DRIVERS LOG: 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt

EXECUTIVE EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I?m sure that if it hasn?t happened already, it will very soon: All 7700 Mustang Bullitts will be sold. Recall that...


EXECUTIVE EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I?m sure that if it hasn?t happened already, it will very soon: All 7700 Mustang Bullitts will be sold. Recall that it took only a couple of months to sell all 5000 of the ?01 Bullitts.?

I like Mustang GTs, and I like this new Bullitt--so much more than that last version, too. I like the car?s understated looks--no god-awful scoops or spoilers hanging off it, nothing overly shiny. The ?01 car came with a bunch of embellishments not true to the movie car, and for which I didn?t much care, such as the shiny fuel door and red brake calipers?and especially the rear decklid spoiler. Ick.

This new Bullitt also comes with 15 hp more than a regular GT, but that?s inconsequential, as I can?t feel them and they probably would barely register on timing lights. More important is that the Bullitt, like all GTs, relies on an old-school setup--honkin?, sweet-sounding V8, live rear axle, overboosted steering, etc.--and it drives that way. In other words, there?s plenty of tire-spinning power but only so-so road manners when you throw in a few thousand early-spring Detroit potholes. Crumbling pavement or no, it?s fun to squirt in and out of traffic, and the thing is a rocket on the freeway. Just drop ?er down a gear and take off.

It?s all good as far as I?m concerned. I wouldn?t want Ford to change a thing. Okay, a bit more power certainly would be welcome, but it?s still a great package overall.



EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JONATHAN WONG: I?m not usually a fan of the constant stream of special-edition Mustangs that Ford releases to try to keep the model line ?fresh,? but the Bullitt hits all the right cylinders for me. As Raynal pointed out, there are no garish exterior fixings anywhere. Instead, Ford kept things really low-key to retain the stealthy look of Steve McQueen?s, er, Frank Bullitt?s car. It even deleted the foglamps, blacked out the brake calipers and removed the prancing pony emblem from the grille. The addition of a pair of 3.5-inch polished stainless-steel exhaust tips out back is a nice touch, though.

While a little extra punch, slightly quicker throttle response and higher redline are nice, I?m most impressed with how well the car handles. With more aggressive shocks and struts than on the regular GT, as well as the addition of a strut tower brace, Ford has dialed in a sweet spot where you can induce controlled oversteer at will or keep it tidy around a corner with good grip. Overall, the car feels tauter, with better control of body motions as you fling it from corner to corner. Of course, the live rear axle does make the rear feel skittish on poor pavement.

I also really liked the beefy steering wheel and the super-supportive seats, both borrowed from the awesome GT500. The throwback Torq-Thrust-style mag wheels also really suit the car?s style, and the brakes tucked behind are more than up to the task. The engine?s quicker throttle response makes it a breeze to match revs as you work your way down the gearbox.

Then there?s the exhaust note, which was tuned to match the 1968 movie car?s. It is a great sound to hear when you kill traction control and drop the hammer from a stop. © 2008 AutoWeek.com, Inc. All rights reserved.