Every car enthusiast remembers the iconic car chase scene in the 1969 action thriller flick “Bullitt”. A 1968 Dodge Charger R/T chases a Mustang GT in the steep streets of San Francisco, from the North Beach hub. 440 vs. 390. The main character, Steve McQueen, who played the role of the dedicated police officer, Lt. Frank Bullitt, did most of the driving in the Mustang himself. Few movies can claim to top the thrill and excitement of this classic movie, but none are more memorable than this one. It remains one of the most iconic car chase scenes ever.
To pay homage to the movie car, Ford produced a modern-day Bullitt Mustang in 2001, which featured mag wheels reminiscent of American racing torque surges, Highland Green paint, and other unique details. With the soaring demand, the brand built up to 5582 units for the 2001 model year, followed by the Mach One, which continued the heritage for years, along with a few special-edition models. Shortly after Ford released the 2005 Mustang, there was a lot of talk among Mustang enthusiasts about the reintroduction of the Bullitt edition.
Then, about 7 years later, four decades after hitting the big screen, what only seemed like speculation became a reality: The Ford Mustang Bullitt returned to the scene and rejoined the segment in 2008. Thanks to the strong V8, a special chassis, suspension tweaks, and a few appearance changes, the 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt not only embodied the true spirit of the 1968 movie car but set new standards for muscle cars. Only 5,808 units were made for the 2008 model year, with another 816 produced the following year.
Here are some of the features that made the 2008 Mustang Bullitt a powerful successor and a tribute machine to the ever-so-popular Bullitt movie car.
The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt Has A Race-Inspired Engine
The Ford Mustang Bullitt’s fun factor was concealed under the sleek hood, a 4.6-liter V8 engine. To set the Bullitt apart from the standard Mustang, the Bullitt’s engine was tuned to produce 315 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 325 pound-feet of torque at 4,250 RPM, which is 15 horsepower and 5 pound-feet of torque more than the standard 2008 Mustang GT. To generate this extra power, the Bullitt was fitted with a custom-designed dual exhaust system, stiffer shocks, upgraded brakes, and a strut brace for extra traction.
Also, to further improve the throttle response and acceleration, the engine was calibrated. In the end, the Bullitt's redline was boosted by around 250 RPM, and its top speed was significantly bumped up to 151 mph.
Power went to the rear wheels through Tremec 5-speed manual transmission. The Ford Racing-inspired engine intake sits well behind the driver's headlight, in an airbox designed specifically for the Mustang. To provide smooth air to the engine, Ford modified the hood liner to close off the airbox.
The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt Delivers A Balanced And Solid Performance
One of the strong attributes of the Bullitt was the exceptional chassis balance. Its low center of gravity gave it unrivaled stability and got rid of any weight transfer during cornering. This led to a smoother and more graceful ride. When compared to the standard GTs, the steering was more responsive and energetic.
The Ford Mustang Bullitt rolled on cast aluminum Euroflange wheels, with satin-finished silver-gray spokes and color-matched calipers that matched the original movie car and the 2001 Mustang Bullitt GT successor. But at 3,356 pounds, the Bullitt was considerably heavier, which added a few feet of braking distance, about 127 feet. It made this up for this with the high-performance P235/50ZR 18 BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDWS tires, which provided a decent grip on the skid pad.
There was a slight improvement in performance on the base Mustang GT, achieving a 60-mph sprint in just 5 seconds, placing it just 0.3 seconds ahead of the standard Mustang GT, and a quarter mile time of 102.7 mph in under 14 seconds.
The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt Has A Refined Interior
The Bullitt's cabin was dressed in Satin metallic trim, with Shelby GT-Style Sport Front Seats that were padded in Charcoal Black leather seats and diamond perforated stitching from the standard Mustang GT. Made using Ford’s then-new soy-based foam technology, the seats were made of 24 percent of renewable content, and provided added lumbar and bolster support.
For more exclusivity, the car featured a polished aluminum shifter ball that was only available on the Bullitt. The aluminum accents were also visible on the door handles and premier trim pedal covers. The cluster was significantly revised, gaining gunsight graphics and unique font.
The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt Has A Bold And Confident Character
The brand nailed the Bullitt's exterior appearance, giving it a cool detective/undercover cop look that matched the movie car.
And like the movie car and the 2001 tribute car, the 2008 Mustang Bullitt came in a back dark green paint and completely dropped the rear spoiler, and, in the typical Hollywood fashion, lacked exterior badging. A Bullitt-branded synthetic fuel cap was the only name found on the exterior of this Mustang, which was also visible on the door sills and steering wheel. Besides the Highland green shade, the Bullitt could also be had in a Solid Black color.
To copy more of the 1968 GT390 look, the Bullitt utilized the standard Mustang GT’s front fascia, and topped it up with a fog light-less grille, accentuated by a satin aluminum strip and chrome bezel, which, along with stylish headlights, gave the Bullitt an aggressive finish. The rear fascia is also shared with the Mustang GT, boosted by the unique 3.5-inch stainless steel packed exhaust tips.