One of the problems with hit products is that they leave you wanting more. Another is that they make you wait… and wait… and wait for it.
For instance, when I was a teenager, I loved “Die Hard: With a Vengeance.” I was pumped when I heard the studio was thinking of making another John McClane thriller. Unfortunately, it would be 12 years until 2007’s “Live Free or Die Hard” came out. Fans of the legendary McLaren F1 had it even worse. They had to endure about two decades of anticipation for its successor, the P1.
According to Autoweek’s shake-down, it was worth the time.
Whereas its predecessor used a naturally aspirated BMW V12 with 627 horsepower, the new McLaren hypercar has an in-house V8 aided by twin turbos which help it generate 727. It gets better. An electric motor brings the total count to a Porsche-918-Spyder-beating 903 units of thrust.
The carbon fiber P1 is a docile street car despite its incredible output. Thank the available full-automatic mode on its seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox and a “hydropneumatic [suspension] setup not so different from an old Citroën’s.”
As you’d expect, the hybrid exotic earns its famous badge at the track. The McLaren’s superb balance, agility and high-speed composure motivate Gavin Green to deem it “the nearest thing there’s ever been to a road-legal Grand Prix car, developed by one of the most successful F1 teams.”
To read the full review, click the link below. You’ll only have to wait as long as it takes for your computer to load the page.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
