The Sportbrake had proven itself to be roomy and comfortable, but as a Jaguar, it also needed to be as satisfying to drive as it was to be driven in. Its supercharged 3.0-liter V6 took care of that. With 380 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, it had plenty of pace. Standard all-wheel drive magnified the feeling of the already robust output. From a stop, power built quickly and smoothly whether I had the Sportbrake in its Normal or performance-focused Dynamic setting. If only the V6 had a better singing voice. The little sound that made its way from the dual rear pipes into the cabin was faint and made me imagine a moon colonizer’s vacuum cleaner in the year 3046.
Taking the broad, high-speed curves between Austin and Marble Falls revealed how solid and reassuringly heavy the electric power steering could feel. When the light up ahead turned red, the left pedal engaged the 13.8-inch front and 12.8-inch rear ventilated discs progressively and linearly.
When we arrived at Lakeside Park, we had it to ourselves. The sun and the holes in the the lush, breeze-blown foliage covered the Sportbrake in a natural kaleidoscope effect. We could hear sport boats roaring across nearby Lake Marble Falls. I enlisted my friends’ artistic talents to create a photo-worthy picnic spread on the hood of the Sportbrake (I blame Pinterest). The steep slope of the hood made that tricky, but not impossible. The ladies made the assortment look even more appealing.
Pictures taken, it was time to eat. We took turns tearing off hearty chunks of French bread, plucking white grapes off their vine, and slicing thick portions of Brie and English cheddar. Between sips of sparkling water and bites of uncured meats, we marveled at what a perfect day it was. Even the dog had to agree; our friends were using a tree branch to play catch with him. It wasn’t just a great time to be an automotive enthusiast. It was a great time to be anyone at that place, at that moment.
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.
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