Ford Builds One For Us: The *Official* 2008 Bullitt Mustang

[YSSMAN]

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.

On the inside, all Bullitts will be finished in black leather with an engine-turned metal applique spanning the dashboard. An aluminum ball sits on top of the shift lever while a thicker leather covered rim provides a better grip on the steering wheel.

The mechanicals get a variety of refinements from the Ford Racing catalog. The engine gets revised calibrations, new camshaft timing and a low restriction air cleaner. Those tweaks are enough to yield a slight bump in output to 315 HP and 325 lb-ft of torque. To help transform that power into forward motion, the Bullitt gets the GT500's rear axle with a 3.73:1 final drive ratio. The suspension gets revised spring and damping rates along with a lowered rear ride height for improved handling.

Since the Bullitt will be built in strictly limited quantities, it of course has the obligatory serial number to indicate it's special status. Unlike most such vehicles, instead of putting the number plate on the dash, the Bullitt will have its cast aluminum strut tower brace emblazoned with the serial number. The serial numbers, by the way, will run from 0001 to 7700. After the Bullitt starts rolling off of the Flat Rock, MI assembly line sometime in the first quarter of 2008, Ford will ship 7,000 of them to dealers across the United States. A further 700 will get assigned to Canadian showrooms. Once those 7,700 cars are gone, that's it. There will be no 2009 Mustang Bullitt.

If a green Mustang with a bare grille appeals to you, U.S. dealers will start the bidding at $31,075. If past specials are anything to go by, the out the door price will likely include an extra financial incentive to the dealer to convince them that you are deserving. Stay tuned for our First Drive impression tomorrow direct from the streets of San Francisco.

Can anyone say "Coolest modern Mustang, evah!?"

If I had the money, there would be one in my driveway... Previous hatred of Ford completely thrown out the window. Its easily one of the nicest looking cars I've seen in a while, and although it isn't much more than a stripped-down Mustang, its damn-near-perfect. Too bad the Highland Green color will probably go away afterwards... IMO, its one of the only colors I really like on the car...

 

[JCE]

I'm in love. No extra...as they put it..."puffery", no cool looking but functionless hood scoops, and no stupid badges anywhere. Its just a low-down badass street ride. I'll have mine in that green please. My only mod request is that pretty little Eaton supercharger. :drools:

 

[High-Test]

.............

The spirit of Steve has been appeased. That. Is.. So. Awesome. I really like the thin Chrome ring around the grille that harks back to the days of old. It's a very nice touch. Is that on the stock mustangs?
My only beef is that the chrome insert isn't a complete ring. It looks a little off, but a tiny blemish on a kick-ass FoMoCo product.

I'll second JCE and say that I've fallen in love with a Mustang.

I'll have to borrow my dad's Black 2006 Charger and follow one around If I see one over the summer in Kansas city. Odds are I'll lose at least seven hubcaps in doing it..

 

[Joey D]

I do believe I want one of those in my driveway right now.

 

[High-Test]

Maybe Smallhorses needs an avatar update?

 

[xXSilencerXx]

UG O LY. I hat ethe way those Mustangs look. Give me one of the last generation ones. But of course givin the choice I will always choose my T/A over a IMO crappy mustang.

 

[a6m5]

Way cool. 👍 I'm not too picky though. While I like the features of this edition, I still wouldn't mind the regular GT.

 

[Tornado]

Oh, so another limited edition, way overpriced Mustang that is essentially a paint and grill job? Well, despite being one of them, at least it looks cool. Something that can't be said for the even more expensive GT-H/Shelby GT.

 

[JCE]

I think you can get this model for under $40k which would still be a good deal considering just how cool it looks AND it has an upgraded suspension to go along with those few engine tweaks. It just isn't a paint and grille mod, it has actual useful performance stuff on it. But, the 315bhp aside--its the suspension that will be the real reason to like this "overpriced" Mustang. Bullitt Mustangs have always been cool--and this is no exception in my book. Which makes it a win-win situation to me. Cool looks with actual added performance benefit--doesn't that constitute a win for Ford?

 

[TopHat]

Want. My dad will want. :tup: Everyone will want.

 

[harrytuttle]

Can anyone say "Second coolest modern Mustang, evah!?"

Fixed. 👍





Oh, the 2008's okay, if overpriced. I'm sure there'll be hundreds of clones by next week anyway.

 

[JCE]

I'd love to clone it, I think this would be the best one to clone actually. It wouldn't be very hard or expensive to do it. You'll take off more than you'll put on--on the exterior.

 

[YSSMAN]

Fixed. 👍

Well, obviously... You simply cannot beat the original! It was probably the first Ford I actually fell in love with, and me being a General sort of guy, that pretty much shook the foundations for a bit.

Still, this new one clearly is better than it's predecessor:

Thats not to say that I don't love that one, but this one is soooooo much better!

===

And once again, Highland Green is still the best-looking color the car ever came in...

 

[McLaren]

Good idea. Too bad it's just another 1 of the 3,457,058 Mustang models out now.

 

[JCE]

That doesn't detract from the fact that this might be the second best Mustang money can buy--after the regular stock GT. That's like saying there's a million different ways to cook some beef--so beef sucks.

 

[Matt R]

Why does everyone like this so much? It's ugly. It looks like a crappy V6. I'd much rather spend 30k on a car that at least turned heads.

 

[YSSMAN]

Probably because this is what every Mustang fanboy has dreamed about since the concept debuted back in 2004. Reliving Bullitt with the proper car, its just perfect, and honestly I've be absolutely pissed that Ford never got around to offering the car in the right color green. The pea-soup nastyness just won't cut it for me.

The thing I like most about the car is that it doesn't look fast. It slips in under the radar, without any flash, and leaves in a hurry. While it certainly is yet-another special-edition Mustang (number six by my count), this is the one that so many of us have been waiting for.

Maybe I'll pick up a used one and do much the same. Thing is, I'll add a few more of the proper touches... Blacking out the trim around the bottom, adding the cover over the rear-window, and keeping all of the badges off. Only extra bit I want is a way to figure out how to get the wood trim on the inside...

 

[Tornado]

I think you can get this model for under $40k which would still be a good deal considering just how cool it looks AND it has an upgraded suspension to go along with those few engine tweaks. It just isn't a paint and grille mod, it has actual useful performance stuff on it. But, the 315bhp aside--its the suspension that will be the real reason to like this "overpriced" Mustang.

Oh, so it is exactly like the comically expensive Shelby GT, in that the "upgraded suspension" and "tweaked engine" do nothing to the car except give Ford the ability to say it isn't just a stripe package? This is purely a stripe package designed for slobbering dolts with more money than sense will look at this car and say "wow, special," and Ford dealers get to say "Wow, another sucker!"

Cool looks with actual added performance benefit--doesn't that constitute a win for Ford?

Not when "under 40,000 for performance benefits you couldn't notice with a GPS system" is 13,000 more than the normal car.
See, the amazing thing with the Mustang is that the 13,000 you save with a normal GT could be spent pulling off all of the badges (cost= $0), and spray painting the grill black (cost= $4). Which gives you $12,996 to play with the suspension and engine yourself. And I'm sure you would come up with a hell of a lot more special car than this, even if you sent it to Saleen or Roush to do it for you.

 

[Kent]

You know... It amazes me how some great cars can go under appreciated.

My local "bar" or "pub" owner is in the process of purchasing a new Mustang GT. He's really looking forward to delivery.
However, the dealer screwed up and his early sept/oct??? purchase date turn out as a late sept/oct order placement and he's waiting until late november.

Here's the "under appreciated" part of the story...
Upon recieving news of the mistake he decided to walk the lot and view other cars of similar price, he found the Roush Mustang (of some tuning level) and said "yeah, it sucked, didn't have a/c or anything... (I interrupted and said "trackday car")... "exactly, it's something for the track, not the road" he says...

At that moment I knew he wasn't appreciating a car with great value for the enthusiast.

Sure no a/c but... frankly , I'm a fat guy and I don't use the a/c in my corolla. I'm sure the Roush with no a/c is going to be amazing. "Pony up" and get a real sports car.

Didn't actually say that (I was drinking in his bar after all ) but my hopes were that the Roush could find an appreciative owner one day.

Maybe these bullitts will be so lucky as well. 👍

 

[YSSMAN]

Oh, so it is exactly like the comically expensive Shelby GT, in that the "upgraded suspension" and "tweaked engine" do nothing to the car except give Ford the ability to say it isn't just a stripe package? This is purely a stripe package designed for slobbering dolts with more money than sense will look at this car and say "wow, special," and Ford dealers get to say "Wow, another sucker!"

Very true when many dealers would be happy to tack-on the normal $14,000 "market value" adjustment on the price as well. Thing is, I believe these will be more-rare than the Shelby GT models...

Not when "under 40,000 for performance benefits you couldn't notice with a GPS system" is 13,000 more than the normal car.
See, the amazing thing with the Mustang is that the 13,000 you save with a normal GT could be spent pulling off all of the badges (cost= $0), and spray painting the grill black (cost= $4). Which gives you $12,996 to play with the suspension and engine yourself. And I'm sure you would come up with a hell of a lot more special car than this, even if you sent it to Saleen or Roush to do it for you.

Well, lets consider this; Considering that most Mustang GTs go for about $27-28K fully-loaded, the MSRP increase of $3000 seems justified in my book, particularly when you're paying for a 1 in 7700 model that portrays a legend, and really gets the enthusiast blood flowing.

Consider this as well; If you were to walk to the Ford dealer tomorrow, buy a GT and take everything off, the changing of the paint alone is going to atleast $2000 to the price if you don't do it yourself... Its not a Bullitt if it isn't Highland Green!

 

[High-Test]

Maybe I'll pick up a used one and do much the same. Thing is, I'll add a few more of the proper touches... Blacking out the trim around the bottom, adding the cover over the rear-window, and keeping all of the badges off. Only extra bit I want is a way to figure out how to get the wood trim on the inside...

I like the way you think.

Better Yet, get some actual Torq-Thrust D's and stamp the hood.

I think this one will be a collector's item in the future. The Bullitt name alone gives it some prestige.

 

[niky]

Just 3000 more? But what will they go for after dealer markups?

But if the price difference between that and a loaded "standard" GT isn't that big, I think the nice new wheels and the quicker differential would probably be worth it.

Of course, give me a "standard" GT and point me at a shop that can install LSDs, and I'll be happy...

 

[Jim Prower]

YES. That car should've been available in Highland Green from the start. It's one of the most handsome late-model Mustangs ever.

Even better than Motor Trend's clone a few years back. Truth be told, this one gets the deep freeze on the cool wall.

 

[YSSMAN]

Autoblog has a full write-up on the Bullitt here, but I will post some of the better details:

...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 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...

...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...

...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...

Check out the full photo gallery here as well

I simply love it. I wish I had the money, I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

 

[super cirrus]

why must it have such narrow ass wheels? Looks like a v6 with bullitt wheels... Maybe it'll change if i see it in person, but i actually think i like the previous gen better

 

[McLaren]

Very true when many dealers would be happy to tack-on the normal $14,000 "market value" adjustment on the price as well. Thing is, I believe these will be more-rare than the Shelby GT models...

These things will definately be more common. The name alone will sell them. Then again, maybe I haven't seen 1 Shelby GT down here b/c nobody in Tx is stupid enough to buy 1.

 

[super cirrus]

These things will definately be more common. The name alone will sell them. Then again, maybe I haven't seen 1 Shelby GT down here b/c nobody in Tx is stupid enough to buy 1.

Uhh..im in tx and i've seen a couple. definately not many though.

 

[Joey D]

why must it have such narrow ass wheels? Looks like a v6 with bullitt wheels... Maybe it'll change if i see it in person, but i actually think i like the previous gen better

The wheels do not look all that narrow to me, how wide do you want these things?

 

[TheCracker]

The Bullitt name alone gives it some prestige.

Why, when you already have models that echo previous Mustang greats like the GT500, GT-H and BOSS versions, does a film replica have such prestige?

It's the Ford equivalent of these:

 

[Jim Prower]

But those are aftermarket tape-and-Stripe packages. The General should have American Racing Vectors, anyway, and any self-respecting New Beetle Herbie should have steelies painted white. With no center caps.

The Ford Bullitt is a classy, understated tribute to one of the greatest car chases of all time, not someone's vinyl-tape dreams.