NEWS
SpeedKore’s Mid-Engined ’68 Charger Is a Fast and Furious Muscle Machine
Vin Diesel’s Fast saga character, Dominic Toretto, has a thing for classic Dodge Chargers (and family—it’s a whole thing). So, it’s no surprise a 1968 Charger appears in the latest Fast film, F9. What is surprising, however, is the fact this classic muscle machine houses its engine behind the cabin. You’ll recall that an original ’68 Charger situates its engine in the nose. Yep, Dom drives a mid-engined 1968 Charger in F9. And it is not only the engine’s placement that wows, either. Credit to the visionaries at SpeedKore who fitted this Charger with a modern 707-hp supercharged 6.2-liter “Hellcat” V-8. Then, to really put a cherry on top of this crazy cake, SpeedKore mated this big bent-eight to a Graziano transaxle from a Lamborghi...
In the Army Now: Meet the Mil-Spec Citroën Ami
See all 5 photos Truth is, for people who do what we do, the Ami is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s comedy gold: silly-looking, ridiculously underpowered, and French. And now it seems it’s the Armée de Terre (ground forces) latest recruit. The French military has added four Citroën Amis to the motor fleet at its base in Istres in the south of France, which means perfect sense. How can any self-respecting republic protect the homeland without a micro-car that looks the same coming as it does going? Turns out that, much to our chagrin, the French army will not be marching into battle at the wheel of these voiturettes. Actually, the truth is both a bit boring and disappointingly sensible: The Amis will be used to shuttle people and lightweight cargo around the Istres-Orange-Sa...
Travis Barker ‘Might Fly Again’ After Surviving 2008 Plane Crash
But on Friday (June 25), with an airplane emoji, the Blink-182 drummer declared in a tweet, “I might fly again.” Last month, in an interview with Men’s Health magazine, Barker — who hasn’t been on a plane since the day of the crash in 2008 — said surviving the accident, and the long recovery that followed, inspired him to get clean. “People are always like, ‘Did you go to rehab?'” Barker, who had developed such a high opioid tolerance that he’d sometimes wake up during surgery, said. “And I [say], ‘No, I was in a plane crash.’ That was my rehab. Lose three of your friends and almost die? That was my wake-up call. If I wasn’t in a crash, I would have probably never quit.” “There’s a million things that could...
R.I.P. Johnny Solinger, Ex-Skid Row Singer Dies at 55
Johnny Solinger, the longest tenured singer of Skid Row, died Saturday (June 26th) at the age of 55. The rock vocalist had announced that he was suffering from liver failure in May. A statement from Skid Row read, “We are saddened to hear the news of our brother Johnny Solinger. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and fans. Godspeed Singo. Say hello to Scrappy for us.” Solinger became Skid Row’s singer when the when the multiplatinum rock band re-formed in 1999 without vocalist Sebastian Bach following their 1996 breakup. He recorded two studio albums (2003’s Thickskin and 2006’s Revolutions Per Minute) and two EPs (United World Rebellion: Chapter 1 and Rise of the Damnation Army – United World Rebellion: Chapter Two) with Skid Row before being fired from the group in 2015. Related V...
One Dead After Armed Robbery Outside Avicii’s Former Hollywood Home
A fatal shooting on the West Hollywood street Blue Jay Way took place at the former residence of iconic dance music artist Avicii. The home was purchased and is presently owned by Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian, who was reportedly targeted by a group of armed robbers. Saghian purchased the home following Avicii’s death in 2018 for $17.5 million. Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian. The Mercury News reports the attack occurred after Saghian’s Rolls Royce was trailed by three assailants, who accosted two members of Saghian’s party in the driveway of his residence. Saghian had already made it inside the home as the group began to shake down the fashion mogul’s associates. At that point, Saghian’s security guard engaged the attac...
Geese Share Punky Debut Single “Disco”: Stream
Geese have officially staked their claim in the post-punk scene. The Brooklyn band have released their debut single, “Disco”, out today via Partisan Records. Gritty and noisy, the track calls to mind pioneering forebears like Gang of Four and Public Image Ltd., although it still bears a sense of contemporary flair. Its lyrics evoke the anxieties of growing out of adolescence and being forced to assimilate into the real world. “‘Disco’ was our first big step forward as a band,” Geese said in a statement. “It’s a very urgent and restless song, which was indicative of all our headspaces at the time. ‘Disco’ has a lot of organized chaos at its core; the music, the lyrics, and even the way we recorded it all speak to a sort of manic energy we were all working through. It’s a song that sounds li...
Quentin Tarantino Doubles Down on Plans to Retire After His Next Film
If you’ve been hoping that Quentin Tarantino still has a bunch of movies left in him, don’t hold your breath: the filmmaker has doubled down on his intent to retire after his next feature film. He confirmed this on a recent appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher to promote his new Once Upon a Time in Hollywood companion novel. “You’re too young to quit,” Maher told 58-year-old Tarantino. “You’re at the top of your game.” The director-screenwriter responded: “That’s why I want to quit! Because I know film history, and from here on end, directors do not get better. Tarantino continued: “Working for 30 years, doing as many movies as I’ve done — which isn’t as many as other people — but, that’s a long career. That’s a really long career, and I’ve given it everything I have.” Related Video As ...
The 2022 Civic Si Will Definitely Be Available as a Sedan
We’re in the midst of a blizzard of 2022 Honda Civic news, and it looks like the flurries will keep on coming until the verdict is rendered on the new Civic Type R—which we’ve really only been able to speculate about so far. But that’s for another time. For today’s slice of the Civic pie we finally have a bit more news on the sporty Si: The sedan body style is making a comeback for the new 11th gen Civic’s Si variant. Specific details around the Si—like what the powertrain will be, how much power it will make, and if there will be any new trick tech—are still pretty spartan. The last Civic Si relied on a buttery-smooth 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder which we had only one major complaint about: rev hang during shifts. Hopefully Honda will resolve tha...
Mazda MX-5 Miata Will Survive Company’s Electrification Push
Even though Mazda’s MX-5 Miata sports car is lightweight, small, and easy on gas, those environmental positives won’t be enough to save it from the automaker’s eventual pivot to full electrification. But that doesn’t mean the Miata is going anywhere. In a technical briefing for media about the company’s “Medium-Term Technology and Product Policy,” the chief technical officer revealed that the Mazda roadster would be included in plans for lineup-wide electrification by 2030. The news snuck out via the Kamura News, a Japanese publication that listened in on the briefing call. Mazda plans to be fully electrified—with 25 percent of its models fully battery-electric and the other 75 percent incorporating hybrid or PHEV technology—by 2030, joining many o...
Ariana Grande Shares Throwback Photo for Her Birthday — And Beyonce Has One, Too
Beyoncé updated the homepage of her official website in dedication of “POV” singer, with big birthday wishes — “HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARIANA GRANDE” — and what appears to be an old headshot of a younger Grande, who was already rocking the signature ponytail. (Beyoncé has been using her website to pay tribute to a number of artists, as well as her own family members, on their birthdays.) Birthday messages came pouring in for the pop star on social media throughout the day on Saturday — including a heartfelt post from her brother, Frankie Grande. “Ariana you are always there for me, you lift me up when I am down, you make me smile and laugh until my cheeks hurt, and you bring me and everyone you meet such joy… so today I celebrate you and the rem...
As Concerts Return, Death of Classical Brings Beethoven to Life In a Cemetery After Dark
New York’s Death of Classical performance series returned Friday (June 25) evening within Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery with Gil Shaham and the Knights taking on Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61. It’s a rarity to make out any constellation in New York City, so when the Big Dipper appeared, tilting down above the six-piece “pocket orchestra,” it was hard not to be arrested by the simple pleasure of live music under the night sky after a difficult year. As for concert settings, this one brought the drama. Pink and blue lights gently illuminated the shadowy stonework of the Gothic Arch towering behind the performers, making it seem like a Gothic Magic Kingdom made especially for the event. Green-Wood Cemetery itself is a New York City institu...
Olivia Rodrigo Shares a Scary Story While Suffering Through Very Spicy Wings: Watch
At 8 years old, Rodrigo was the star of the Boys and Girls Club “Idol” stage: “They gave me a trophy that was as tall as me at the end, and they gave me a big check. It was like $100, but at eight years old I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’m rich. I can buy an American Girl doll,'” she recalled. By 18, she was performing her debut hit single on the Brit Awards stage. But ahead of the Brits, the obvious highlight of her trip to London in May, she had a rough time in quarantine. “We were quarantining in this little, real 18th century English cottage in the countryside, and it was so cold and we couldn’t figure out how to turn on the central air and heating, but they had a fireplace so we lit the fireplace all the time and that’s how we kept warm...
