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Denis Flierl - Senior Reporter and specialized automotive journalist

Member for

14 years 2 months
Bio

Denis Flierl | Senior Reporter

Denis Flierl is a Senior Reporter at Torque News and a specialized automotive journalist with over three decades of industry expertise. Since 2012, Denis has been a mainstay of the Torque News editorial team, drawing on a deep background in high-level consulting for major global automotive brands. This unique "behind-the-scenes" experience allows him to provide readers with a wealth of insider knowledge that extends far beyond the standard spec sheet.

Based in Parker, Colorado, Denis is a prominent member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP). He utilizes the region's high-altitude terrain as a rigorous testing ground to provide "boots-on-the-ground" analysis for readers across North America. He specializes in breaking automotive news, exclusive owner perspectives, and technical deep-dives into vehicle reliability and maintenance.

Technical Specialization & Authority

  • Truck & 4WD Technology: With a focus on long-term reliability, he frequently reports on Toyota, GM, Ram, and Ford truck platforms, analyzing mechanical faults, drivetrain durability, and the transition to EV technology.
  • Data-Driven Reporting: Prioritizing a "Technical-First" structure, Denis anchors his reports in Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), official manufacturer recall data, and technical specifications to empower consumers with factual, actionable information.

Work Experience & Education

  • 2012–Present: Senior Reporter and regular contributor on Torque News, hundreds of automotive reviews on Automoblog, and a contributor to JC Whitney. 
  • Automotive Consultant: Over 13 years providing strategic, technical, and market consulting for major global car brands (Ford, GM, Ram, Toyota, Tesla).
  • Professional Test Driver: Years of hands-on vehicle evaluation, verifying real-world performance against engineering claims in Colorado's extreme high altitude environment.
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Technical Philosophy & Reporting Standards

In an era of automotive reporting often clouded by marketing hype, I adhere to a strict objective standard. My goal is to respect your time and intelligence by delivering neutral, reporting-style language. Whether I am investigating machining debris issues in a new V6 engine or detailing a Starlink software update, I prioritize technical descriptors such as "critical fault" or "thermal limit" over emotional narratives.

I see myself as a bridge between the factory's technical world and the driver's everyday world. My "education" in this industry was forged by three decades of collaborating with the engineers who build these machines and the technicians who keep them on the road.

Personal & Other Works 

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Outside of the automotive world, Denis is an accomplished writer and the author of the novel "Kingdom Runner," available on Amazon.

Connect with Denis

Visit DenisFlierl.com for technical deep-dives, vehicle testing archives, and full investigative reports.

Do you have a technical news tip, a specific DTC question, or an automotive query? Follow Denis for the latest data-backed insights:

About Torque News

Since 2010, Torque News has served as a dedicated, independent voice in the automotive world. For over 15 years, our team has focused on providing expert analysis and honest, "boots on the ground" vehicle reviews. Driven by a commitment to transparency and technical accuracy, we prioritize the reader’s needs over marketing hype to help you navigate a rapidly changing industry.

Article Published Comments
My F-150 Was In For Warranty Work, The Ford Dealer Snapped the Turbo Bolts Off Trying to Remove the Manifold, Now They Expect Me To Pay $1500 For a New Manifold 91
I’m Not Happy With My 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander’s Gas Mileage, I Have 2K Miles On It, and I’m Filling Up Every 3 Days, Wish I Could Afford the GH Hybrid 7
My Chevrolet Salesperson Said I Should Get a GM Credit Card, Put My 2025 Silverado Truck Payment On It So I Can Collect Points, This Can’t Be a Thing 0
I’m Losing Confidence In My 2017 RAM 1500 66K Miles In, I Have To Put In Between $7K-$11K To Fix It, and To Make Things Worse, Parts Are Over a Month Out 1
My 2023 Toyota Tundra Limited Hybrid 30K In, Is On Radiator Number 2 and Now I Have a Limp Mode Warning, I Can't Even Depend On It To Take It Hunting 1
My 2020 Chevy Silverado Is On Its 6th Torque Converter, I’m Shopping For a New Truck, But I Don’t Think Anything Manufactured Now Is Trustworthy Anymore 2
My Tesla Model X Perihelix Wheels Have a Serious Design Flaw, I Can’t Remove the Aero Covers, If I Have A Blowout, I’m Toast On the Side Of the Road 1
Ever Since We Got a KIA EV9, I’ve Been So Annoyed Whenever I Have to DC Fast Charge My Rivian R1S. It’s So Slow, It’s like Tesla Slow 0
Chevy Dealer Quoted Me $799 For My Silverado Transmission Service, That’s Outrageous, But I Bit the Bullet and Had Them Do It Anyway If It Craps Out Later 0
My 2024 Ford F-150 2K Miles In, Has Had 8 Different Electrical Issues. Now, After 60 Days, 4 Dealers, and A Buyback, I’m Switching To a Ford Bronco 19
Cybertruck Owner Warns, “Tesla Better Do Something About These Sharp Edges, I’ve Sliced Both Fingers. If My Kid Gets Cut, We’re Going To Have Big Problems, TRUST Me” 0
Tesla Cybertruck Owner Warns, “If You Go To Tesla Service For a Tire Rotation, Take Your Wheel Covers Off and Leave Them At Home, They Broke Two Of Mine” 0
2020 GMC Sierra Owner Says, “I Wish I Would Have Bought a Chevy Silverado, or Previous-Gen Sierra, These Fenders Are Weirdly Shaped and Have Big Gaps” 1
The Mazda Dealer Tried to Charge Me $75 for a $10 Air Filter on My Wife's 2024 CX-5, I Told Them Not To Do It. He Said “It’s Already In,” I Said Take It Out 4
I Watched In Horror As the Ford Tech Forgot the Oil Filter on My 2024 F-150, and Ran It Without Oil For Who Knows How Long, I’m Worried About Catastrophic Damage 0
I Have 250K Miles On My 2021 Tesla Model 3, and You Won’t Believe the Battery Health - This Will Silence All the Tesla Naysayers 0
I Dumped My Chevy Silverado Money Pit for This 2023 Toyota Tundra. Now, Two Weeks Later My New Tundra is Recalled and It’s Getting a New Engine 0
Tesla Took My Cybertruck FSD Away, Said My Driving Data Was "Too Risky," But Here's My Bizarre Fix - The Sandwich Test 0
I Bought a $65K 2026 Chevy Silverado Z71. Then the Dealer Hit Me With a Shocking $100 Fee For the Worst Possible Item 2
My 2020 Ford F-150 5.0L Engine Replaced 10K Miles Ago Is Eating Oil: It’s Already Down a Quart in 1,800 Miles, But I Can't Afford a New Payment 4
My 2024 Toyota Tundra Is a LEMON: This Week I Hit the 30-Day 'Service' Death Sentence, These Trucks Will Have No Value In 2 Years 2
As a GMC Sierra Guy, It Hurts to Say It, But I'm Done with GM, and Now I'm Conflicted Between the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Toyota Tundra 55
I Took My 2020 Highlander In For Its Free 5K Oil Change, and Toyota Came Back With $2,584 In “Recommended Services” - No Way Will I Accept Any of Them 0
After I Put On New Shocks and Springs, My Toyota Tacoma Driver’s Side Rides 1.5 Inches Lower, and It Looks Super Goofy, Now I Have the Dreaded Taco Lean 0
My 2026 Chevy Silverado 5K Miles In, Touchscreen Went Dark, Entire Truck Is Dead, Zero Power, Keyless Entry Won’t Even Work, Now, It’s a Tow to the Dealer 4