The Bullitt is back! Ford’s on-again, off-again special-edition Mustang honoring the celebrated Steve McQueen movie Bullitt returns this summer, just in time to mark the 50th anniversary of the film. This is the third time Ford has offered a Bullitt-brand special edition, following previous versions in the 2001 and in the 2008–2009 model years.
Modeled after the 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT fastback driven by McQueen’s character, Frank Bullitt, the 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt edition builds on the content of the Mustang GT Premium with the Performance package and includes upgrades including Brembo six-piston front brakes, a Torsen limited-slip differential, a larger rear anti-roll bar, and a bigger radiator to keep the Bullitt’s 5.0-liter V-8 engine cool during extended chases.
It needs more cooling because the Bullitt turns the heat up on the burly bent-eight’s performance courtesy of an intake manifold cribbed from the Shelby GT350, 87-mm throttle bodies, and a recalibrated powertrain control module. These changes result in a total of 475 horsepower, or 15 more than the run-of-the-mill Mustang GT, and help the Bullitt achieve a top speed of 163 mph—8 mph more than the Mustang GT. Torque holds steady at 420 lb-ft, and a six-speed manual is the sole transmission offered.
To better channel the spirit of the original movie car, the 2019 Mustang Bullitt has been stripped of almost all exterior badging. A single trunk-mounted badge marks the model’s connection to the film and mimics the design of a fuel-filler cap. Additionally, Ford sprinkles the Bullitt with chrome around its badgeless grille and around its window line. Red brake calipers and 19-inch wheels complete the car’s look. Two paint colors will be available: Highland Green, like the original movie car, and Shadow Black.
Options are few but include an optional adaptive suspension, Recaro seats, and an electronics package that adds navigation, memory seating, and a blind-spot information system with rear cross-traffic alert.
Ford has not yet released pricing information for the 2019 Mustang Bullitt edition. Expect it to cost a few thousand dollars more than the $43,990 price of the 2018 Ford Mustang GT Premium with the GT Performance package. The Bullitt edition goes on sale at midyear.
