{"id":122536,"date":"2018-01-14T17:59:27","date_gmt":"2018-01-14T22:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=122536"},"modified":"2018-01-14T18:40:39","modified_gmt":"2018-01-14T23:40:39","slug":"ford-bites-the-bullitt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2018\/01\/ford-bites-the-bullitt\/","title":{"rendered":"Ford Bites the Bullitt"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt will be more powerful - and 8 mph faster - than the Mustang GT.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Bullitt is back, Ford dropping the first big surprise of the 2018 North American International Auto Show by announcing that it will revive the badge made famous by screen star Steve McQueen in a series of legendary chase scenes in the 1968 film that made the Ford Mustang his tire-squealing co-star.<\/p>\n

The Mustang Bullitt will be offered as a limited-edition 2019 model boasting 475 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque \u2013 even more than the latest-edition Mustang GT. It will be offered, of course, in the same Dark Highland Green \u2014 though it will also be offered in Shadow Black \u2013 paint as the pony car that McQueen drove 50 years ago in one of his most iconic film turns.<\/p>\n

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Performance News!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s badass,\u201d declared McQueen\u2019s granddaughter, Molly McQueen, who helped introduce the 2019 Mustang Bullitt during the first official news conference of this year\u2019s Detroit Auto Show. \u201cThis car does something that really channels the spirit of my grandfather.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the first time that Ford has bolted the Bullitt badge on a Mustang, but it\u2019s the most powerful, most sophisticated and fastest, the new pony car boasting a top speed of 163 mph \u2013 8 mph faster than the newest GT \u2013 using the classic Mustang 5.0-liter V-8.<\/p>\n

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Ford also rolled out one of the original cars used to film "Bullitt" back in 1968.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(Mustang heats things up with Performance Pack Level 2. <\/em>Click Here<\/a><\/span>\u00a0for the story.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Set to reach showrooms this the summer, the 2019 Mustang Bullitt harkens back to the raw muscle car that McQueen drove in his role as a San Francisco police detective, his granddaughter suggesting \u201cIt\u2019s a minimalist work of art.\u201d<\/p>\n

Molly McQueen actually had to learn how to drive a stick for her scenes in a video Ford showed during its news conference Sunday evening. As fans would likely find appropriate, the Mustang Bullitt will only be offered with a manual transmission, albeit one with six gears, rather than the original four. But there\u2019s a classic ball shift knob that Steve McQueen likely would have felt comfortable with.<\/p>\n

The reborn Bullitt is pretty much stripped to the bare essentials, noted designer Darrell Behmer, no stripes, spoilers or badges. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t need to scream about anything,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s just cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The third iteration of the Bullitt Mustang this century is also the fastest and most refined.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other distinctive features that harken back to the film include chrome accents around the grille and front windows, torque thrust 19-inch aluminum wheels, a unique black front grille and a circular faux gas cap with the Bullitt logo. McQueen might have appreciated one modern concession: the red painted Brembo brakes.<\/p>\n

(<\/em>Click Here<\/a><\/span>\u00a0to see more about Ford’s plans to stealthily build Mustang sales in 2018.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

And there are a few concessions to modern sensibilities, including a leather-trimmed interior with green accent stitching.<\/p>\n

Keeping it simple, Ford said there will be just three available options:<\/p>\n