Pressure can either crush or create. It can produce a pile of debris or the purity of a diamond. Before it came out, the Porsche 911 R was under a lot of pressure to be engaging and satisfying without a bunch of aero add-ons, turbos, or a pair of clutches.
Did all of that force create something wonderful? According to Chris Harris of Top Gear, yes. In the video we’ve linked to below, he can’t get enough of it – or say enough positive things about it. To him, it has the best combo of engine and gearbox out there, the best steering of any road car, and “fantastic” brakes. His enthusiasm – and the speeds he hits – only grows when he takes the 911 R to the track and experiences its balance, the quick and short throws of its all-new six-speed manual, and the sonic delight its 500-horsepower naturally aspirated flat-six.
Harris’ love for the 911 R is almost enough to make you forget he also tests the Aston Martin Vantage V12 S. That’s saying a lot because Harris gets plenty of thrills and smiles from it. But the Aston is not “one of the standout machines of the past decade.”
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.
