2002 Ford Mustang Review

Actor and car buff Steve McQueen made the desirable, fairly new Ford Mustang even more coveted when he drove a 1968 model in an astounding car chase scene during the popular movie Bullitt. After 33 years, Ford finally has gotten around to making a spin-off version of the movie car, which is the world's most famous Mustang. It's done a great job of capturing the essence of the Mustang that McQueen drove as Lt. Frank Bullitt in that 1968 movie.

The first Mustang arrived as a 1965 model. The one McQueen drove in the movies San Francisco chase scene, which involved a sinister-looking black Dodge Charger, was a 1968 GT fastback coupe painted Highland Green. We took some of the films passion, and put it into the Bullitt, said Ford Division President Jim Connor.

Only 6,500 Bullitts will be built, and each has a serialized factory identification label to ensure exclusivity and collectability. It's the first in a series of special Mustangs to keep up interest in the car until an all-new Mustang arrives in 2004. The Bullitt is based on the fast $22,630 Mustang GT coupe.

But, to Ford's credit, it didn't just take that car, slap on Dark Highland Green paint, give it chromed Bullitt badges and let nostalgia help sell the car, which lists for $26,230. The Bullitt is positioned between the GT and sophisticated $28,605 SVT Mustang Cobra coupe, which has a hand-built 320-horsepower V-8 and independent rear suspension. The Cobra is the best Mustang. But the Bullitt is very compelling, and is sure to bring out the adolescent in many drivers. For one thing, its specially tuned exhaust emits the same sort of rumble and throaty roar emitted by the movie car, which provided sounds that car buffs almost killed for. (The movie was nominated for an Academy Award for sound.)

Getting that sound wasn't easy because the 1968 movie car had a 390-cubic-inch pushrod V-8 tuned by legendary race car builder Max Balchowsky and the Bullitt has a 281-cubic-inch V-8 with a modern overhead-camshaft design. The Bullitt's 265-horsepower V-8 has only five more horsepower than the nearly identical GT's V-8, but is tuned to be more responsive and whisks the car to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. Steering and handling are sharp, and stopping distances are short. The ride is supple. But, as with all Mustangs, the rear seat is tight.

No automatic transmission is offered for this macho machine, but the Bulllit has the best manual transmission put in a Mustang. Shifting with the special brushed aluminum gearshift ball is nearly effortless, although the clutch pedal must be shoved a long distance to the floor. While it has a light feel, the clutch can cause jerky starts if you don't concentrate on getting smooth ones. Compared with the GT, the Bullitt is lowered nearly an inch and has a stronger frame and beefed-up suspension with stiffer components.

The disc brakes are larger and the car has items McQueen and Balchowsky could not have dreamed of in the 1960s: anti-lock brakes and a traction control system. The car is cosmetically understated. For instance, it only has a small Bullitt badge on the trunk and door sill plates with the Bullitt model name. Ford's attitude is, if you don't get what this car is all about, you just don't get it. The Bullitt has smaller rear-quarter windows for a racier look, unique sculptured side scoops (the original Mustang had such scoops), huge 17-inch spoked wheels like those on Frank Bullitt's Mustang and red disc brake calipers with the white mustang horse imprinted on them. There also is a race-style brushed-aluminum fuel-filler door and signature tri-bar taillights.

The Bullitt has a hood scoop, although the 1968 Mustang didn't have one. McQueen would have approved of the aluminum pedal covers that have a drilled stainless-steel racing look. There are white-face gauges in a simple instrument cluster, which is a modern interpretation of a 1960s design. But the curved numeric speedometer and tachometer graphics are a little hard to read. Performance bucket seats with dark charcoal leather trim hold front occupants firmly in place. You can get the Bullitt with true blue or black paint, but it really should be dark highland green. Just like Lt. Frank Bullitt's car.