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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
Every Time I Open the Door on My 2024 Ford Bronco, When It Rains Or Snows, the Inside Gets Soaking Wet, Why Is My Bronco Made This Way? 5
Tesla Cybertruck Foundation Series Owner Says, “Buyers Got Cooked, Prices Have Dropped Like Crazy, and With All The Incentives Now, I Feel Played” 20
Tesla Model 3 Owner Says, “I Don't Care if I Lose a Few Miles Per Charge, These Chrome Wheels Look So Much Better Than the Black Rims, Especially on White” 7
Angry Subaru Outback Owner Who Crashed His Car Though the Front Door Of a Car Dealer Says, “I Hit a Breaking Point, I Kind of Blacked Out For a Second” 5
My 2024 Tundra Transmission Was Rattling, Toyota Tried to Fix It With a Software Update, But Now I Need A Whole New Hybrid Motor System 11
My 2024 Chevy Silverado’s Brakes Failed Going 65 MPH in Rush Hour Traffic and It Was Traumatic, I Love Chevy, But I Was Not Happy That Day 2
I Bought A 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance, After 90 Days I Love Driving This Thing, However, My Only Complaint Is How Light the Doors Are 2
My 2025 Ford Explorer Won’t Start 3,000 Miles In, After Two Weeks the Dealer Still Doesn’t Know What’s Wrong, Should I Keep It Until They Lemon Law It? 19
Tesla Former Chief Engineer Reveals Real Reason Why Tesla’s Charge Port Is On the Left Rear, “It’s Because of the Layout of Elon Musk's Rented Garage in Bel Air, He Didn’t Even Own the Place” 21
So, I Just Bought a 2001 Ford F-250 7.3 Lariat 4WD With 190K Miles For $5,000, Did I Get a Good Deal? I Think I Got A Really Good Deal 4
My 2022 Toyota Tundra Has Been At the Dealer For 30 Days for Engine Failure and Now It’s Another Month to Get My New Engine, Why Is It Taking So Long? 11
I Bought A Tesla Model S, and the Dealer Failed To Disclose It Had Been In An Accident, Now Tesla Is Refusing Warranty Repairs 2
So, I Bought a New Lexus RX 350 Just to Get the 360 Camera, Now I Have a $770 Car Payment, and I’m Wondering If it Was Worth It 2
I Have a 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, It Immediately Had a Dead Battery, Numerous Electrical Faults, and the Dealer Can’t Replicate the Problem, What Can I Do? 6
I Keep Getting Multiple Warning Codes On My 2022 Ford Maverick Pickup, After Countless Trips to the Dealer, Should I Have Waited a Year To Buy One? 9
So, I Broke My 2022 Chevrolet Silverado Door Handle, What Should Be An Easy $20 Fix, the Dealer Says Will Cost Me $525, I’m Ready To Trade This Thing In 28
So, I Checked Out a 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali and It Just Might Put the Tesla Cybertruck Out of Business, and It’s Hiding One Secret Feature 3
I’ve Owned My Tesla Cybertruck For a Year, and I Had No Idea About This Feature, Tesla, You Did a Really Good Job of Hiding It 0
So, I Was Browsing the Subaru Recalls, and I Found 20,366 2025 Subaru Foresters Are Recalled For Defective Wheels, Can They Fall Off? 3
I Hacked a New Subaru, Unlocked the Car, and Accessed More Than a Year of Location Data, This Is Concerning 6
6 Months In, I Love My 2025 Toyota Camry, But 5 Things About It Absolutely Drive Me Crazy 14
“So, I Drove the Cybertruck and Other Tesla Models, I Don't Ever Want to Go Back To My ICE Patrol Car, Tesla Is Far Superior,” But Not All Cops Agree 7
I Have a 2024 Toyota Tundra, No Engine Problems, Tires Aren’t Rubbing, Seat Support Isn’t Cracked…Oh, and the Radio Knob Is Still On 44
I Took My Toyota 4Runner to the Dealer For an Oil Change and They Lost My Key Fob. Toyota Please Get It Together as Others Say It Happened To Them As Well 8
My Tesla Cybertruck Camera Throws an Error, FSD is Disabled, the Camera Gets Too Hot, and it Randomly Loses All Visualizations, What’s the Answer? 1