2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt Review - Classic Cool

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey
Fast Facts

2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt Fast Facts

5.0-liter V8 (480 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm; 420 lb-ft @ 4,600 rpm)
Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
15 city / 24 highway / 18 combined (EPA Rating, MPG)
16.1 city, 9.9 highway, 13.3 combined. (NRCan Rating, L/100km)
Base Price
$46,595 (U.S) / $51,625 (includes $6,000 delivery allowance) (Canada)
As Tested
$51,485 (U.S.) / $53,475 (Canada)
Prices include $1,095 destination charge in the United States and $1,850 for freight, PDI, and A/C tax in Canada and, because of cross-border equipment differences, can't be directly compared.

Give Ford credit – the Blue Oval could, at any time, create a special Mustang Bullitt that’s little more than an appearance package.

Yet, the current Mustang Bullitt, like the one offered a decade ago, isn’t just a GT with cosmetic changes. It’s a certified bruiser that goes as well as it shows.

Sold in limited numbers for 2019 and 2020, the Bullitt wrings 480 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque out of the 5.0-liter V8 underhood.

It also pulls from the parts bin in order to goose performance. The intake manifold comes from the Shelby GT350, joining an open-air induction system and active-valve exhaust. The powertrain control module is tweaked, too. A magnetic semi-active suspension is also available.

Yeah, the cosmetic changes are cool as McQueen himself. The Dark Highland Green paint, the cue-ball shift knob, the 19-inch five-spoke aluminum wheels, the black grille, the chrome accents, the red-painted Brembo calipers, the relative lack of logos, the lack of a spoiler – all that makes for a unique and cohesive look.

Looks aren’t everything, of course.

The extra 20 horsepower compared to a GT isn’t all that noticeable on the street, but whatever, this thing is still f’ing fast. It still handles well. And it can still drop into relaxed cruise mode easily, especially if you turn the programmable exhaust to quiet mode.

[Get Ford Mustang Bullitt pricing here!]

My time with the car included a road trip to Road America in Wisconsin, and on the freeway in sixth gear with the exhaust muted, the car was a pleasant road tripper, though the suspension is stiff even in the softest drive mode.

The clutch and shifter work together well, arguably better than what’s on offer in manual-equipped GTs.

I thought fuel economy might be a concern, but I managed over 300 miles between fill-ups when driving gently. Due to shenanigans, my second tank didn’t stretch as far.

I’m happy to report that drag mode (drag as in racing, not glitter and heels) and launch control can help the ham-handed move the the car smoothly off the line when at the track, although I had no chance to test it; we’ll have to take Ford’s word for it. However, I can report that if you want to leave a generous helping of rubber behind in an empty parking lot, these aids can help with that, too.

For the most part, Sport and Sport + will be the drive modes you want engaged on the back roads, with normal being just fine for around-town driving and comfort softening the ride a tad on the freeway. Track, drag, and snow/ice are self-explanatory. While the exhaust note is tied to the various modes, you can also change it separately. Want to cruise in comfort and hear the pipes sing? You can do that. Want to attack a country road but keep the neighbors from calling the cops? You can quiet the note being pumped out of the back.

Outside of a few interior accents, a different welcome display from the digital dash, and a standard heated steering wheel, the car’s interior doesn’t vary much from a GT. Recaro seats are one of three options, along with the aforementioned magnetic suspension, and a package that includes nav, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alert, memory seat for the driver, and premium audio.

My tester had everything but the Recaros. Even though the cabin isn’t drastically different from the GT, that’s not a bad thing – I still dig the airplane-style switchgear, and the digital dash works well enough. The look is a tad long in the tooth, but it’s still handsome, and the cue-ball shifter is damn cool.

A 2019 Bullitt has a base price of $46,595 before D and D. The electronics package added $2,100 and the suspension $1,695, bringing my test ride to $51,485, including the $1,095 destination fee. If you want the Recaros, add $1,595. The Bullitt is also available in black paint, for some reason.

Obviously, the Bullitt makes sense for the future collector, given the small number of cars Ford will sell plus the mechanical differences from the regular GT. That said, I really hope those who plunk down $50K on this car don’t just park it in a clean garage or treat it as a trailer queen. It’s a hoot to drive, and it should be driven. Hard.

Just like Steve McQueen would’ve wanted.

[Images © 2020 Tim Healey/TTAC]

Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

More by Tim Healey

Comments
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2 of 33 comments
  • Pb35 Pb35 on Feb 26, 2020

    I love it. I want one. I'll never buy one. I had a GT when I was 20. Now that I'm 50? meh

  • BoltEVJay BoltEVJay on Feb 29, 2020

    Gotta get every last penny from boomer Steve McQueen fans before they die. Good business plan.

  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
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