If you’ve ever driven by your local Applebee’s on a Saturday night, you’ve probably seen their parking lot full of guys standing around their Mustangs, Camaros or 350Zs at least onse. Beneath the glow of streetlamps, gearheads talk rolling-start street race victories and recent engine mods before going inside to order pitchers of beer and racks of ribs.
In Dubai, they do things very differently. There are no Applebee’s, but, there are a lot of Lamborghinis. Owners of the Italian hypercars, which ranged from the Gallardo to the Aventador to the Diablo, assembled for the Lamborghini Dubai 50th anniversary event in mid-December. A confetti of raging bulls, composed of colors both muted and retina-searing, blew through city streets lined with striking glass buildings and winding desert highways. Attendees also enjoyed a drivers briefing, a gala night and refreshing drinks pool-side.
It’s only fitting that a dramatic soundtrack is laid over a high-speed convoy of such boldly styled and aurally sensational masterpieces. Enjoy!
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.
