San Francisco, CA. Ford blew this launch event out of the park. Early-morning flights to San Francisco, all-afternoon trips, outdoor cocktails in the chilly early-August San Fran evenings, even early-morning starts the next day and flights home must turn all the journalists present into a grumpy bunch. By the time we lined up to board the airport shuttle, we were all smiling.
Performance – 95%
Driving Experience – 95%
Convenience – 90%
Security – 90%
Interior Design – 85%
Prestige – 90%
It’s really simple. The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt is an amazing car. Ford combines all of the best Handlebar elements under one stealth-looking shell that everyone can appreciate. Actually, this is where I have to complain about Bullitt – it’s too accessible. I always watch my car movies once a year (Ronin, Vanishing Point, Cannon Ball Run, Gone in 60 Seconds (original and remake)) and, when I get to Bullitt, I’m always blown away by how much effort it takes on behalf of McQueen to get results. the maximum from its 4-speed manual transmission, 1968 390 V8 Mustang GT Fastback.
Give me a second, or 10. I’m watching the chase scene right now…
Current driver
You can clearly see, and hear, the car struggling for grip, trying to stay on course under the hard, double-gripped throttle. The 2019 Bullitt can be driven by my 68 year old mother, and fast. The standard 6-speed manual gearbox and clutch have some weight behind them, but there’s a bit of real struggle involved in operating the levers. The same goes for all other controls. With the driving mode set to “Normal,” the Mustang is perfect at home for cruising your way around Russian Hill or heading to your local Costco.
One of the key ingredients that makes the new Bullitt so comfortable is the MagneRide damping system which includes adaptive dampers. This excellent component not only increases the Mustang’s compliance level on rougher surfaces but can almost negate the fastback’s hefty weight over the front wheel. Through a long series of switches just south of the La Honda, I quickly gained confidence in the car’s ability to grip and deliver what I asked for.
Even here, I prefer the dampers to be set to “Normal”, giving me the amount of wheel travel necessary to cope with changes in road surface. The steering also works best for me when left in “Normal” mode. The cool thing here is that the help can be modified by yourself via one of the toggle switches under the infotainment unit.
Big brakes, big power
While I love big power as much as the next guy, I’m a fan of more serious braking power. Bullitt red-painted Brembo brakes (six-piston front, single-piston rear caliper) with larger, ventilated rotors are brilliant in their function. On a few occasions I pushed the car deep into some of the tighter turns but I never ran out of room to maneuver. Between the suspension and brakes, I sat pretty.
It also sounds really good too thanks to the standard Active Valve performance exhaust system. I’ve mentioned “Normal” as my go-to mode – for exhaust systems, only “Track” will do. I can note here that I was expecting more sound overrun but that’s not the case. But under the violent acceleration, it was like a low-flying helicopter.
So, on the topic of power, the stock Mustang GT is no slouch. For a bit of bragging, and in keeping with Bullitt tradition, the 2019 edition’s 5.0-liter V8 output is rated at 480 horsepower at 7,000 rpm, up from 460, while torque remains unchanged at 420 lb.-ft. Benefits come from an open air box, a Shelby GT350 intake manifold, and a larger 87mm throttle body. The Bullitt also gets the calibration of the unique powertrain control module responsible for the V8’s responsiveness, and equally smooth power delivery.
The 6-speed manual transmission is formulated in such a way as to reach 100 km/h in 2t and barely more than 4 seconds. The V8 will happily reach over 7,000 rpm and that brings me to a happy place. While this is true and like I said, the Mustang Bullitt is just as content to sneak around, hide in the shadows and stalk the bad guys.
Mysterious and highly desirable
Like the original ’68 Mustang in the movie, the 2019 doesn’t have the Blue Oval, prancing horse, or even the GT letters visible on it. The only indication that this is a Bullitt comes from the faux rear gas cap with the word BULLITT written on it. That, and the Dark Highland green paint scheme to choose from, Torque Thrust designed black 19-inch wheels and a wide, blacked-out front grille. As with the Mustang GT, Bullitt’s simple physical mods, including the removal of the rear spoiler, make it stand out. So much for being discreet…
The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt will retail for $57,525 and includes a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, the brilliant Ford SYNC 3 infotainment system, and more. The only option is the $1,800 Recaro chair with green stitching.
It’s an amazing car and it captures the essence of Lt.’s super cool demeanor. Frank Bullitt of McQueen. I like it.
