A healthy imagination is an invaluable asset. It not only allows you to entertain yourself in times of boredom, but it also helps you solve problems. I’ve always thought I have a pretty well-developed one. I must admit something, though. I cannot possibly imagine the excitement forum member chucksweet must have been feeling back in late September/early October when he knew his Porsche 918 was about to come in. (Suddenly, the fact that the UPS guy will soon be dropping off that knitted silk tie I ordered leaves me underwhelmed.)
Hybrids are typically known to be “green,” but chucksweet’s is undeniably red…on red. However, it’s still a hybrid – technically. It’s miles away from what a lot of people typically envision when they hear that word. I’ve never seen a Prius with 887 horsepower or an Insight with 944 pound-feet of torque.
Given that chucksweet got such a great present relatively close to the holidays, I’m reminded that there’s yet another thing I can’t imagine: something that can go under his Christmas tree that’s better than a Porsche 918.
Congratulations, sir! You’ve got yourself the gift that keeps on giving.
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.
A healthy imagination is an invaluable asset. It not only allows you to entertain yourself in times of boredom, but it also helps you solve problems. I’ve always thought I have a pretty well-developed one. I must admit something, though. I cannot possibly imagine the excitement forum member chucksweet must have been feeling back in late September/early October when he knew his Porsche 918 was about to come in. (Suddenly, the fact that the UPS guy will soon be dropping off that knitted silk tie I ordered leaves me underwhelmed.)
