Fortunately, there’s a “Quiet Mode” for the exhaust so you’re not always deafening your neighbors.
As far as sound goes, most modern cars are a bit disappointing. Manufacturers pipe synthesized exhaust notes through the stereo, so while the car may sound great on the inside, it still sounds like a vacuum cleaner on the outside. That’s if you can hear anything at all. Not this 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt, however. It’s an honest actor when it comes to that exhaust note, thanks to its Active Valve Performance exhaust system. But how does the rest of the car stack up? TFL’s Tommy Mica heads to San Francisco, California – the very place the original film was shot in 1968.
Fifty years later, and it’s time for an encore. Technically, this is the third encore, as earlier versions of the Bullitt bowed in 2001 and 2008. The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt is available in two colors: either Shadow Black or Highland Green. Ford deleted the normal Mustang badges, and added some chrome around the grille and a Bullitt-branded strut brace in the engine bay.
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It’s the same engine, but even more powerful
Speaking of the engine, the 5.0-liter V8 remains the same in the 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt. However, instead of producing 460 horsepower, it makes 20 more than standard. You get a total of 480 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. There’s no 10-speed automatic available here – the manual is your only option. As with the manual Mustang GT, Ford fits a rev matching system to the Bullitt. MagneRide suspension is available as an option.
Ford also fitted their configurable digital instrument cluster to this model. Depending on which driving mode you choose – Normal, Sport+, Track, Drag Strip and Wet/Snow are a few – parts of the cluster change position. For instance, the tachometer is prominently displayed in Track mode, while it gets equal real estate with the speedometer in normal mode.
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