my eyes (no shame in admitting it). The moment I stepped inside, my eyes locked onto the covered silhouette of the car. You could see its shape under the protective film, every curve promising something magical. When they peeled back the wrapping, I swear I heard a choir of angels (or maybe that was just the dealership’s background music, but let a man dream!). It was like seeing a masterpiece unveiled in a private art gallery. My dream was no longer an abstract wish - it was there, tangible, complete with that new-car smell that might as well be bottled and sold as perfume.

Since that day, I have never stopped working on that car. I’m a professional driver and guide by trade, and every free moment I had, every coin I could spare went into upgrades, modifications, performance tweaks, paint enhancements, you name it. I spared no expense because I believed that if you love something, you invest in it wholeheartedly. Over time, the vehicle evolved from a fantastically fun car into a work of mechanical art, something that mirrored my dedication, my taste, my passion for excellence. It was never “just a car” - it was part of my identity, a rolling testament to the idea that dreams can become reality if you nurture them.

And yet, that was only the first part of this tale. Around me, life was moving fast - jobs, relationships, personal challenges, the everyday rollercoaster of adult existence. No matter how turbulent things got, though, this car remained my anchor. It reminded me that life is too short to ignore the passions that make your heart skip a beat. People often talk about a “calling,” that persistent voice nudging you to do something remarkable. For me, that calling has always had four wheels and a roaring engine. But there came a point when I realized I wanted to share this thrill with others, not just keep it locked away as my private indulgence. Thus, the concept of Race Taxi began to take shape.

It’s now 2025, which means I’ve carried this dream for nearly a decade. I’ve modified the car so many times I sometimes joke that the only original part left is the seat belt buckle. Over the years, I refined my vision for Race Taxi. It wasn’t just about offering a high-adrenaline thrilling ride; it was about delivering an unforgettable experience - combining the rush of motorsport with the awe-inspiring beauty of Icelandic landscapes. The plan is to give passengers a taste of that childlike wonder I feel every time I sink into the driver’s seat.

As fate would have it, I wasn’t destined to launch this alone. Enter my friend and soon-to-be business partner, Bence - a fellow dreamer with a shared love for boundary-pushing ideas. We’d been brainstorming while playing Forza Horizon about how to make Race Taxi more than just a passion project. Together, we realized that yes, we wanted the roaring engines and adrenaline, but we also wanted to celebrate Iceland’s unique heritage and the raw natural beauty that makes our roads so intriguing in the first place.

When Bence and I decided to partner up, it was like hitting the “nitrous” button on an already turbocharged engine. Things happened rapidly. Paperwork, business plans, marketing brainstorms - days turned into a blur of whiteboards covered in scribbles, website mockups on multiple laptops, and the sound of Monster cans popping open. Each time we overcame a hurdle, our vision crystallized further. We wanted to showcase Iceland in a way that had never been done before, through the lens of an exhilarating race car. Not just a tourist gimmick, mind you, but a real, heartfelt expression of what it means to live life fully, to chase your dreams, and to share that joy with the world.

That’s really the essence of Race Taxi: living life to the fullest, indulging in that sense of childlike excitement, but doing so responsibly and safely. A high-performance adventure that complements, rather than distracts from, the awe-inspiring scenery that Iceland offers in every corner. There’s a respect for the road, for the land, for the people who will join us in the passenger seat. It’s not just about thrill; it’s about connection. Connection to place, to people, and to the spark of creativity that has guided me ever since I first felt the tug of a steering wheel in my hands.

Now, as I stand on the cusp of launching Race Taxi officially, I’m filled with renewed excitement that’s as potent as it was in February, 2017 when I first laid eyes on that gleaming, unwrapped car. A lot has changed in my life: there have been personal triumphs and setbacks, times of intense clarity and moments of sheer confusion. But through it all, my love for racing remained. And I’ve come to believe that if there’s a calling in life, it will keep tapping on your shoulder until you finally say, “Yes. Let’s do this.”

So, here we are - 2025, a new era, a new chapter, and Race Taxi is about to take flight in ways I once only dreamed of. I’ve got a partner who shares my vision, a car that’s ready to blaze trails, and a heart filled with gratitude that I’m able to do what I love. If I’ve learned anything throughout this journey, it’s that life is too short not to go after what sets your soul on fire. And if that involves a roaring engine, well, so much the better.

Welcome to the Launch of Race Taxi—where dreams, friendships, and a singular passion for modified race cars converge in the land of ice and fire. This is just the start, but believe me when I say: the future looks as bright as the Northern Lights dancing across Iceland’s skies. Buckle up - because it’s going to be one incredible ride.