Spielberg plots Bullitt sequel, batteries for OG dune buggy, Andretti’s F1 engine supplier

Steven Spielberg to drive Bullitt sequel

Intake: A new Bullitt is in the chamber and will be directed by Steven Spielberg, reports Deadline. The publication says it won’t simply be a remake of the 1968 original, but instead will be a new story centering on San Francisco cop Frank Bullitt. The McQueen family is said to be heavily involved in the project, with the King of Cool‘s son Chad and granddaughter Molly as executive producers. Josh Singer, who penned Neil Armstrong biopic First Man, will be on writing duty.

Exhaust: Spielberg’s very first feature, Duel, was one long car chase, so the automotive action should be in safe hands. We can only hope that product placement doesn’t get in the way of Bullitt being behind the wheel of a Mustang … though we do wonder how many times the same VW Beetle might show up.

F1’s new 2022 car does not like bumps

Intake: The first team tests for Formula 1’s new cars took place in Barcelona, Spain, last week. The cars will debut a host of changes to the regulations this year, including larger wheels (18 inches vs 13), smaller tire sidewalls, simplified suspension systems, and most importantly, heavily revised aerodynamics. The new cars will place a much heavier importance on ground effect—the air traveling under the car—for added downforce. That emphasis on sucking the car to the ground (rather than pushing it into the ground, as the outgoing cars’ aero did) has created an issue known as porpoising, in which the car bounces up and down as load on the diffuser rises and falls. According to a report from The Race, Barcelona’s smooth pavement kept this unstable behavior to a minimum; Williams Racing driver Alex Albon tells the outlet that he expects bumpier tracks, such as Baku, to be much worse.

Exhaust: Following 2021’s controversial season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, in which a creative interpretation of safety car rules allowed Max Verstappen to overtake Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to win the driver’s championship, the F1 world appears eager to write a new chapter. Teams will continue to develop the new cars and do their best to mitigate the porpoising as the season marches on, but these first few races the cars could get testy. Now that we’ve had a chance to see each new team’s livery, which do you looks best?

Original fiberglass dune buggy returns as EV

Intake: About a year after its inventor passed, the famous Meyers Manx dune buggy is due for an EV comeback thanks to a new battery design from Coreshell Technologies. Autoweek reports that before Bruce Meyers’ death, he sold the company to Houston-area entrepreneur (and well-known car enthusiast) Phillip Sarofim and noted transportation designer Freeman Thomas. (According to public records, Sarofim has a role as a director of Coreshell.) The duo has plans to retain the Manx’s iconic design but will mate it to Coreshell Tech’s advancements underneath, with a goal to have a running prototype sometime next year.

Exhaust: While tech entrepreneurs have a well-known knack for getting involved in the electrification of the automobile, it’s not every day that something as memorable as the Meyers Manx is used as its foundation. We can’t wait to see the famous dune buggy’s reincarnation for a new generation of fans, provided Coreshell Technologies proves their technology works. And assuming they’ll have the capital to make it happen over the coming months.

Only Dubai could have a Lykan HyperSport “ambulance”

Intake: Dubai now has the fastest paramedics on the planet after its ambulance service took delivery of a 740-hp Lykan HyperSport. (Fast and Furious fans will know the $3M Lebanese hypercar from Furious 7.) The “HyperSport Responder” clearly won’t be rushing any patients to hospital, as it barely has enough space ahead of its 3.7-liter twin turbo RUF flat-six for the driver and passenger. “Dubai has become synonymous with everything that is unique and the first in the world,” Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services chief executive Khalifa bin Darrai says. “The car’s speed and capabilities can significantly reduce response time during emergencies and ensure timely intervention.” Timely, in this case, means reaching 62 mph from a standstill in 2.8 seconds on the way to a 245-mph top speed.

Exhaust: Only seven Lykan HyperSports have been built and this is the second to go to Dubai’s emergency services. The other belongs to the city’s police force, whose fleet of hypercars includes a Bugatti Veyron, Aston Martin One-77, and Lamborghini Aventador. Only in Dubai.

Andretti taps Renault for F1 engines

ATTENTION: This ?? the sound of our fire-up ?

Heralding a new era of #Alpine innovation and progress. Pushing the boundaries of #F1 technology. Showcasing the collaborative spirit between Enstone and Viry. This is the birth of the #A522. This is our very first 2022 fire-up. pic.twitter.com/mmemLxhDvB

— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) January 21, 2022

Intake: Last weekend, another piece fell into place for the highly anticipated Andretti Formula 1 team, as Mario Andretti shared with open-wheel reporter David Land that the team would use Renault as a parts supplier. This comes after an announcement via Twitter last week by the elder Andretti that his son Michael had applied to the FIA to field a Formula 1 team in 2024 under the name Andretti Global. In addition to announcing the use of Renault bits, the interview this weekend confirmed that Andretti Global will build a facility in the U.K.. It’s speculated that Andretti Autosport headquarters in Indianapolis—where its IndyCar and Indy Light teams are housed—will remain in operation as a home base while the brick-and-mortar oversees facilities will be reserved for research and development.

Exhaust: Re-nault you didn’t. Becoming Andretti Global’s part suppliers should bode well for the French manufacturer. Currently, it only supplies engines and components to BWT Alpine F1 team. In 2019, Red Bull left Renault for Honda and in 2020, McLaren left it for Mercedes, ultimately stranding the manufacturer on a one-team island. Andretti Global will provide more data points for current underdog Renault, which will likely spool research and development. As far as Andretti, we await one more next big announcement: driver. Who will it be? All signs point to current Andretti Autosport driver and IndyCar star Colten Herta. Should Andretti Global be permitted by the FIA to compete in Formula 1, look for the second-generation driver to sign on the dotted line.