There was a time when just the thought of owning one was terrifying. As they are now, they were expensive to buy. In years past, they were often saved for weekend drives and occasional blasts through curves because they were so prone to mechanical issues. Supercars of yesteryear could also be hard to see out of (*cough* Countach *cough*). Thank goodness for backup cameras.
We have yet to drive the Ferrari LaFerrari, but the following video makes the prancing horse look rather tame – even at 214 mph. The driver looks unfazed and while the passenger seems a little fidgety, he’s not screaming in terror or nervous excitement.
Perhaps the sheer force of acceleration from the 949-horsepower hybrid hypercar kept his vocal expression of his state of mind in his lungs. Who knows what the passenger was feeling at over the double-century mark? Maybe deep down inside he was as freaked out as this woman was by a Koenigsegg.
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.
