Rumors have been swirling for almost a year now about the possibility of a new Bullitt Edition coming to the sixth-generation “S550” Ford Mustang styled in the fashion of the Mustang(s) that Steve McQueen famously drove in the 1968 crime drama Bullitt. The rumor first sprang up when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson may have accidentally given us a premature sneak peek at what could be a Bullitt Mustang in a promotional video where he visited a Ford wind tunnel in Detroit. The Rock may have goofed, but what can he say except “you’re welcome?”
The S550 Bullitt rumor was renewed when what was claimed to be a dealer sticker for a Mustang “Bullitt GT” was leaked on the Mustang6G fan forum from an anonymous source. The sticker highlighted distinct Bullitt features like Highland Green Metallic paint, rear window louvers, and a rear faux gas cap. Naturally, it’s powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine according to the sticker. Ford denied that it was a real sticker, but Mustang6G says it was generated by a dealer and maintain the belief that an S550 Bullitt is still happening.
Last week, the very same Mustang6G forum mustered up some additional evidence suggesting an all-new Mustang Bullitt GT. This time, in the form of photographs of a real car rather than just a concept drawing or a window sticker with questionable legitimacy. The photos can be found here of the car shooting a commercial in Chicago. Speculation that it’s a Bullitt comes from the Highland Green color, the lack of a spoiler, and the old school gloss black Torq Thrust wheels. Bullitt or not, that’s a paint job and a wheel configuration you won’t find on any current option list for the 2018 Ford Mustang.
We reached out to Ford asking for confirmation or denial of a new Ford Mustang Bullitt and we were told they “don’t have any Mustang news to share today,” but they “love the interest in America’s favorite sports car.” They certainly do have our interest, now we’ll have to hurry up and wait.
Last time we saw an official Mustang Bullitt was on the S197 Mustang GT for the 2008-2009 model years. Detective Frank Bullitt’s influence also graced a special edition of the 2001 SN95 Mustang that was available in Dark Highland Green, True Blue, and Black. Both of those Bullitt Mustangs featured special wheels, a spoiler delete, and dark wheels.
It’s worth noting that 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of Bullitt, a film widely considered to contain one of the best car chase scenes in cinematic history. Bullitt won an academy award for best editing, likely for the sole purpose of the 11-minute car chase in which Frank Bullitt drove his 1968 Mustang GT Fastback through the streets of San Francisco outrunning the bad guys in their 1968 Dodge Charger R/T.
2018 would be a very appropriate year to revive the iconic Bullitt name and we hope these rumors turn out to be true.