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Articles by Max Finkel
Pas de Chats? How Hackney’s unsung Arkestra inspired a mural for the ages
Making local history is a strange feat. Hackney often gets callouts from its famous progenies—one thinks of Idris Elba and others full of razor-edged reports from the rose-red empire that always offer more than a hint of nostalgia. But those who don’t achieve quite the same notoriety outside the borough often end up etched into its walls, or are left hiding in plain sight.
Inside a record store’s fight for survival in Hackney
Hackney record store owner Robert Smith started selling used vinyl during the pandemic. What began with 400 discs bought on eBay and listed online – along with Lego and other bric-a-brac from his parent’s loft – soon saw “ridiculous” growth. In a matter of months, Smith found himself on the phone to global music marketplace, Discogs, who had called to let him know he was now one of the UK’s top 30 sellers.
Obituary: Gillian Riley
My sister-in-law, Gillian Riley, a food historian, died on 11 November 2024, aged 90, at Mary Seacole House in Hackney. Gillian was born on 20 November 1933 in Bradford. She attended Selby High School and Cheadle Hulme High School before going to Girton College, Cambridge from 1951 until 1954. She was a book designer at Thames & Hudson, a freelance designer, and then taught at Reading University in the Department of Typography, where her partner James Mosley also worked.
Casablanca, Doctor Who, Moon Knight, Morbius
Morbius Easter Eggs: all the teases and references Part of the fun of superhero films is finding all the references and easter eggs that the filmmakers put in… 3 minutes ago Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Casablanca, Doctor Who, Moon Knight, Morbius Some cliche somewhere said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ This has proven to be the case for… 11 minutes ago Jurassic World Dominion: Old and new heroes take center stage in Empire Magazine covers I hope you’re ready to hold...
A group of Hackney residents are using a doughnut to reinvigorate their community
Upon hearing the term ‘doughnut economics’, one’s mind would be forgiven for jumping to the cost of a box of the sugary treats, or to a vision of the police chief in The Simpsons single-handedly keeping Springfield’s bakery afloat. But for a group of Hackney residents, it is the foundation for a new way of doing things, a blueprint for reimagining and safeguarding tight-knit communities that have become frayed by the pandemic and the years of austerity that came before.
GE Wants To Keep America’s B-52s in the Air Until 2097
TheB-52 Stratofortressain’t new. The first one flew nearly seventy years ago in 1952. The last ones were built ten years later. But just because it’s already been around for decades doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a lot more fight left in it. At least General Electric seems to think so. General Electric is trying to convince the Air Force and congressional bean counters that its re-engining program could extend the lifespan of the B-52 platform more than seventy years into the future.
These Are The Ads You Can't Get Out Of Your Head
It’s a pretty good rule of thumb that if an ad isn’t memorable, it’s not going be all that effective. What good are competitive statistics, bogus stunts, or expensive production if the customer just can’t remember? A good way to fix that is an earworm soundtrack, a song that simply can’t be forgotten, no matter how hard you try.
So Long, Sunday, And Thank You Original
This weekend marks a full year since I began holding down the fort on Sundays around these parts. It’s also my last weekend on the job before I start law school next month, so I wanted to say thank you to all of you for putting up with my blather. Long before I even considered writing about cars, Jalopnik was huge to me. I remember trying every trick in the book to circumvent my high school’s internet content filters to get to the site.
Why wait for a Lada Niva reboot when the old one is still for sale?
Why wait for a Lada Niva reboot when the old one is still for sale?
The Pandemic Is Delaying All Those Cool New Geneses
Not unlike the producers and distributors of No Time To Die, Mulan, and The French Dispatch, the team at Genesis is worried about a launch botched by the Coronavirus pandemic and they’re holding back the 2021 GV80 crossover and redesigned 2021 G80 sedan until later this year. Automotive News reports that the launches of the two models, originally due for later this summer, will be held back until the autumn.
TVR Wants You To Believe That It Can Still Pull This Off Original
Image: TVR Manufacturing Limited We’ve been waiting on this TVR revival for a while. first, there was one delay. Then another. Followed by yet another. For a company that has long made a name for itself by building cars for people that prefer to fly by the seat of their pants, I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that the firm’s management seems to take that philosophy to heart when it comes to running the business. But they want to convince you that it won’t get in the way of building cars.
Back to work, back to work.
Back to work, back to work. If the Mack Mid-liner is going to be Renault’s Club of Four ambassador to the mighty American truck market, it better be a leader. Good thing it’s built to be one.
Where's My Electric Russian Sidecar Motorcycle?
I just moved to a new neighborhood and down the street is someone who street-parks their Ural sidecar motorcycle. I haven’t snagged my own picture of it yet, but it’s a neighborhood fixture and it got me thinking: Where is that electric Ural we were teased with a few years back and why can’t I buy one yet?
What Car Had The Best Carrozeria Variations?
Photo: Maserati (Michael Furman CountersteerYour true stories of good and bad things that happen in cars. You all know that I have a thing for the Italian coachbuilders. Those little workshops where trained metalworkers lovingly beat their soul into steel body panels, where craftsmen with generations of experience behind them painstakingly varnish hand-cut wood trim. Pininfarina, Zagato, Touring Superleggera.
That 1400-HP, Seven-Motor Ford Mustang Mach-e Needs To Run Pike's Peak
It’s all good and well that the Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400 can create tremendous clouds of tire smoke when thrown around Ford’s proving grounds. That’s not too hard to do. But there’s a better way to get to know whether all that high-torque sorcery going on in that car means anything at all. That way is hill climbing. When it comes to figuring out how power delivery, chassis stiffness, downforce, and grip interact, the hill climb is the ultimate test.
This 1974 Chevy Blazer Is Just Rubbing It In
I know it’s been nearly two weeks since we first got a reimagined Ford Bronco to complement the JL Jeep Wrangler on mall parking lots in left lanes on rutted off-roading trails, but there’s one thing I can’t stop thinking about: The reborn Chevy Blazer that could have been. And this Sunset Gold and white-roofed 1974 specimen of the original K5 truck isn’t making it any easier to move on from the notion. I know this isn’t a new thought.
Wild Pickup Truck Stunts Never Go Out Of Style
You want to know that the pickup you’re dropping a pretty penny on is worth its salt, even if it’s going to be treated like a luxury sedan. It’s what you’re buying it, right? Truckmakers know that, and they’ll show you just how tough their offerings are. It’s what they’re best at. Ever since Henry Ford doubled the consonant at the end of Model T and created the pickup truck as we know it today, the competition between the big truck makers has been fierce.
Wild Pickup Truck Stunts
You want to know that the pickup you’re dropping a pretty penny on is worth its salt, even if it’s going to be treated like a luxury sedan. It’s what you’re buying it, right? Truckmakers know that, and they’ll show you just how tough their offerings are. It’s what they’re best at. Welcome to Ad Watch, where you’ll get to see some of the most fun, imaginative, and outrageous car commercials out there and we’ll try to pull back the TV magic to show you how they work on the inside.
I Will Never Forgive The Royal Family Of Brunei For Their Crimes Against This Maserati
The Sultan of Brunei and his family have long had a bad name ‘round these parts, mostly for hoarding all the good cars in warehouses on an island in the Pacific where they sit in darkness and dust, rotting away. But it turns out they’ve committed a sin even darker than that. They made this. Photo: DD Classics, Fair Use Found for sale at London classic car dealer DD Classics is this 1975 Maserati Khamsin, modified nearly beyond recognition by its original owners, the royal family of Brunei.
I don’t know about you, but I won’t have my retro 4x4 fix satisfied until our new Bronco is matched
Photo: International Harvester I don’t know about you, but I won’t have my retro 4x4 fix satisfied until our new Bronco is matched by a new International Scout. It better come with decals too. Or else.
Your Hypnotically Awesome Honda Aerodeck Wallpapers Are Here Original
Weekend WallpaperPut these on your desktop to look cool and awesome. The Honda Accord Aerodeck is an exotic car you can live with. It’s a shooting brake that will never see a twin on American roads, but you can probably get most work done at your local Honda shop should anything go wrong. The shape is rare, the parts inside? Decidedly less so.
German Wheelmaker BBS Is Bankrupt Yet Again
BBS Kraftfahrzeugtechnik AG, known for its iconic basketweave wheels, has once again filed for bankruptcy. While the company will be restructured under proceedings similar to an American Chapter 11 filing and will likely live on, the announcement shows how precarious the current economic situation can be for suppliers of specialty auto parts.
The SCG 008 Will Be A Baja and Dakar-Ready Kit Car Monster Original
Illustration: Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus Last year, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus wowed us all when its reborn Boot dominated the Baja 1000. That car, a mid-engined GM LT4-powered supercar for the dunes, is well on its way to production in both two and four-door guise. But SCG has another prerunner coming, one that you’ll build yourself. That car will be called the 008 and unlike SCG’s other cars, it’ll be a kit.
Today’s Hungarian Grand Prix wasn’t all that exciting, but the same can’t be said for 1995's race. It’s not every day that a Formula One driver meets the business end of a Tatra medical car, but that’s exactly what happened to Taki Inoue.
Today’s Hungarian Grand Prix wasn’t all that exciting, but the same can’t be said for 1995's race. It’s not every day that a Formula One driver meets the business end of a Tatra medical car, but that’s exactly what happened to Taki Inoue.
Travis Pastrana Flames Out Of The Southern Ohio Forest Rally
Photo: Subaru Motorsports USA Five-time US rally champ Travis Pastrana had exceedingly bad luck in his return to American Rally Association racing this weekend in the Southern Ohio Forest Rally. After an impressive start in the first stage, Pastrana’s 2019 Subaru WRX STI burned to the ground after he stopped mid-second stage with a mechanical issue. Pastrana and co-driver Chrissie Beavis managed to exit the car unscathed though the Subaru was totally consumed.
What Iconic Car Could Pull Off A Bronco-Style Revival?
Image: Automobili Lamborghini Spa CountersteerYour true stories of good and bad things that happen in cars. The name of the game this week is the triumphal return to form. Volkswagen has trademarked a mess of names that suggest an electrified look back at the brand’s history is on the way and, of course, the 2021 Ford Bronco finally crawled its way into the light. Clearly, some manufacturers feel nostalgia is a winning strategy but is there any room for other manufacturers to join them?
We Will Not Be Receiving The 2021 Volkswagen Arteon R
The Volkswagen Arteon, which landed on American shores for the first time for the 2019 model year, is getting a refresh. for 2021. Part of that refresh is a 315-horsepower R trim that you’ll be able to get in either fastback or wagon guise. If you live outside of America, that is.
I Will Never Forgive The Royal Family Of Brunei For Their Crimes Against This Maserati
Photo: DD Classics (Fair Use) The Sultan of Brunei and his family have long had a bad name ‘round these parts, mostly for hoarding all the good cars in warehouses on an island in the Pacific where they sit in darkness and dust, rotting away. But it turns out they’ve committed a sin even darker than that. They made this.
Adiós al mítico 747: Boeing cancela para siempre su producción
Adiós al avión más mítico del mundo.Foto: Boeing Después de ser el icono de los viajes aéreos durante más de cinco décadas, la producción del Boeing 747 se detendrá por completo, según informa Reuters, que ha explicado que Boeing había hecho sus últimos pedidos de piezas hace más de un año, marcando así el final del famoso avión de dos pisos que lleva fabricándose de forma ininterrumpida desde 1968.
This Failed Rear-Wheel-Drive Lamborghini Murciélago Is An Endurance Racing Fever Dream
Unlike Ferrari, Maserati, McLaren, and the rest of the big supercar names, Lamborghini hasn’t really liked to push on its racing cred. That’s usually because the cars the band has fielded on the track haven’t done all too well. This one is no exception, but that doesn’t make it any less cool.
Berlín pide a la gente que deje de usar desodorante en el transporte público para frenar el coronavirus
Foto: Sean Gallup (Getty Images) En un intento de convencer a los berlineses de que usen sus mascarillas correctamente en el transporte público, la BVB, la empresa que administra el U-Bahn, los tranvías y los autobuses de la ciudad, está probando un nuevo enfoque: alentar a los pasajeros a no usar desodorante.
Using only the scant resources made available to him by Volkswagen’s Brazilian presence, Marcio Pian
Image: Volkswagen do Brasil Using only the scant resources made available to him by Volkswagen’s Brazilian presence, Marcio Pianncastelli managed to design the sublime Volkswagen SP2. If that’s not making the most of what you’ve got, I don’t know what is.
Dakar's New Classic Class Was Made Just For Me Original
Since its first running in 1978 between Paris and the seaside Senegalese city that gave the race its name, the Dakar rally has hosted competitors from across motorsport driving some of the most unique and imaginative vehicles ever to race. The race may take place in Saudi Arabia only now, but a new Classic category will bring some of its past back to life next year.
Yeah, Actually I Do Think An Electric Jaguar XK120 Is A Great Idea Original
When it came out, the Jaguar XK120 was the fastest production car in the world. Really. It’s 120 mile-per-hour top speed was the very top. Since then, surviving examples have been relegated to Concours duty, with rich men pouring over refinished trim and delicately preserved patina. That’s one way to respect a legendary car. Ths company has another one in mind.
The Boeing 747 Is Dead, For Real This Time: Report
After defining commercial air travel for more than five decades, the Boeing 747 will finally leave production, according to a report from Reuters. The news wire reports that Boeing had made its final orders for parts more than a year ago, signaling the end for the double-decker quad-jet that has been built continuously since 1968.
Before Cadillac built its Allantés on an assembly line stretching from Pininfarina’s shop in Italy t Original
Before Cadillac built its Allantés on an assembly line stretching from Pininfarina’s shop in Italy to a plant in Detroit where they were finished, Chrysler was sending its Crown Imperial limos across the Atlantic in the other direction to be appointed by the luxury experts at Ghia. Ghia was responsible for taking stock Imperial sedans and slicing them open to stuff them with leather, wood, and other fancy pieces of trim that big wigs love in their stretched limos.
Lando Norris Makes His First Podium Finish As Formula One Makes A Messy Return In Austria
Photo: Joe Klamar (Getty Images) Valtteri Bottas may have brought home the win at today’s Formula One season opener in Austria, but the real news today is McLaren driver Lando Norris’s first finish on the podium, even though he does have to thank Lewis Hamilton for soaking up a five-second penalty that pulled him down to fourth place. Hamilton got slapped with that penalty after a lap-61 tangle with Red Bull driver Alex Albon.
Where Should Fiat-Chrysler-PSA Drop That New 621-Horsepower Maserati V6?
CountersteerYour true stories of good and bad things that happen in cars. Maserati has a new mid-engined sports car on the way, the MC20. Inside is the Nettuno, the brand’s first in-house motor. It’s a three-liter twin-turbo (or should we say biturbo?) V6 that’s good for more than 600 horsepower. It’ll probably do great in that car, but it’ll need to find its way into other models in order for Maserati to get the most out of its investment.
Berlin Wants People To Stop Wearing Deodorant On Public Transport In Order To Fight Coronavirus Original
Photo: Sean Gallup (Getty Images) In an attempt to convince Berliners to wear their masks properly while on public transport, the BVG, the company that runs the city’s U-Bahn, trams, and buses has a new approach according to a report from Deutsche Welle: encouraging riders to forgo deodorant. In a tweet sent earlier this week that for all intents and purposes resembles any other official policy advisory by the BVG, the company bluntly said “you leave us no choice” but to forbid deodorant.
This Failed Rear-Wheel-Drive Lamborghini Murciélago Is An Endurance Racing Fever Dream
Photo: Curated (Fair Use) Unlike Ferrari, Maserati, McLaren, and the rest of the big supercar names, Lamborghini hasn’t really liked to push on its racing cred. That’s usually because the cars the band has fielded on the track haven’t done all too well. This one is no exception, but that doesn’t make it any less cool.
Celebrities In Goofy Car Commercials: Some Greatest Hits
It’s no secret that car companies have long turned to flashy advertisements to turn their cold vehicular appliances into fantasies we want to welcome into our lives. At Jalopnik, we happen to adore those cold vehicular appliances on their own terms, but we love the fantasies they’re wrapped in too. Welcome to Ad Watch, where you’ll get to see some of the most fun, imaginative, and outrageous car commercials out there and we’ll try to pull back the TV magic to show you how they work on the inside.
Here's How The Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus Boot Conquered Baja
James Glickenhaus brought Steve McQueen’s Baja Boot back to life last year, recreating it as something he could drive to the race, win the race, and drive home in it too. Then he actually won the Baja 1000 in it. This is that story.
Jeep Needs To Build A Chassis-Cab Gladiator
We’ve had the Jeep Gladiator for a little more than a year now. It’s a great truck. It’s capable off-road. It’s got pretty good towing chops. It looks cool too. But it isn’t selling particularly well anymore, and the recent downturn isn’t likely to help that case very much. But I have an idea. Drop that bed and make it a chassis-cab. It’s super simple. The best part is that the Gladiator chassis-cab would just be the latest in a long line of Jeeps designed for real work.
Avoid These Mistakes When Taking Car Photos
I love to take photos of cars with my phone and my film camera but I am far from an expert. I look back on ones I’ve taken and can’t believe how rough absolutely shitty they are. Luckily, Friend Of The Blog Kevin McCauley has put together a really great video to help you avoid some of the most common mistakes you can make.
The Chrysler LeBaron wasn’t born on the salt flats, but it certainly made itself at home there.
The Chrysler LeBaron wasn’t born on the salt flats, but it certainly made itself at home there. Especially after the underfloor rusted out and Jack and Suzie couldn’t get it moving again.
When Camaros Raced Against Minis and Sunbeam Imps At Crystal Palace In 1971
Before it was the Britsh Touring Car Championship, it was the Saloon Car Championship. The regs in place were FIA Group 2 and the field was diverse. Very diverse. Just check out what Crystal Palace looked like back in 1971. Welcome to You Could Be Watching Racing. Since motorsport is basically on pause while we patiently wait for the world to safely reopen, I have decided to find the best and most exciting full races (or as close as we can get) available to watch online and share them with you.
“Of course it’s a real Mustang!
Image: Ford Motor Company “Of course it’s a real Mustang! The man at the dealership was very clear, honey.”
Here's How The Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus Boot Conquered Baja
James Glickenhaus brought Steve McQueen’s Baja Boot back to life last year, recreating it as something he could drive to the race, win the race, and drive home in it too. Then he actually won the Baja 1000 in it. This is that story.
How Can Automakers Bring The Fun Back?
CountersteerYour true stories of good and bad things that happen in cars. The Volkswagen Harlequin is a favorite of mine. I don’t want to own one, necessarily, but I do like that it exists. It’s all about fun, and I like that in an automaker. And unfortunately, I feel like that attitude is going away. We need automakers to put some more of their effort into making their cars fun and attractive to buyers of all kinds.
Of Course, I'm Not Sold On Great Britain's Newly Repainted State Plane
I have very strong opinions about the liveries of state aircraft. It’s kind of my thing. So when the British Air Force unveiled its newly repainted Airbus A330MRTT Voyager head of state transport this week, I had to give it a closer look. I did, and I’m not particularly impressed. For some time, this aircraft, nicknamed ‘Vespina’ according to Business Insider, wore the same drab gray paint as the rest of the A330MRTT fleet that the Royal Air Force typically uses in an airborne refueling role.
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