VERDICT CHRONO

The Mustang Bullitt is much more than a sculptural coupe grand touring. It is both a machine to go back in time to the swinging sixties, but also, for movie buffs, gear teleport to the steep streets of San Francisco as lieutenant Bullitt, alias Steve McQueen, dévalait to the sound of the roar of his V8 and the squeal of its tires… Thrills assured !

WHAT CHANGES

Ford Mustang Bullitt © FordLa Bullitt is an evolution of the Mustang GT V8 engine. A type of mechanical typical american who is now the only one offered by Ford in France for the Mustang, the version of EcoBoost 4-cylinder has become interest-free since hit the same penalty maximum (recently expanded to 20 000 €) as the V8 with the current schedule. The Bullitt is resumed, therefore, the V8 5-litre GT, much more sophisticated than what one expects of a block (american) with its bi-injection 4 overhead camshafts, in a configuration with power increased from 450 to 460 hp by adopting a specific mapping, but especially the throttle body and the intake manifold of the Shelby GT350.

Ford Mustang Bullitt © FordL’another specific motor for the exhaust valve activates allowing you to choose between 4 different modes : “quiet “, ” normal “, “sport” and ” track “. Better, the mode “quiet” can be programmed automatically on certain time slots in order to be sure, for example, don’t forget it in the morning, leaving for the office at the risk of waking the neighbors.

Ford Mustang Bullitt © FordLa Bullitt is exclusively offered with a manual transmission 6-speed, the shifter is topped with a pommel spherical white way that bakelite, as a tribute to the original model driven by McQueen. Only concession to technological progress, a function “Rev Matching” automatic can be used for those who do maîtriseraient not completely in the art of heel-toe. Once enabled, this function automatically adjusts the engine speed to that corresponding to the lower gear during a downshift.

This action allows you to avoid all of a sudden at the time of the réembrayage, which, on a rear-wheel drive with V8 engine is also inelegant as dangerous because it can so easily cause a blocking of the rear wheels, which receive the motor torque through a limited slip differential to ensure maximum traction out of a turn. For the rest of the technical data sheet is consistent with that of a Mustang GT

LIFE ON BOARD

Ford Mustang Bullitt © FordFord Mustang Bullitt © Ford

The driving position is not perfect with a sitting a little high for a coupe, but this facilitates the access to the edge by reducing the level of flexibility required to avoid a wrenched back. The level of workmanship is not at the level of european references, but the interior combining leather and brushed aluminium is, however, very welcoming. The digital instrumentation is very complete, and the level of connectivity to all that there is of modern with the system Sync3, allowing to make the most of their smartphone by using the applications Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

Ford Mustang Bullitt © FordSi the habitability is excellent to the front, it remains poor to the rear in relation to the footprint outside of the car with a guard on the roof very much limited by the line ” Fastback “. The Mustang remains, therefore, a coupe 2+2, but its narrow rear seats can, however, prove to be very useful in case of need. The boot volume is also rather generous, and flexible thanks to the fold down rear seats.

the VIEW OF The AUTO focus

Ford Mustang Bullitt © FordLa Mustang Bullitt is certainly not the sport coupe, the most powerful of the time, but, it is with the Mazda MX-5 and the recent Alpine without doubt one of the best sensations/price of the production car. All it takes is a push of button-starter to understand it. The gurgling noise irregular, typical of a V8 crankshaft locked in position at 90 ° (the typical architecture of the V8 in the us), you are then crossing the atlantic with a simple press of the accelerator. And the scope of the register of the V8 is much more extensive than one might expect, passing gradually from the whir’s promising slowed down until the roar of the wild at 7 400 r/min. It is already a treat of the interior of the cabin in the mode “quiet” modes “sport” and “track” more altruistic, for the benefit of all those who surround you at 50 meters around…

Ford Mustang Bullitt © FordLa manual transmission and the precise control allows you to take full advantage of this jewels mechanical, in spite of a synchronization, which turns out to be a little slow in the heat of the action, but this slowness is useful, acting as a mode of employment for the Mustang. Understand : for the whole manoeuvre at the wheel of the sports car at the former, one is required to de-com-pose. This is true for shift changes, which require to push to the background the heavy clutch pedal, but also for other commands such as the brakes or the steering wheel.

Ford Mustang Bullitt © FordEn effect, placed on suspension rather flexible, that the damping Magneride is an optional, which was our test model, helps to make it very comfortable for the daily, the Mustang Bullit doesn’t like to be brusquée at the risk of disuniting. It is necessary to leave him time to change his attitude (braking, steering) to take advantage of a behaviour that shows a balanced and efficient thanks to the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. And then, at each reacceleration, it is the happiness found able to modulate so precisely the couple of inexhaustible this is a very attractive V8.

PLUS

The noise of the V8

The behavior balanced

The report sensations/price

LESS

The clutch hard

The weight

Under the hood of the Ford Mustang Bullitt :
Engine : V8 atmospheric bi-injection (indirect + direct ) of petrol
Capacity : 5 038 cm3
Power : 460 ch 7 250 tr/min
Torque : 529 Nm at 4 600 r/min
Transmission : rear-wheel drive
Transmission : manual 6 speed + limited slip differential
Dimensions : 4 789 x 1 916 x 1 382 mm
Safety deposit box : 408 l
Weight : 1 743 kg
0 to 100 km/h : 4.6 s
Speed : 263 km/h
power Consumption : 11.8 l
CO2 : 270 g/km (20 000 euros of penalty)
Price : 55 800 € (optional shock absorbers Magneride 2000 €)
Website : www.ford.fr