All articles tagged with #car culture
Universal Studios Hollywood opened Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift—a 4,000-foot, 72 mph roller coaster featuring replica movie cars and seat-mounted engine sounds—delivering high-octane thrills and nostalgia, even as Vin Diesel skipped the ceremony and the franchise’s broader finale remains uncertain.
A Jalopnik round-up on how dream-car tastes evolve with age shows that younger enthusiasts chase speed and exotic looks, while older fans prioritize comfort, reliability, and affordability, with many readers shifting toward practical daily drivers or attainable classics, though some still cling to high-end fantasies.
A nostalgic look at six iconic 1970s machines—the Plymouth Superbird, Chevy K5 Blazer, International Harvester Scout II, Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, Chevy El Camino SS, and Cadillac Eldorado—arguing that their bold designs, big engines, and cultural impact define the era and deserve a place back on today’s showroom floors, with notes on specs and current collector value.
Jalopnik profiles nine iconic hot rod styles—Street Rod, Rat Rod, Track Roadster, T-Bucket, Lowboy, Highboy, Gasser, Pro Street, and the Deuce (1932 Ford)—explaining how each differs in purpose and construction, from safety- and reliability-minded street rods and rusty-budget rat rods to aero-focused track roadsters, fenderless lowboys and highboys, high-traction gasers, and showy, drag-inspired Pro Street machines, with notes on origins and how definitions vary across groups like NSRA and magazines.
Kyle Loftis, founder of the viral car-culture channel 1320Video, has died, according to representatives who offered no details. The outlet has built a global audience since 2003 with videos of street and drag racing, boasting nearly 4 million YouTube subscribers. Loftis reportedly recovered from a December crash, and he mentored other influencers such as Cleetus McFarland, who recently gifted him a Corvette ZR1. No further information about the death was released.
USPS announces a new Forever stamp set, Lowrider Forever, featuring five iconic lowriders (Let the Good Times Roll/Soy Como Soy, Eight Figures, El Rey, The Golden Rose, Pocket Change) to celebrate Southern California Chicano working-class car culture. The 78-cent stamps are sold in sheets of 15 for $11.70, designed by Antonio Alcala from photos by Humberto Mendoza and Philip Gorden with pinstriping by Danny Alvarado; unveiled in San Diego and going on sale nationwide Friday. Car owners including Anthony and Frankie Onorato of The Golden Rose and Albert De Alba (El Rey) speak to the honor, with El Rey on display at the Smithsonian.
Car owners acknowledge each other with brand-specific signals—Jeep waves, Miata headlight winks, Porsche etiquette, Subaru badges, and even Jeep “ducking”—a mix of inclusive and exclusivist norms that turn ownership into a nuanced social ritual, where misread signals can earn a chilly rebuff or a friendly nod.
A winter-related roof sealing issue on the Nissan Murano CrossCab has driven an owner to crudely seal the gap between roof and body with spray foam, a hack that looks terrible but may keep the car usable as repairs can cost thousands. The piece frames this as a stark reminder of the CrossCab’s durability limits, the lengths people go to keep an unusual car on the road, and the broader theme of engineering fragility meeting DIY desperation.
Forza Horizon 6 is headed to Xbox Series X|S, PC, Cloud, and Steam with Game Pass on May 19 (Premium Edition gets early access May 15) and will reach PlayStation 5 in 2026. Set in Japan, the game blends Tokyo’s neon districts, mountainous routes, and docks into distinct areas with a focus on feel over exact replication, and adds a Collection Journal tied to Horizon Festival progression, The Estate for player-built property, and Car Meets inspired by Daikoku for open social play, plus about 550 cars including the 2025 GR GT Prototype and Toyota Land Cruiser; two in-game friends and a cultural consultant guide its authentic vibe.
The Los Angeles exhibit 'American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience' uses theme park-style installations, projections, and a 4D theater to celebrate the history and cultural impact of the Ford Mustang, aiming to inspire a new generation of car enthusiasts amid changing automotive consumer trends.
A 21-year-old in Florida bought an Audi RS7 Performance to stand out, but was surprised to find three others of the same model in his area on his first night, highlighting the RS7's rarity with over 1,500 units sold in the US in 2024.
Forza Horizon 6, set in Japan, will feature the largest and most detailed map in the series, including Tokyo, and will incorporate Japanese culture and festivals, aiming to be an approachable and culturally rich racing game launching on Xbox and PC in 2026, with a PlayStation 5 version later.
Forza Horizon 6 is likely to be announced at the 2025 Tokyo Game Show, with strong indications it will be set in Japan, featuring Japanese vehicles and a new, more engaging map. The game is expected to be built on an upgraded engine, offering improved visuals and physics, and will support Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass, with potential later release on PlayStation.
A vintage '60 Minutes' episode reveals how unhinged and daring Lamborghini testing was before Audi's acquisition in 1998, showcasing reckless public road testing by legendary driver Valentino Balboni and highlighting the wild, unrestrained nature of classic Lamborghinis like the Countach, which contrasts sharply with modern, more regulated supercars.
Speedhunters, a prominent car culture website founded in 2008 and influential in the automotive community, appears to have shut down after months of inactivity, with its last post in April and its online presence gone dark. The site, once backed by EA and known for its global contributor base and collaborations, has seen many of its key creators move on to other projects, raising concerns about its future and legacy.