When it comes to doing a retro model, Ford has nailed it with its limited-edition Mustang Bullitt.
This recreation of the nasty 1968 Mustang fastback that set the benchmark for car chases in the movie Bullitt 40 years ago is so authentic I kept looking in the rear-view mirror expecting to see the bad guy's Dodge Charger gnawing at my back bumper. Heck, it even made me feel a bit like the movie's star, Steve McQueen, working the Mustang's wheel.
True to the original, Ford has stripped this 2008 iteration of all traditional Mustang badging. There's no pony prancing in the grille and no stripes, logos or labels. The Bullitt package tacks on an additional $4,495 to the base price of a GT Coupe ($33,999), but the car is stripped of the GT's fog lights, scoops and spoilers, just like the original movie car.
The Bullitt's wheels are special 18-inch, five-spoke beauties with the spokes finished in dark grey with a band of machined metal around the perimeter, again recreating the look of McQueen's ride. If you look closely, the chrome centre caps have a Mustang logo, but that's the only hint as to this car's DNA. In fact, there's only one place on the entire car that bears the Ford name -- scripted below a Bullitt gunsight graphic in the centre of a faux gas cap on the decklid.
Of course, the Bullitt is finished in a dark green hue that's a dead ringer for the 1968 colour of the movie Mustang, although non-purists can apparently opt for an all-black Bullitt. Why anyone would do that is beyond me.
This model's stealth look is intended to rekindle memories of a movie that was an icon for the baby boomer generation, and perhaps the significance of the Bullitt edition is lost on younger folk. What may make the car appealing to them, however, are the performance enhancements that set the Bullitt apart from run-of-the-mill Mustangs.
Ford has leaned on the expertise of its racing engineers to tweak some extra ponies out of the 4.6-litre V8. The Bullitt is rated at 315 horsepower, compared with the GT's 300, and the torque output has been raised five pound-feet to 325. The added boost comes, in part, from the switch to a Ford Racing-inspired cold-air induction system complete with an open-element air filter. Ford says the change makes a significant reduction in the temperature of the air being sucked into the intake system -- cooler air is denser and produces more power. The engine's output is channelled through a short-throw Tremac five-speed manual transmission, the only gearbox choice available with the Bullitt.
The engine calibration has been changed to increase throttle response, and the result is immediate -- stomp on the go-pedal and you'll feel the snappy reaction. The engine's redline has also been boosted by 250 r.p.m. to 6,500 and the top speed peaks out at 243 kilometres an hour, although I didn't attempt to test either limit -- honest.
If, however, you were inclined to push the envelope, the Bullitt does have some other features that help make it capable of going fast (hopefully, on a track) with confidence. The suspension has been upgraded, including new shocks and struts that will handle high-performance dynamics better than the stock GT models.
The tires have been upgraded, too, with the same 18-inch BF Goodrich g-Force T/A models Ford uses on its Mustangs at its high-performance driving school in Utah. Combined with the suspension changes, the tester clawed its way through the twisty stuff with ease, yet the ride was still decent.
A special brace has been added between the front shock towers to increase torsional stiffness in the front end of the chassis. This brushed metal piece also has a nifty Bullitt badge, including the serial number of this limited edition -- my tester was No. 2,402 in a production run of 7,700. It looks quite impressive when you pop the hood. Less impressive is the fact that you have to scramble for a prop rod to keep the hood open as you gaze at the Bullitt's mechanicals. Surely, a pair of support struts could have been worked into the price of the package.
Perhaps the sweetest part of the Bullitt is its exhaust note. Ford has designed a custom exhaust system for this car that recreates the unforgettable sound from the movie's chase scene -- a throaty rumble that changes into a wicked snarl when you put your foot down.
It's pure music for enthusiasts.
This Bullitt may not be the most practical car on the road, but it sure is a blast to drive. Steve McQueen would have loved it, too.
-- Canwest News Service
The Specs
Type of vehicle: Rear-wheel-drive sports coupe
Engine: 4.6-L SOHC V8
Power: 315 hp 6,000 r.p.m.; 325 lb-ft of torque 4,250 r.p.m.
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires: P235/50ZR18
Price: base/as tested: $38,494/$43,019
Destination charge: $1,250
Transport Canada fuel economy L/100 km: 13.8 city, 8.7 hwy.
Standard features: Air-conditioning, power windows with one-touch up/down, cruise control, power mirrors and door locks with remote-keyless entry, Shaker 500 audio system with six-disc in-dash CD player, MP3 compatibility, Sirius satellite radio, auxiliary input jack and eight speakers, tilt steering column, traction control, dual front and seat-mounted side airbags, tire-pressure monitoring system, power driver's seat, 18-inch Bullitt aluminum wheels
Options: Active anti-theft system ($320), wheel locks ($50), engine block heater ($75), DVD navigation system ($2,300), hands-free Bluetooth connectivity ($430)
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