The Bullitt Mustang Lives Again
It’s been 50 years since Steve McQueen careened over San Francisco hills in the great chase scenes from “Bullitt.”
He was driving a 1968 Mustang GT 390 fastback, and both the man and the car became American icons.
More Money in the Car than in the Movie
Ford has been making bank off the “Bullitt” Mustang over the years. The first time was 2001 and the last time was 2009. But now, 10 model years later, they have released a 2019 model, and it’s the most fierce and menacing permutation of the green favorite of all time.
For aficionados know that Ford released a newly styled 2018 Mustang, but the Bullitt model has some redesigned features, including restyled LED headlamps and revamped taillights. There’s a new diffuser and a re-crafted front grill.
Beyond that, there are Bullitt branding and features that set the car apart. They include a special trim and electronics package and a MagnaRide suspension system.
There’s a slightly tweaked update of the GT’s 5L V-8 under the hood. It produces 315 horsepower, 15 more than the standard GT. That’s enough to move the car from 0-60 in 4.9 seconds with the Tremec five-speed manual, which has a 3.73:1 ratio.
The Original Bullitt Mustang
The original Bullitt 1968 Mustang and was powered by a 390 V-8. It was a muscle car, for sure, and it had to flex some of that muscle in the chase with the 1968 Dodge Charger driven by the bad guys in the film.
Warner Bros. studio bought two 1968 Mustang GTs for the film. The first one was trashed by stunt drivers doing jump scenes. It was destined for the crusher, but the hulk materialized in Mexico in 2017.
The other original car came to light recently and has been authenticated. All the research proved conclusively that the car was the one Steve McQueen drove in the fabled chase scene.
After they shot the film, a Warner Bros. executive bought the car. After a few years, he sold it to an east coast detective, perhaps a Frank Bullitt wannabe. The detective later sold it to an insurance executive who died in 2014, and his son brought the car back to public attention.
Pick Your Color and Pay Your Money
The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt comes in two colors. You can choose the iconic Dark Highland Green, a metallic version of the original color, or you can select Shadow Black.
Some may complain about the lack of wider choices, but these two options guarantee that buyers will remain cool. After all, do we really want McQueen’s car in pink?
At the moment, Ford has not released the price of the 2019 Bullitt Mustang. It’s expected to have a base price of $45,000, and you can add options to that.
Bonus Video
Steve McQueen at work in his Mustang. This is the famous chase scene from the movie.
