50 years ago Steve McQueen's "Frank Bullitt" character ripped up the streets of San Francisco in car chase scene that would become one of the most iconic of all time. His vehicle of choice was a '68 Mustang GT Fastback in Highland Green—a car that would become as beloved as the film itself.
Beginning in 2001, Ford introduced a special edition Mustang GT inspired by the film. It was available in either Highland Green or black and featured special wheels, badging, interior trim and unique suspension and engine upgrades. They followed that up with another Bullitt Mustang in '08 using a similar formula. This weekend at the North American International Auto Show, Ford debuted the 2019 Mustang Bullitt.
Once again, the theme is stylish and understated—with a return of Highland Green or black body colors, unique trim and wheels inspired by the original's five-spoke Torq Thrusts. This time, there's also a modest performance bump when compared to the standard issue Mustang GT.
The final power figures haven't been confirmed yet, but Ford says the Bullitt's 5.0L V8 will make over 475hp, which further closes the gap between the GT and the GT350. The car's active exhaust system should also give it a tone not unlike McQueen's '68.
Pricing hasn't been announced , but we'd expect the Bullitt's MSRP to split the difference between a well-equipped GT and a base GT350 when it goes on sale later this summer.
While they never were the fastest, or most hardcore variants of the Mustang, Bullitt cars have always been some of the coolest–just like the film that inspired them. We have no doubt that will be the case with the latest one.