Ford Mustang Bullitts in from $73,688 BOCs
BY JUSTIN HILLIARD | 19th Jun 2018
FORD Australia has confirmed a $73,688 before on-road costs pricetag for its limited-edition Mustang Bullitt coupe that the company claims is the most potent pony car it has ever sold Down Under.
The pricing represents a $10,698 premium over the $62,990 GT Fastback on which it is based, but it is not the priciest Mustang available in Australia. That title belongs to the automatic GT Convertible that tops the range at $74,709.
The Australian allocation of the Bullitt will be 700 units, with each of the Michigan-built sportscars being individually numbered.
The Bullitt is named after the 1968 action movie that starred Steve McQueen and was famous for an iconic 10-minute car chase scene where McQueen chases two hitmen through the streets of San Francisco in a 1968 Mustang GT Fastback.
Despite the availability of a Shadow Black hue in the United States, Australian Bullitts will only be offered in Dark Highland Green, which is inspired by the car from the film.
The 5.0-litre Coyote V8 petrol engine powering the Mustang has been boosted by 6kW to 345kW/556Nm, which Ford says is the beefiest of any Australian-spec Mustang.
Ford has upgraded the engine “for heightened performance”, adding an Open Air induction and intake manifold, with 87mm throttle bodies, Ford Racing air filter and a PCM powertrain control module shared with the Shelby Mustang GT3.
The Bullitt will be offered with the Mustang’s rev-matching system that the company says makes for “smoother downshifts accompanied by a ‘blip’ of the engine”, a standard four-mode Active Valve Exhaust and MagneRide suspension.
It will be offered exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox, which is in keeping with the Mustang in the movie.
The Bullitt will start to roll into Ford dealerships from October this year and is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the film’s release. Ford launched the facelifted Mustang GT range earlier this month.
The Bullitt features gloss-black 19-inch Torq Thrust-style alloy wheels, red callipers and a Bullitt fuel cap, while the Mustang badging has been removed for a “smooth, focused aesthetic”, according to Ford.
Standard gear on the Australian Bullitt includes autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, auto-levelling headlights, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with full colour reversing camera, Sync3, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as Bullitt scuff plates and white cue-ball gear shifter.
Ford Australia president and CEO Graeme Whickman said the Bullitt would appeal to buyers looking for something that stands out.
“Bullitt is the car chase of car chases, and we know that Australians are passionate about Mustang, so we’re pleased to have secured our own batch of this unique model,” he said.
“It further builds on the Mustang story in this country as we respond to enthusiasm for even more choice, additional features and personalisation across the line-up. Australians are looking for Mustangs that really stand out, and Mustang Bullitt really makes a statement.”
“Bullitt is the car chase of car chases, and we know that Australians are passionate about Mustang, so we’re pleased to have secured our own batch of this unique model,” he said.
“It further builds on the Mustang story in this country as we respond to enthusiasm for even more choice, additional features and personalisation across the line-up. Australians are looking for Mustangs that really stand out, and Mustang Bullitt really makes a statement.”
One of the Mustang’s biggest competitors, the Chevrolet Camaro hits dealerships in July this year, with Holden and Holden Special Vehicles signing a deal to convert it to right-hand drive at HSV’s facility in Melbourne.
The Camaro is powered by a 340kW/615Nm 6.2-litre V8 engine.
Ford announced that the Mustang clocked up its third consecutive year as the world’s best-selling sportscar. With 9165 sales last year, it was easily the best-selling sportscar in Australia in 2017.
Earlier this year, Ford confirmed that the Mustang would race in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, with Ford Performance, DJR Team Penske and Tickford Australia working on the homologation of the Mustang for 2019.
