Isn’t it a pain when you have to borrow someone’s car? You have to deal with that one window that doesn’t roll up, ignore that constant rattling sound and transfer all of your personal effects—such as your umbrella and CDs—to it.
Something tells me evo magazine’s editor, Nick Trott, didn’t mind getting a McLaren 12C from the company’s pre-owned Qualified inventory as a daily driver.
For six months, he would be running errands, driving to work and sitting in traffic with a 616-horsepower, twin-turbo V8 behind him. Occasionally, he would be seeing a giant air brake pop up in the rear-view mirror, working in concert with carbon ceramic brakes. For long trips, he would be able to fit “two weekend suitcases” in the front trunk.
Once on the road, Trott really opens the Mac up, drawing out a sweet, mid-range roar from the British ballistic forces to his rear. Although he would be piloting a high-performance exotic car for half a year, he would be surprisingly comfortable. The seats are accommodating, the steering wheel can be adjusted for optimum positioning and all of the controls fall within easy reach.
To spread the wealth, the evo boss sends out a verbal invitation to suggest what to do with the 12C over the course of his time with it. Stay tuned for my coverage of future installments to see what happens next.
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.
