We were supposed to test the four-cylinder HPP EcoBoost Mustang. When a Bullitt arrived, we didn't complain.
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America’s original pony car will soon be the only car Ford Motor Company sells in the United States, yet the iconic Mustang is more relevant than ever in a world gone crazy for SUVs, and it serves as a building block for the automaker’s future.
Like the original movie car and the previous special editions, the current Mustang Bullitt is painted Dark Highland Green, but you can also get one in Shadow Black if you prefer. Mostly devoid of ornamentation, the 2020 Ford Mustang Bullitt looks clean and classic, from its subtle chrome accents to its retro Torque Thrust-style 19-inch aluminum wheels with a machined-finish lip. A simulated gas tank cap on the back says “Bullitt.”
The Mustang Bullitt is based on a Mustang GT with Premium and Performance option packages, and you’ll also get 20 extra horsepower and a four-mode active exhaust system tuned to sound just like McQueen’s ’68 Mustang. And yes, if you’re a driving enthusiast who has watched that chase scene time and time again, you’ll instantly recognize and revel in the sound.
The added horsepower comes courtesy of an intake manifold and 87-mm throttle bodies from a Shelby GT350, an Open Air Induction system, and a revised powertrain control module. The result is 480 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm, when you’re running the car on 93-octane fuel.
Not long ago, Sync 3 was among the better infotainment technologies, but its age is starting to show. From the recessed 8-inch touchscreen display to lagging response to input, it’s falling back from the pack. Nevertheless, it offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the voice recognition system works well, the user interface is fundamentally sound, and the available 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound system rocks.
Purists who bemoan the encroachment of driving assistance and collision avoidance systems will love the Ford Mustang Bullitt. Not only are the antilock braking, traction control, and stability control systems recalibrated as a part of the standard GT Performance Package, but there is also a distinct lack of semi-autonomous safety features in this car.
If you got that upgrade and nothing else, the EcoBoost HPP would cost $32,860 including destination charges, and it would be prepped for a maximum track attack right off the Flat Rock, Michigan assembly line. That is an undeniable bargain.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is the also-new-for-2020, 760-horsepower Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 that we reviewed earlier this year. That car costs considerably more at $74,095, but it also offers considerably more performance. And while paying that kind of money for a Mustang might seem silly, consider that the entry point for a 425-horsepower BMW M4 with a Competition Package is $74,895.
The 480-horsepower Bullitt settles halfway between the two Mustangs in terms of price and performance. When Ford offered the Bullitt as a substitute for the EcoBoost HPP, we readily accepted the offer to drive this special Mustang, a car that would no doubt earn the approval of Steve McQueen himself.
For more information on the 2020 Ford Mustang, read our full coverage on CarGurus: cargur.us/B_8X0
Presenter: Christian Wardlaw
Cinematography: Dan Sharp
Written review: Christian Wardlaw
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0:00 Introducing the 2020 Ford Mustang Bullitt
0:54 Pricing and Package Overview
1:40 Exterior Features
2:28 Interior Overview
3:12 Technology and Infotainment Features
4:32 Engine Details
5:39 Driving Impressions
7:39 Final Impressions