click above image to view some gorgeous high-res live shots of the Bullit
Just as Autoblog announced the debut of the 2008 Bullitt Mustang, Ford was allowing a select number of journalists to drive the car in San Francisco, a fitting location for the car's debut. We were fortunate enough to receive an invite, and are fresh out of the driver's seat ready to report. Read on after the jump...
Ford provided the vehicles for testing. Autoblog does not accept travel or lodging from automakers when attending media events.
Live Photos Copyright ©2007 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.
While we had a good idea of what the Bullitt would look like, we examined closely all of the new visual details – the new grille, wheels, spoiler delete, etc. It's definitely understated, but that will most likely appeal to its buyer. The San Francisco fog didn't help the car stand out, unfortunately. On the road it didn't attract too much attention – it almost looked like a de-badged V6 Mustang trying to pose as a GT. Still, there was the occasional person we passed who knew what they were looking at.
The outside of the car is certainly understated, but the inside is as well, though in a different way. The details are what really help spark up the interior, like the new shifter, the GT500 seats that have been reupholstered just for the Bullitt, the leather-wrapped steering wheel with the Bullitt logo, the unique gauges, and the engined-turned metal dash that looks fantastic. Those seats are quite comfortable yet supportive and felt much better than the stock GT. We didn't complain at all after several hours in the car.
Much of that praise should also be shared with the new suspension. The setup is somewhere in between the stock Mustang GT and the Shelby GT. It feels more planted than the GT, but not as harsh as the Shelby. It's a good compromise that makes for a better daily driver – it soaks up bumps in the road quite nicely and still stays planted under hard cornering.
While some might have been hoping for more performance, the 3:73 gears along with the extra 15 ponies make the Bullitt feel quite a bit faster than a stock GT. We're guessing that it will break the five second mark from 0-60 mph, and run the quarter mile in the very low 13s. The exhaust note is rather quiet from inside the cabin, but actually sounds aggressive from outside of the car. This is another factor that would make it ideal as a daily driver.
We will be driving the Bullitt again tomorrow, and will conclude our driving impressions and bring you additional photos from Day 2. Stay tuned...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Steve Shin @ Nov 6th 2007 10:12PM
Are you guys sure three Mustang Bullitt posts is enough for one day?
500 @ Nov 6th 2007 10:25PM
Is it just me, or do some of those shots of the Bullitt Mustang driving around San Francisco look really fake?
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-ford-mustang-bullitt/476400/
Rboyett @ Nov 6th 2007 11:13PM
No, its just you.
Sam Gross @ Nov 7th 2007 4:50PM
It's not just him, that's a press-kit photo, not a live one. It was probably done at a really low speed to get the image just right. Oh, and it mimics a shot from Bulitt (the movie) when McQueen was driving home at the beginning of the movie.
500 @ Nov 7th 2007 12:07PM
Haha I knew SOMEONE would say that.
Jim @ Nov 6th 2007 10:25PM
" it almost looked like a de-badged V6 Mustang trying to pose as a GT"
Almost?
"While some might have been hoping for more performance ... it will break the five second mark from 0-60 mph, and run the quarter mile in the very low 13s."
Probably quite a bit better than the original.
Big John @ Nov 7th 2007 3:33PM
So how do you look at the exterior of a vehicle and judge the 0-60 and quarter times? Those were two completely unrelated parts of the report.
Scott @ Nov 6th 2007 10:28PM
Looks like the drive was done on the same streets and highways as the big chase scene in the movie. Nice.
Corey L @ Nov 6th 2007 10:41PM
I can see my house in those pics! OK, maybe not, but welcome to SF!!! :D
You should've made a U-turn and made that right onto Hwy 84 for twisties: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-ford-mustang-bullitt/476450/
ansky @ Nov 6th 2007 11:01PM
its really not impressive to me at all. I can understand staying true to the original idea but that car is as plain as the regular stock mustang save some badges and trim.
its just seems very boring to me.
davidk @ Nov 6th 2007 11:17PM
are you kidding I don't like mustangs at all but they did some really good things to this one. Different gearing, more horsepower, really good seats, debadged, cleanest lines, better suspension, wider wheels, nicer more unique interior. Sounds about like what most people do to their mustangs when they modify them. This is one mustang I wouldn't mind owning.
ansky @ Nov 6th 2007 11:23PM
see i love mustangs but this is just one that doesnt strike me as anything special... aesthetically. I can respect the basic tuning but the look of it just doesnt do it for me. Its a debadged racing green. whats special about that?
jd @ Nov 6th 2007 11:29PM
The Mustang in the film Bullitt was the same color and had a similar design treatment: no badges, no silly body kitting, minimal chrome trim. The car is an icon of film. The Ford Bullitt Mustang hasn't ever looked so much like the actual Bullitt Mustang as it does here.
The special-ness is in the history. Too, and as has been mentioned on this site, the new Bullitt Mustang looks much more tasteful and restrained than other factory-modded Mustangs. I suppose that's a matter of opinion.
Daniel @ Nov 7th 2007 12:12AM
ansky, that's exactly what I was saying in the other article. I just don't see anything special. As said before, it looks like a debadged V6 mustang with dual exhaust.
Dan @ Nov 6th 2007 11:14PM
All Mustangs, all the time?
Rboyett @ Nov 6th 2007 11:16PM
For 31K, I would have expected more than a 15HP increase. But does the NAV unit come standard? If so, that helps make up the price difference.
As for the styling, I love it. Its very understated, very Anti-Rice. However why they hell can't Ford drop a pumped up (but normally aspirated) 5.2 in there? They do realize they've gotta compete with the Camaro next year, right?
Doug @ Nov 7th 2007 12:06AM
You mean 5.4, not 5.2. Sorry, had to say it.
davidk @ Nov 6th 2007 11:19PM
they said 25 not 15
Xcountryflyer @ Nov 6th 2007 11:41PM
Very stealth.
strongbadinator @ Nov 6th 2007 11:54PM
This might have been cool had autoblog not posted 18,000 posts about different 'special edition hennessy cobra type R spyder mach 1 DOHC GT-R mustang edition super number ones'. I am SO sick of new 'editions' of the freaking mustang.