“This new Bullitt is, as Steve McQueen was, effortlessly cool,” said Darrell Behmer, Mustang chief designer. “As a designer, it’s my favorite Mustang – devoid of stripes, spoilers and badges. It doesn’t need to scream about anything – it’s just cool.”
Mr. Behmer is right — this new Mustang looks fantastic in person. While some people don’t love the exterior changes made to the 2018-2019 Mustang, the Bullitt upgrades go a long way in helping this car stand out from the crowd.
A Premium Cabin
The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt is based on a new Mustang GT Premium Fastback with the GT Performance Package, so everything that comes with the GT Premium trim and the Performance Package is standard on the new special edition pony car. This includes the new 12-inch LCD instrument cluster with unique Bullitt welcome screen, a premium infotainment system and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Unique touches include the green accent stitching on the dashboard, door panels, center console lid and seats and while the car comes pretty heavily loaded, there are two interior options for 2019 Bullitt buyers:
The Bullitt Electronics Package adds navigation, driver seat memory, a premium sound system and Ford’s Blind Spot Information System.
The Recaro seat package adds leather-wrapped competition-style bucket seats up front for a more performance-oriented feel.
Bullitt Performance
Each of the previous Ford Mustang Bullitt special edition models has come with mild performance upgrades and the 2019 follows that same direction.
The active performance exhaust system that was introduced for the 2018 Mustang is standard, but the system has been retuned to offer a unique sound through the package-specific “Black NitroPlate” quad exhaust tips. As mentioned above, the Brembo brakes are standard, as is the 6-speed manual transmission with an old-school white shift knob.
Next, Ford added a new “Open Air Induction System” that helps feed more cold air to the 5.0-liter engine via an 87-millimeter throttle body and the Shelby GT350 intake manifold. With a package-specific engine calibration, the 2019 Bullitt Mustang is expected to offer “at least” 475 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. Honestly, with the standard 2018 GT packing 460 horsepower, it seems possible that the official power ratings for the Bullitt would be higher than 475, but for now, Ford is sticking to that number.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
