FIRST DRIVE: 18 reasons you might want to take a Bullitt

Ford adds limited Mustang edition to celebrate Bullitt's 50th anniversary

Clare Dear
Published: August 5, 2018, 7:55 PM
Updated: August 13, 2018, 8:07 PM

Infectious nostalgia

Warning: The contents herein may be infectious! In fact, it’s difficult not to fall in love with Ford’s new 2019 Mustang Bullitt, a limited-edition model that celebrates the 50th anniversary of the iconic film Bullitt, starring the equally iconic Steve McQueen at the wheel of a now-iconic dark green ’68 Mustang GT fastback. ▲

Iconic chase scene

The movie’s signature car chase, with McQueen’s Mustang pursuing the villains in a black Dodge Charger on the streets of San Francisco, remains a benchmark in the annals of movie history. Driving this newest iteration of the Mustang Bullitt on those same streets drew thumbs-up and big smiles from onlookers. They know the significance of the movie – and they share the passion for this car with a unique persona that seems ageless. ▲

Cool Character

Like the man, McQueen, the Bullitt Mustang – both past and present – is coolness personified. Like the original, it’s finished in Dark Highland Green (a black exterior is also available) with all badging deleted, except for a “Bullitt” faux gas filler cap on the rear panel. ▲

Nothing flashy; just cool

The unique black honeycomb mesh grille has a subtle chrome trim around the edge and there’s also similarly understated chrome accents around the windows. There’s a flat-black aero splitter under the nose and four black NitroPlate exhaust tips peek out below the rear fascia. High-gloss black, 19-inch aluminum wheels, designed to replicate the original’s American Racing Torque Thrust rims, add to the car’s minimalist look. Nothing flashy – just simply cool. ▲

Enhanced performance

Under the skin, this Bullitt is basically a Mustang GT with the premium and performance packages included. However, the Bullitt’s 5.0-litre V-8 has been enhanced by the addition of a cold-air induction system, a larger 87-mm throttle body, an aluminum intake manifold borrowed from the Shelby GT350 and a performance calibrated powertrain control module. ▲

Power enhancements

The engine upgrades have resulted in a 20-horsepower increase to 480 ponies for the 5.0 V-8, while torque has remained unchanged at 420 lb-ft. Top speed has been boosted by 12.87 km/h to 262 km/h. That output is transferred to the pavement effectively with the addition of a Torsen limited-slip differential. When it’s time to unleash the Bullitt on the race track, an electric line lock and launch control is available in the track settings menu. ▲

Faithful to the original

Staying faithful to the original Bullitt’s specs, this anniversary model is only offered with a manual transmission. However, it has six gears, not four like McQueen’s ride, precisely controlled by a stubby shift lever topped with a white cue-ball knob – again, a nod to the original. ▲

Sweet Music

A wonderful rev-matching feature mimics the old heel-and-toe downshifting technique and creates an opportunity to listen to the active valve performance exhaust system do its thing. The engine blip and resulting burble out the quad exhaust tips is truly music for driving enthusiasts. In fact, my driving partner and I purposely spent much time cruising in fourth gear, just so we could hear the sweet sounds whenever we lifted our foot off the accelerator pedal. ▲

Sticks to the road

This sporty fastback’s handling is impressive. Of course, the new Michelin Pilot Sport S tires (255/40 ZR19 on the front; 275/40 ZR19 on the rear) play a key role, delivering outstanding adhesion in both wet and dry conditions, says vehicle engineering manager Tom Barnes. But much credit should also be given to Ford’s MagneRide suspension. ▲

Always in control

The MagneRide semi-active dampening system, a standard feature on Canadian Bullitts, keeps the car stable in the turns, while smoothing out bumps in the road that could upset the trajectory when driving through a corner at speed. The steering, too, is precise, with excellent turn-in as you approach a corner. When it was necessary to reel in the speed, the 6-piston Brembo calipers grab onto the larger brake rotors with authority. During a full day of driving on some wonderfully twisty roads south of San Francisco, the Bullitt was truly a joy to drive. ▲

Definitely drivable

The Bullitt’s drivability is impressive. As expected, it certainly has plenty of kick when it’s unleashed and urged to accelerate, but it’s also surprisingly drivable when you simply want to cruise. Tom Barnes, in charge of product development for the Mustang, explained that there are two overdrive gears built into the range of ratios in the 6-speed gearbox. Fourth gear and sixth gear have overdrive ratios, so there’s reduced need to be constantly stirring the transmission. With so much torque on tap, the car can easily pick up speed from a crawl without the need to downshift. ▲

Give the accelerator a kick

My driving partner and I did find it was necessary to drop down a gear when planning to accelerate in sixth to pass or merge, however. Simply stomping on the go pedal in sixth gear generated little response due to the overdrive ratio. The bonus, though, is the car is impressively quiet while cruising along at highway speed – wind and road noise is minimal, the car was tight and rattle-free, and the exhaust note was hardly noticeable, at least until you gave the accelerator a kick. Overall, it is a decent highway cruiser – if you avoid engaging in play time. ▲

Thoroughly modern interior

Although the cabin of McQueen’s Bullitt was relatively spartan, this modern version has all the comfort, safety and driver assistance features today’s buyers expect. The standard, power-adjustable leather seats are quite comfortable and include heating and cooling functions for both driver and passenger, although the reclining adjustment remains a manual operation. Optional Recaro front seats are available ($1,800) but they don’t include the heating/cooling feature, nor do they have power adjustability. Personally, I found no fault with the standard-issue seats. ▲

Modern appointments

The leather-wrapped steering wheel not only feels comfortable, it’s also heated. The interior designers have added a nice touch to the décor – there’s green accent stitching on the seats, instrument panel, door panels and centre console. There’s a 12-inch LCD instrument cluster in front of the driver that can be customized to suit his or her preferences. As an added nod to the Bullitt, the pony image that appears on the LCD display at start-up has been replaced with a Bullitt graphic. ▲

Pick your mode

A feature enthusiasts will appreciate is MyMode, a system activated by a toggle switch on the centre stack. In addition to allowing the driver to select from the standard pre-programmed driving modes, you can also choose custom settings for the exhaust note, steering and track-related functions. ▲

Exclusively Canadian

Bullitts destined for Canadian buyers are equipped with several standard features that are optional south of the border, including an electronics package that features a touch-screen navigation system, memory settings for the driver’s seat and mirrors, plus ambient lighting. Also included as standard equipment are a new B&O PLAY premium sound system by Harman and a blind spot monitoring system with cross-traffic alert. ▲

Limited numbers

Production is limited, although Ford declines to say exactly how many Bullitts it will build this year, nor will the company release the number of units that will be available for Canadian dealers. However, Ford did confirm it will build a 2020 model year Bullitt, although again production numbers are not being revealed. ▲

Now in dealerships

The price for a Bullitt in Canada is $57,525, with only two options offered: the Recaro seat package at $1,800 and a custom car cover ($450). The only other decision a buyer faces is choosing between green or black as the exterior colour. The 2019 Bullitts are starting to arrive at dealers now. ▲

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