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.
Going out on a low note isn’t such a bad thing. Especially when that note is as low and sonorous as that played by the hand-built V8 of the Mercedes-Benz AMG 6.3 vehicles. Yes, 2014 is the end of an era. The 6.2-liter M156 and M159 units will soon go the way of the dodo, but don’t worry; twin-turbo 5.5L engines have started taking their spots, and the similarly blown 4.0L mill for the next-generation C63 should prove to be a worthy successor. Perhaps in the future those eight-bangers will make a list as revered as the one after the jump.
The new Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class has been doing well — so well, in fact, that the company has added a third shift at the Hungarian factory that builds them in order to meet demand for the sedan. Brabus has taken the baby Benz and done what it does so well: tune it.
I believe in living my life as fully as possible and living those of people with bad-ass cars vicariously. I get to enjoy the sounds of powerful motors opening up and the sights of expensive rides (sometimes) being used in an illegal fashion, without having to pay for the gas or insurance. This video at […] More »
There are certain things to which we all look forward: that unnecessarily slow walk to the front door after a great first date, the next episode of Top Gear, pay day … and AMG converting a standard Mercedes-Benz into a velvet-wrapped sledgehammer.
What you are about to watch is fantasy; not because it features pristine white and powdery slopes; not because it looks like the ideal getaway with friends. No, the video you are about to see is fantasy because it shows an SUV as expensive as the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG ($135,700+) actually being driven off-road! Gasp!
This reminds me of a movie biker gang when it revs its engines outside of (what I’m assuming is) Harrods. Fortunately for everyone around, there are no switchblades, chains or broken beer bottles — although the constant police sirens give the video an air of danger.
Whenever I watch television from the 1980s, I almost always end up saying, “Ugh … the clothing from back then looks awful!” (I’m talking about you, “Golden Girls”!) Couple loud colors and big shoulder pads with puffy, teased hairstyles, and the Reagan era comes across as an optical atrocity. Some of the cars of the […] More »
