Ford celebrated the 50th anniversary of the film "Bullitt" by pulling the cover off a limited edition "Bullitt" Mustang at the Detrout auto show.
- Ford unveiled a new special-edition Mustang to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the the film "Bullitt."
- The original "Bullitt" Mustang was also on hand for the reveal in Detroit.
- The Bullitt 'Stang edges the current Mustang GT for performance.
The most famous car chase in cinematic history involved Steve McQueen in a 1968 Mustang, dark green, and some hit men in a Dodge Charger. Even if you haven't seen the '68 film, "Bullitt," you might be able to guess who came out on top.
Ford celebrated the 50th anniversary of the film by pulling the cover off a limited edition "Bullitt" Mustang at the Detroit auto show.
"As a special-edition model due out this summer, the all-new Mustang Bullitt is equipped with a manual transmission, and the gear shifter features a white cue ball shift knob as a nod to the original," Ford said in a statement.
"The vehicle packages all Mustang GT Premium and Performance Package content into a vehicle that maintains the original Bullitt’s understated persona."
The car McQueen drove was pretty minimalist — a suitable ride for the actor's taciturn, low-key San Francisco cop, in his sixties-cool tweed jacket and turtlenecks.
The new 'Stang isn't holding back, although you can get in the "Dark Highland Green" paint job that McQueen's Mustang sported.
The motor has been "upgraded [to a] 5.0-liter, V8 ... that will deliver at least 475 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, pushing the new Bullitt to a top speed of 163 mph — an 8 mph increase versus the latest Mustang GT," Ford said in a statement.
In a nod to history, Ford rolled out the original Bullitt Mustang — an exceptionally rare machine, one of two that were used in the film — to commemorate the occasion.
"After filming, the cars went their separate ways: the hero vehicle driven by McQueen in the movie was sold by Warner Bros. to a private buyer, and the other — used in many of the jumps during the famous chase scene — was sent to a salvage yard," Ford said.
"That jumper vehicle resurfaced in Baja, California, in early 2017, but the other was lost to history."
The car reappeared and was on hand to welcome the new Bullitt 'Stang to the world. Eagle-eyed McQueen fans will also note the lack of badging on the new 'Stang — just like the King of Cool's 1968 ride.