It’s amazing how a few simple changes can transform one’s perception of a car. A regular Mustang GT is nice enough, but you can hardly say it’s cool. Unless, that is, you’re sitting inside a Bullitt edition GT. Yes, that’s Bullitt as in the movie immortalized by one Steve McQueen and a Mustang GT 390 dueling with a Dodge Charger on the streets of San Francisco.
Ford could be accused of mild cynicism in cashing in on the movie’s Mustang goodwill, but we are definitely not complaining about the result. The Bullitt GT feels more eager to go street racing, with more low-down urgency and a serious desire to smoke the rear tires from every stoplight. The exhaust note is badder, a Sixties V-8 soundtrack with a sweet “bop-bop” on the over-run.
The brakes provide more bite and confidence, but the handling still suffers from the curious front/rear disconnect that plagues the current Mustang, where the front end feels softer and less planted than the rear. However, the Bullitt turns in more crisply than does the GT, and it doesn’t understeer as much. It still rides pretty softly, which is good for your fillings if not for ultimate grip and handling.
Still, we like the Mustang Bullitt GT. It costs $3600 more than a regular GT putting it perilously close to the Cobra, a better and faster car. Still, we suspect that the Bullitt GT’s 6500 customers won’t care. We just hope they order their cars in Bullitt-correct dark green, rather than the available blue or black.
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