Like Old School Muscle? Ford Delivers in the New Mustang Bullitt
This might be better than the original.
Chevrolet has its “Transformer” Camaros. Pontiac has the “Smokey and the Bandit” Firebirds. 50 years after stealing the show in the iconic movie “Bullitt,” Ford brings us the updated, fast, technology-packed, version of the bad-to-the-bone, 1968 Ford Mustang Bullitt. It’s never been a better time to channel your inner tough guy, er… girl. This legendary performance car is pure American muscle inside and out, but more user-friendly to drive than your dad’s old muscle car. The Ford Mustang Bullitt delivers.
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Fast and Fun, Driving The Mustang Bullitt Is Pure Excitement
The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt is the fastest non-Shelby Mustang you can get on the market today. Priced competitively, it starts at $47,590 including a destination charge and $52,980 loaded. It comes standard with many of the GT Premium features, plus tons of performance upgrades. As a result, the 5.0L V8 engine makes 489 horsepower with 420 lb-ft of torque. Meaning, this car is fast. Not just fast on the freeway, but all that torque means it threw me back in the driver’s seat when I floored it from a stoplight. Something I’ll admit is what I did every time I was lucky enough to be first in line at a red light.
When a Car Sounds Like This, It’s Music to Your Ears
And can we talk about the sound this Mustang Bullitt makes? With many “sports cars” today sounding like nothing more than a whisper, step on the gas pedal in this one and an old school throaty rumble had me turning down the Apple CarPlay at every takeoff. And thanks to the Active Valve Performance exhaust system, it has that signature pop and burble sound that literally makes everyone stop and take notice, and forces a smile on the face of even the most unpretentious of drivers.
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Aggressive Stance on the Outside, High Tech Luxury on the Inside
This particular Mustang Bullitt came with the BULLITT Electronics Package ($2100) which includes:
- voice-activated navigation
- blind-spot monitoring
- upgraded 12-speaker B&O audio system
- memory driver’s seat and side mirrors
- ambient lighting
A few other high tech touches include:
- The 12-inch digital instrument cluster lets you personalize your gauges with three different views – Normal, Sport, and Track. If that’s not enough, it also allows you to change the gauge colors to match your mood! Ooh, la la!
- Exterior Pony projection lamps
- LED taillights with sequential turn signal
- Aluminum Bullitt badge on door sills and dash
- Two smart-charging USB ports
- Dual-zone auto climate controls
- Rearview camera
- Signature cue ball gear shift knob – like the original Bullitt!
- Leather-wrapped heated steering wheel
- Performance Recaro leather seats with green stitching
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An Awesome Drive
I drove the Bullitt on some perfectly curved backroads outside of Austin. The best way to describe how this car took the corners: imagine being on a roller coaster, the feeling of how it hugged the rails as you whipped around the turns. Low, solid, precise…controlled. I felt every inch of that corner, which gave me the confidence to take the next one even quicker!
Ford Makes it Better for Every Driver
If you watched that iconic car chase in the movie “Bullitt”, you’ll notice how much slipping and sliding the 1968 Mustang did around those San Francisco streets. Although McQueen made it look easy, it was not. Ford knew that and in order to make it more driver-friendly for the rest of us, they installed the MagnaRide dampening system. In other words, you get that soft suspension that dreamy luxury cars are made of, but when you need to corner, it suddenly becomes the stiff suspension you need to handle the car safely in that turn. Definitely worth the extra $1695 to make you feel like a true race car driver!
The one catch to all this awesomeness? It is only offered in a six-speed manual transmission. If you don’t already know how to drive a standard, make your parents proud and start learning.
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Who Should Buy This Car?
The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt is not for the fly-under-the-radar type of driver. It’s low, loud, and has a commanding presence. If that’s something you love in a car, this is the perfect ride for you. Because of the wide tires to the angular LED headlights, it’s one of the baddest looking cars on the road today. However, the Bullitt does have a softer side, it’s equipped with a quiet mode and quiet start provision.
The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt has it all. Speed, looks, high-tech luxuries, the feeling of nostalgia and that good ole American Muscle.
Above all, after driving this car for a week, I decided this car will be at the top of my list of “cars that put me in a better mood by just looking at it.” Yes, that’s a real list!
Disclosure: Thank you to Ford, who loaned me this 2019 Mustang Bullitt for the week. All opinions are my own.
Categorized:Car Reviews Sports Cars