20,000-Mile Update
During the winter months, Michigan’s freezing temperatures and intermittent snowstorms often send muscle cars into hibernation. However, the season of salt didn’t stop our staff from regularly strapping into the saddle of our long-term Ford Mustang. There is no rest for long-term cars, as evidenced by our Bullitt, which accumulated its second 10,000 miles in about the same amount of time that it collected its first.
In a fleet that includes several high-riding crossovers and other practical options, that the Bullitt remained popular in ugly weather is a testament to our fondness for a Ford with a thumping V-8. Still, the last five months would’ve been fraught with risk if we hadn’t swapped the original Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer rubber for a set of Pirelli Sottozero Series II winter tires, which cost $ 1189 from Tire Rack.
Investing in winter tires transformed our driving behavior from cautious to confident. In icy and snowy conditions, the Sottozeros provide plenty of grip when accelerating, cornering, and braking. In dry and cold conditions, the Pirellis, which fall in the performance winter category, still maintain high grip levels and don’t suffer from the soft-tread squirm that nonperformance winter tires often exhibit. Clearly impressed, senior online editor Mike Sutton wrote, “The tires don’t want to break loose at anything short of full throttle.” Most days, our drive to work isn’t akin to crossing a frozen lake, but venturing out during an unexpected snowstorm on a set of summer tires is a bit like trying to play ice hockey while wearing a pair of Chuck Taylors.
Thankfully, the Pirellis didn’t generate any additional tire noise inside the cabin compared with the stock rubber. A few of our other winter-tire-wearing long-termers, such as the Honda Passport, haven’t been so quiet. The only issue we had with our Mustang’s new rubber was a minor puncture. After shelling out $ 20 to plug the leak, we were on our way. The tire fix happened right around 1600 miles, after we had taken the Bullitt to the dealer for a scheduled oil-change service that was prompted by the car’s oil-life monitor. The latter procedure cost us $ 56, and it came nearly 4000 miles after we unexpectedly had to add about a quart of oil, which we wrote about in our 10,000-mile update (below).
Otherwise, the winter tires worked flawlessly in even the most adverse conditions. Plus, for those worried about sending too much of the V-8’s thrust to the ground, there’s a selectable Snow/Wet drive mode, which is activated by flipping the right-most toggle switch on the bottom of the center stack. This dulls the throttle’s response and puts the traction-control system on high alert, effectively thwarting the driver’s requests for more power when grip is low.
Over the past 10,000 miles, the Bullitt’s logbook has begun to read like a teenager’s diary. Its pages are littered with giddy notes about how good the Mustang makes us feel. Copy chief Carolyn Pavia-Rauchman wrote, “It’s a great car for feeling young.” Of course, the most common comment was how wonderful its throaty V-8 sounds. “It’s the only car in our long-term fleet that rumbles,” said staff editor Austin Irwin. The Bullitt’s cushy driver’s seat and smooth ride drew praise from senior editor Joey Capparella, who is still haunted by the hard and uncomfortable Recaros in our 2016 Mustang GT and the punishing ride of our 2017 Shelby GT350.
The Bullitt most recently logged its longest journey when social media editor Michael Aaron clocked over 1200 miles on a round trip from Car and Driver HQ in Ann Arbor to his hometown of Greenwich, Connecticut. His route found him primarily on highways, but the drive gave him ample time to appreciate the Bullitt’s grand-touring abilities. Whether he was interacting with the Mustang’s responsive Sync 3 touchscreen, adjusting the tone of the Bullitt’s variable exhaust system, or rowing through the six-speed Getrag gearbox, the charismatic pony car proved charming over the long haul.
Months in Fleet: 10 months Current Mileage: 20,682 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 18 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 16.0 gal Observed Fuel Range: 280 miles
Service: $ 114 Normal Wear: $ 4 Repair: $ 0
Damage and Destruction: $ 20
10,000-Mile Update
With its classy Dark Highland Green paint and resounding Coyote V-8, our long-term Ford Mustang Bullitt has commanded a lot of attention over the course of its initial 10,000 miles. “Badass” is but one of the many unsolicited descriptors that we’ve heard while gassing up its tank. Yet the Bullitt’s badassery goes far beyond the constant stares and regular compliments from casual observers and enthusiasts alike. This special-edition Mustang simply enchants us with its palpable nostalgia and everyday performance.
There’s a reason the Bullitt’s logbook is riddled with positive comments about its bewitching exhaust note and surprisingly comfy interior. Unlike the sea of anonymous sporty coupes, the McQueen-esque Mustang can seamlessly transform dour daily commutes into exciting excursions. Simply slide into its snug, leather-covered driver’s seat, depress the clutch pedal, punch the engine’s start/stop button, and palm the cue-ball shifter as the 5.0-liter V-8 rumbles to life. The experience has become both cathartic and almost natural since the Bullitt earned a spot in our long-term fleet.
The Mustang’s interior splits the difference between the claustrophobic confines of the Chevrolet Camaro and the loungelike cabin of the Dodge Challenger. With unobstructed sightlines and ample passenger space, Ford’s pony car is packaged better than both for daily ease of use. Every Bullitt is outfitted with nicer materials, too, such as chrome surrounds scattered throughout and green contrast stitching on the upholstery. It’s an enjoyable place to be, even when the roadways become congested with traffic.
Regardless of the driving situation, most of our notes on the Bullitt include some variation of enjoyment and adoration. Senior online editor Rich Ceppos even compared its greatness to that of our previous long-term Porsche 718 Boxster S. “It’s fast but also all-day comfortable, a great handler with a surprisingly supple ride, a rocket that doesn’t beat you up. In other words, it’s an everyday driver.” That duality is the crux of what makes this particular Mustang so great. Whereas lesser GT models lack the distinct style and additional 20 horsepower, the Bullitt manages to avoid the compromised practicality of Mustangs equipped with the optional Performance Pack Level 2 setup, as well as the added cost of the Shelby GT350. Yet the Bullitt still can accelerate, brake, and corner with some pretty serious sports cars.
Despite our fondness for Ford’s big-screen pony car, the Bullitt is not without its flaws. All of us who have taken the Bullitt on a long road trip have had to adjust our schedule for extra fuel stops, thanks to its small, 16.0-gallon gas tank. We’ve averaged 18 mpg thus far, which works out to a driving range of 280 miles per fill-up. While the Mustang’s efficiency and range increase at prolonged highway speeds, we’ve still had to stop more frequently on trips that are similar to those we undertook in other V-8 long-termers, such as our Chevy Corvette Grand Sport and Camaro SS. Both Chevy products had bigger tanks, as well as cylinder-deactivation systems that helped unlock roughly 90 to 100 miles of extra range.
The clutch pedal’s long travel has also proved problematic for one short driver, who had to slide the driver’s seat way forward to ensure the clutch properly engaged. The inability to independently adjust the car’s adaptive dampers via the selectable drive modes was another noted pain point. We also unexpectedly had to add about a quart of oil at around 10,000 miles—about 2800 miles after the Bullitt’s first scheduled service, which included an oil change, inspection, and tire rotation for $ 58. Given the oil-consumption issues we experienced with our long-term Mustang Shelby GT350, we’ll continue to monitor that development as the otherwise enchanting Bullitt speeds toward its 40,000-mile finish line.
Months in Fleet: 5 months Current Mileage: 11,068 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 18 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 16.0 gal Observed Fuel Range: 280 miles
Service: $ 58 Normal Wear: $ 0 Repair: $ 0
Damage and Destruction: $ 0
Introduction
There’s one question we’ll surely never be asked during our 40,000-mile evaluation of the 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt: “What car is that?” That’s because not only is the Ford Mustang one of the most recognizable cars on the road but also because the dark-green pony car was immortalized in pop culture when Steve McQueen hurled the original 1968 Mustang GT fastback through San Francisco in the iconic movie Bullitt.
Before all the haters bemoan the film’s many shortcomings and the modern car’s nostalgic shtick, they should know that the 2019 Bullitt Mustang is more than a cash grab that panders to sentimental baby boomers. In fact—cheesy branding aside—we believe it could be the best all-around Mustang ever. With the perfect balance of performance enhancements and desirable features, the Bullitt edition is an excellent driver’s car that truly can be enjoyed every day. Likewise, its unmistakable appearance helps it stand out on the street better than any current Mustang not wearing a Shelby badge.
The Silver Screen
While Hollywood hasn’t cashed in on a Bullitt remake, Ford has now turned these special-edition Mustangs into a trilogy. The first two iterations were offered in 2001 and from 2008 to 2009. The third installment is all new for 2019, and it rides on the best Mustang platform to date, which helped the sixth-generation pony car, in V-8–powered form, earn a 10Best nod for 2019. We collectively praised its classic styling, excellent chassis tuning, and more powerful and melodic V-8. Despite previously hosting a 2016 Mustang GT and a 2017 Shelby GT350 in our long-term fleet, we couldn’t help but have one more go with the new Bullitt.
Our test vehicle wears the customary Dark Highland Green Metallic paint, though less traditional buyers also can have their Bullitts coated in Shadow Black. Still, even those who decry the movie references can appreciate how the rich hue sparkles in the sun and looks sinister at night. Subtle yet classy, the Bullitt edition sheds the Mustang’s familiar galloping-pony emblem in the chrome-ringed grille and adds brightwork encircling the side windows. Dark-finished 19-inch wheels that mimic the Torq Thrusts on the 1968 version tug at nostalgia. While the Mustang is tastefully executed overall, we do think the rear-mounted Bullitt badge surrounded by crosshairs borders on self-parody.
The Credits
The Bullitt has the same features as the Mustang GT Premium, but it also gets model-specific engine upgrades. The GT’s naturally aspirated 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 sends 460 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. However, Ford extracted another 20 ponies from the Bullitt’s engine by adding 87-millimeter throttle bodies, a recalibrated engine computer, and the same intake manifold found on the Shelby GT350. The Bullitt’s active exhaust system plays a deep, roaring soundtrack as the Five-Oh spins toward 7000 rpm, though it can’t match the spine-tingling note produced by the Shelby’s flat-plane-crank Voodoo V-8. Bullitt owners had better know how to operate a clutch pedal because a six-speed manual is the only transmission offered.
Along with the engine mods, the Bullitt gets all the goodies from the GT’s Performance pack—normally a $ 3995 option. That includes a larger radiator, Brembo six-piston front calipers that pinch bigger 15.0-inch brake rotors, a Torsen limited-slip differential with shorter 3.73:1 gears, and a stiffer rear anti-roll bar. A staggered set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, sized 255/40R-19 in front and 275/40R-19 in back, are standard. Those with higher performance aspirations should swing for a regular Mustang GT with the track-focused Performance Pack Level 2 or ante up for the Shelby GT350.
Although the Bullitt is not the sportiest in the Mustang lineup, it smartly fills a key gap between lesser models and the hard-core alternatives. Pricing opens at $ 47,690, but our test car stickers at $ 51,485 with options, including $ 1695 for MagneRide adaptive dampers and $ 2100 for the Electronics package that adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a premium B&O audio system, and other infotainment upgrades. The kit also includes memory settings for the driver’s seat and mirrors and ambient interior lighting. We skipped the optional Recaro sport seats ($ 1595) for the standard chairs because we found the Recaros to be rather constricting for long trips in our previous long-term Mustangs.
Breaking In the Stallion
In the short while that the Bullitt has been with us, it has elicited inadvertent stares, compulsory comments, and endless thumbs up. It’s unusual that a day goes by without someone stopping us in a parking lot or at a gas pump to share their thoughts on the McQueen-inspired pony car. Meanwhile, it has provided our staff with frequent grins and an uncontrollable urge to rev the impressively refined Coyote. The Bullitt’s engine even prompted one staffer to compare it with the 8250-rpm 4.0-liter V-8 found in the E90 BMW M3. “It’s all ate up with revs yet impossibly smooth,” online editor Alexander Stoklosa wrote in the Ford’s logbook.
Still, some of us have had issues with the manual shifter’s reverse-lockout collar that became stuck in the raised position several times. Other gripes include a set of uncovered wires poking out from behind the rearview mirror, poorly constructed menus within the 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster, and false blind-spot and parking alerts that briefly locked us out of the driving-mode selections and disabled the backup camera. We’re also disappointed that the power-operated front seats feature a manual recline lever instead of the full-power operation on similarly priced Chevy Camaros and Dodge Challengers.
At the test track, our Mustang blitzed from zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and clipped the quarter-mile in 12.6 seconds at 115 mph. That’s plenty quick, yet still well short of the 3.8-second zero-to-60-mph run that the latest Mustang GT can do when fitted with its optional 10-speed automatic transmission. The Bullitt also circled the skidpad with a solid 0.95 g of grip and stopped from 70 mph in 159 feet, but, again, there are other Mustang variants that can top those figures. Impressive track numbers aren’t what makes the Bullitt special. It’s that unabashedly cool Highland Green paint, the rev-happy Coyote V-8, and the dual ability to cruise with maximum style or thrash it down a twisty road. We may be very familiar by now with the current Ford Mustang, but the Bullitt’s characterful features have us as excited at the chance to put 40,000 miles on another one.
Months in Fleet: 2 months Current Mileage: 5877 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 18 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 16.0 gal Observed Fuel Range: 280 miles
Service: $ 0 Normal Wear: $ 0 Repair: $ 0
Damage and Destruction: $ 0
