Latest Session Takes Place in the Italian Alps and Uses Huracan and Aventador S as Teaching Tools
It’s not enough for Lamborghini to sell its cars. It wants to make sure its clients know how to drive them, too – and have an unforgettable time doing it.
That’s why it hosts its Accademia driving clinics around the world. According to Lamborghini, “During these exclusive multi-day events, attendees receive driver training from professionals with racing credits in F1, Indy Car, Super Trofeo and others, while embarking on the path to Lamborghini driving mastery. On track, snow and ice, owners advance their expertise by taking on the world’s most prestigious tracks while pushing the limits of their own driving abilities.”
Last month, Carfection attended the Accademia event in Livigno, in the Italian Alps. There, the presenter of the following video, Nick Wilkinson, learned more than just Driving Lamborghinis on ice is awesome. He learned about the 740-horsepower Aventador S and how the all-wheel-drive monster behaved differently on the slick surfaces than an AWD Huracan. He learned the physics and coordination involved in linking one drift in a figure 8 to another. In doing so, Wilkinson gained a knowledge of addiction; he kept wanting to make raging bulls dance. Whether he knew it or not, he also got an education in music, listening to the raspy wail of the 12 cylinders behind his head.
We have a feeling Wilkinson also became familiar with a lot of Italian expletives – and excitedly shouted one every time he pulled off a four-wheel figure skating move.
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.
