Special Mustang reprises epic Steve McQueen car chase
LAUNCH NEWS
Ford Motor Cars SA has confirmed that limited numbers of the special 2019 Mustang Bullitt will find their way to SA.
The Mustang Bullitt salutes the 50th anniversary of the classic Warner film which was released on October 17 1968. The film starred Steve McQueen as police lieutenant Frank Bullitt, who, chased by villains in a Dodge Charger, gets involved in one of the most epic movie car chases at the wheel of a Dark Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang.
Ford has recreated that vintage Mustang’s cool factor with the 2019 iteration of the 54year-old coupe. Bullitt combines elements of Mustang GT Premium and Performance Package content but adds a heated leather-clad steering wheel and a 12-inch all-digital LCD instrument cluster identical in function to the cluster of the regular Mustang but with a unique Bullitt welcome screen that starts with an image of the car rather than the standard pony.
Recaro Ebony Black leathertrimmed seats with unique green accent stitching extended on the dashboard, door panels and centre console add interior visual links to the legend.
The Bullitt version is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission with rev matching, gear shift indicator and a white cue ball shift knob in a nod to the original.
Thanks to a new open-air induction system and a Shelby GT350 intake manifold, the Bullitt’s unique performancetuned 5.0l V8 engine packs 358kW and 569Nm of torque — some 52kW and 39Nm stronger than a regular 5.0 GT.
The top speed is claimed to be 262km/h.
Exterior paint choices are limited to Shadow Black and classic Dark Highland Green — the latter as worn in the movie.
Other features paying tribute to the car McQueen drove are chrome accents around a unique black honeycomb grille and side windows, classic fivespoke heritage 19-inch aluminium wheels and red-painted BremboT brake calipers with larger rotors.
There is minimal badging inside and out; only a circular Bullitt logo emblem on the decklid adorns the exterior.
Local pricing and spec levels will be confirmed closer to local introduction.
THERE IS MINIMAL BADGING INSIDE AND OUT; ONLY A CIRCULAR BULLITT LOGO EMBLEM ON THE DECKLID ADORNS THE EXTERIOR