I recently had the opportunity to spend some time driving Ford's modern day interpretation of the Mustang Bullitt and came away wanting one in the worst way. It's true that the late model Mustang has issues, but no other car is able to channel that much soul, charisma and character through its steering column. The only thing better would be an actual 1968 Mustang GT 350 Fastback like the one Steve McQueen actually drove in the film. Fans of the car and McQueen are one step closer to realizing this dream thanks to the McQueen estate, which has authorized the building of official replica Bullit Mustangs in honor of the film's 40th anniversary. Ownership of the Bullit name is shared by the McQueen family and Warner Bros., so we're not sure who would actually build these replica Bullitts, but we'll be first in line when they eventually surface.
Triumph makes some of the most beautiful creations on two wheels, and they're latest release is... a t-shirt. But not just any t-shirt, this is the tee made famous by Steve McQueen, the dearly missed embodiment of the rough-and-tumble classic racing, and could be the perfect thing to wear under your retro Gulf Le Mans racing jacket.
To mark what would have been his 78th birthday, Triumph is launching a throwback edition of the iconic t-shirt popularized by the late McQueen. And they're not just capitalizing on the icon: the product is officially licensed by McQueen's estate. It's all vintaged-up, with the weathered Triumph logo on the front, "Steve McQueen Special Edition" on the back, and his signature on the sleeve. The 100% cotton tee is available from Triumph dealers in either black or white, both for those who want to be like McQueen (men) and for those who would have wanted to be with McQueen (women). It hits the market on March 24, after which Triumph will debut some summer styles too.
For a bit of year-end nostalgia, it would be hard to beat reading Steve McQueen reviewing eight grand tourers in the August, 1966 issue of Sports Illustrated. The cars that get the nod from the man behind Bullitt and Le Mans are the Jaguar E-type 2+2, Aston-Martin DB6, Ferrari 275 GTS, Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider, Porsche 911, Mercedes 230 SL, Corvette Sting Ray, and 427 Cobra.
And, of course, he starts off just as you would expect, saying that having only two American cars is about right in a field of eight, because American makers "have been a little backward about building sports and Grand Touring cars." He also talks about a lot of the cars he's owned, as well as his time racing. He doesn't choose a particular favorite among the cars he drives -- none of them appears to make him as happy as the Jaguar XK-SS he has in his own garage.
Our two favorite quotes: on the Alfa Romeo Duetto, "McQueen also admired its looks but would have liked more power from a $4,000 car"; and on the Porsche 911, "The Porsche 911 delighted McQueen with predictable handling in furious cornering, proving that Porsche has solved [the] oversteer problem Steve remembered from [his] racing days." And incredibly, the only car that Steve drives without a helmet: the 427 Cobra. Click the link to get the full story from The Cincinnati Kid himself.
On the Mustang front, the past seven days have been the week of the Bullitt. The media rush is in stark contrast to the Bullitt's understated demeanor, but with its 315 HP engine and track-tuned suspension, Steve McQueen's chase machine reincarnated deserves it. Yesterday we showed you Popular Mechanics' video of the Bullitt in action, and today we've got Ford's shot of its newest Mustang in motion pictures. The Blue Oval's piece has a lot less substance, but it still features the Bullitt sliding on pavement as if it were wearing ice skates. Check out the Mustang slip and slide after the jump.
The original Bullitt Mustang was one of the original sleepers, as all flash and flare were stripped in favor of a clean slate that could fly through the streets of San Francisco with the greatest of ease. The 2008 Bullitt has shed all the frivolities of the Shelby models, or even a stock GT, for that matter. What Ford did do was to add 15 HP through cold air induction and an engine re-calibration, made the ride more track-ready, and slid in the visual cues that brings us back to Steve McQueen's 40 year-old original.
The Popular Mechanics film crew was front and center for a sweet peak at what the 2008 Bullitt can really do, and it's a blast to watch. The newest Mustang spin-off dazzles out of the gate with an impressive array of wasted rubber while the green pony car keeps a tight orbit. We then learn some interesting facts about the Bullitt, like how Ford engineers designed the 4.6L V8 to deliver 315 HP on regular fuel, but the performance quotient increases if premium fuel is added. The extra .20 for 94 octane doesn't sound as bad when it's paying you back with extra ponies. Take a look at the video by clicking here, or hit the read link below. If you watch it and don't want to at least take a Bullitt for a spin, we're inclined to believe your interest in cars will one day pass.
click above image for high-res gallery of the 2008 Mustang Bullitt
The latest edition of everyone's favorite green Mustang is back and this one won't be featured on AutoblogGreen. Just in time for the 40th anniversary of one of the quintessential cinematic car chases, the 2008 Mustang Bullitt is coming to a Ford showroom near you. As expected, the new Bullitt is available in the Highland Green of Steve McQueen's original, but it can also be had in black. The goal according to Mustang design chief Doug Gaffka was to provide a more restrained alternative to some of the more flamboyant 'Stangs while providing great overall performance.
On the outside, the Bullitt is the first of the current generation of S197 Mustangs to be devoid of a pony badge anywhere on the car. The plain black grille is encircled by a simple chrome trim ring. The 18" Bullitt wheels recall those on the original, but the brake calipers are now painted a dark grey so as not draw attention to themselves. A round faux gas cap on the trunk lid wears a Bullitt badge centered in a gun sight graphic. A similar badge adorns the center of the steering wheel. Unlike the last Bullitt, this one keeps its standard fuel filler door. Spoilers, wings, fake scoops and all other such puffery are thankfully banished from this Mustang.
That gorgeous brown Ferrari we told you about a few days ago brought an incredible $2.3 million when it went across the block at the Christie's Auction last night. While this was one very special Lusso, the final bid doubled the auction estimate. This 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso was one of only 350 made and had a unique metallic brown paint job that you either loved or hated. Certaily the lines of this classic Ferrari couldn't be faulted. While regular Lussos can get into the $500,000 range, this one happened to have been ordered by legendary actor/racer Steve McQueen. It was his pride and joy until he traded it in for another classic Ferrari in 1973. Michael Regalia had purchased the car several years ago and after a full restoration it had emerged looking as good as the day McQueen took delivery. The catalog estimate for this car was $800,000 to $1.2 million, so the seller and auction house must be extremely pleased with the result.
This year's Christies Monterey Auction has a very special Ferrari Lusso as its star car. Finished in a rather un-Ferrari-like brown, it was the personal car of actor/racer Steve McQueen from new. Actually, the official name for the color is Marrone Metallizzato, and although a bit unexpected, it looks quite handsome on this very elegant Ferrari GT. The catalog description tells us that McQueen got the car in mid-1963 and that it was his daily driver for almost four years until he picked up another special Ferrari that took its place in his garage. With that kind of history, the seller expects it to easily fetch $1 million.
For all our joking about the seemingly endless parade of special edition, aftermarket, or niche-built Ford Mustangs, there is one that we're all waiting for: the Bullitt. We daydream about donning a turtleneck, popping in the jazzy Lalo Schifrin score and cruising around, looking for bad guys in black Chargers. And while there hasn't been a single photo leaked yet, the car's specs have finally made their way onto the web over at Mustang Evolution.
Like the last Bullitt-edition 'Stang, power output is bumped only slightly -- in this case, it's going to come in at 312 horses, thanks to the Ford Racing Power Pack. Other Bullitt mods include a retuned suspension, strut tower brace, x-pipe, new exhaust tips, V6-style grille (we hope that Ford deletes the pony badge, too), red brake calipers, 3:73 rear, 18" "Bullitt" wheels (our money's on black ones), and, of course, Highland Green paint. The car's also going to be available in black for the non-purists out there.
Pricing is still a mystery, but we now know that the program will go on for seven months and produce 7,000 cars for the US, and 700 for our Canuck friends. The full "Bullitted" list of known leaked info can be read here.
In addition to being one of Hollywood's coolest actors, Steve McQueen was also a racer and car collector. This stuntman-turned-actor liked to play hard, and his personal vehicle collection showed that. He actually owned one of the Bullitt Mustangs, plus the Porsche 917 and 911S from Le Mans. And McQueen was also fond of Ferraris. His very first one, in particular, was among his favorite cars by most accounts. It was a Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso. The Lusso, or "Luxury" Ferrari was a derivative of the 250 GT platform that spawned the legendary GTO and SWB. With its long flowing lines, it is considered to be among the most elegant GT cars of all time.
Steve's personal Lusso was finished in a metallic brown that was allegedly custom-ordered for its understated good looks, and it became his daily driver for more than ten years. Since leaving McQueen's collection, it has has passed through several hands before landing with its current owner in 1997. Since then, it has undergone a 4,000-hour concours-quality restoration and is considered one of the finest Lussos in the world. The car has been shown regularly on the West Coast since then and is now about to cross the auction block. Christie's will be offering it at Monterey in August, and estimates predict a sale in the $800,000 to $1,000,000 range. Before heading to Monterey, however, the car will be touring with the Christie's auctions when they hit New York in May, and in Greenwich in June.
Follow the jump for the Christie's press release. Our buddy Duane Steiner of SoCalSpeedZone has also provided us with a video clip of the car being described by its current owner, Michael Regalia.
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