Edmunds Mustang Bullitt test.

[GoCougs]

I just did a double take of the photos. This is much better than the '01 model. The plainess of this one really speaks. I really dig it.

[SVT_Power]

would it kill mustang sales if ford decided to actually improve its steering at the cost of giving up some of its bargain appeal?

[omicron]

I've built up Mustang GT Premiums to 30K, so 31K for the Bullitt seems a bargain.

A G8 GT at $29,995 sounds even better!

[FordSVT]

I've built up Mustang GT Premiums to 30K, so 31K for the Bullitt seems a bargain.

If you buy a Premium GT ($27,000), add leather and all the interior trim options ($1500), add an after market h-pipe ($400)+ Ford's FR2 Drag pack ($1400) and FR3 handling pack ($1150), you've basically got yourself the $33,000 Bullitt in the test. You're also up to $32,000. So for your extra grand, you get the even nicer interior trim and steering wheel, the gray spoked wheels, the unique paint job and better resale value than a standard GT because of the Bullitt name.

I'd say that's a fair proposition.

Now, personally, I think a Premium GT with the handling package and a nice set of tires is the best performance deal going, but if you're got the extra few grand, there's a Bullitt with your name on it. 

[SVT666]

If you buy a Premium GT ($27,000), add leather and all the interior trim options ($1500), add an after market h-pipe ($400)+ Ford's FR2 Drag pack ($1400) and FR3 handling pack ($1150), you've basically got yourself the $33,000 Bullitt in the test. You're also up to $32,000. So for your extra grand, you get the even nicer interior trim and steering wheel, the gray spoked wheels, the unique paint job and better resale value than a standard GT because of the Bullitt name.

I'd say that's a fair proposition.

Now, personally, I think a Premium GT with the handling package and a nice set of tires is the best performance deal going, but if you're got the extra few grand, there's a Bullitt with your name on it. 

Unless of course you're in Canada where a Mustang GT loaded to the nuts is $38,000.  Taking into account the exchange rate and a comparable Mustang GT in the US is $11,000 less.

[JYODER240]

It's better then the first gen Viper.

Hence why I said it's a somewhat useless test. Didn't some magazine also run a Mini Cooper S through it faster than an Enzo?

[Soup DeVille]

On this same topic (sort of), I gues there's still a pretty wide gap between so-called "bloggers" and genuine journalists.

Detroit News Bullitt article

I think if you're going to go around and call yourself an automotive expert of any sort, you'd better be able to actually drive a frikkin' car, huh?

[Soup DeVille]

Hence why I said it's a somewhat useless test. Didn't some magazine also run a Mini Cooper S through it faster than an Enzo?

It's somewhat useless in the same sense that a 0-60 time is somewhat useless: it's a single measurement of a single facet of a multifaceted machine.

Width makes a huge difference in slalom testing, so narrower cars have an intrinsic advantage. However, it does give a good concept of the car's composure and stability in transition when comparing between other like-sized cars.

[MX793]

It's somewhat useless in the same sense that a 0-60 time is somewhat useless: it's a single measurement of a single facet of a multifaceted machine.

Width makes a huge difference in slalom testing, so narrower cars have an intrinsic advantage. However, it does give a good concept of the car's composure and stability in transition when comparing between other like-sized cars.

Not just width, but weight distribution and drivetrain come into play as well.  Small, front heavy, FWD cars tend to do quite well in the slalom.  I suspect because they tend to rotate under lift throttle conditions more than a lot of more balanced front engine, RWD cars.

[LonghornTX]

BFG KDW's are not bad tires and 235 width is not "very" narrow

KDWs are certainly not great and definately pale in comparison to any kind of dedicated performance tire and a 235 width is indeed quite narrow for a car this size and weight.

[LonghornTX]

Haha, Didn't we have a similar argument about the 350Z vs the Mustang GT. I claimed that the Z, even in base form, would be a quicker car. Next month, Car and Driver came out with an Issue, with Both the Z and and the Shebly GT. The Z was as fast, handled better, and was overall a better car. It also cost a lot less, and didn't look like shit, with a tacked on hood scoop.

I'm going to say the G35/7 Are better in all aspects.

Well, I hope you have thoroughly driven those cars then.  I have, and personally, I find not much special with the G35 (the G37 a little more so).  The Mustang has a soul that is not found in either of those cars.  Furthermore, on pure aural pleasure, they lack a great exhaust note above ~4-5K where they start to get rough sounding.  They are good cars and phenominal bargains with the equipment that they come with, but they fall a bit short on personality for me.

[LonghornTX]

All totally correct. Wider, stickier tires make a difference in all cars, but you have to measure carefully to see how much difference that actually is--identical tires do not make identical improvements to every car model that you can fit them on. We got no way to know how much difference 295s would make on a Bullitt, and that's just the width--compound, aspect ratio, sidewall stiffness, tire pressure, yada yada yada are other variables that can make more difference that 60 more millimeters of width, or not...Actually, a different set of test drivers might make more difference than any tire permutations & combinations we might come up with.

BTW, LongDude, where the Nethead here is, the MSRP on the window stickers of base Mustang GTs is just under $26,000 and I read that the MSRP of a Bullitt will be in the low $31,000s. Isn't that more like a $5,000 difference instead of "~$3300"? Still a bargain, and will probably bring three, four, or more times that at Barrett Jackson after you've raised Merry Hell in it for three decades of enthusiastic felony.

Like all Mustangs, it is a great starting point for a far more capable vehicle--with many different ways to go on a build-up. Why do you think 33 other tuner manufacturers besides Ford's own SVT build & sell their own tuner versions of the current Mustang?  And that doesn't count a half-dozen more who just build tuner versions of early Mustangs...One of those 33 tuner manufacturers produces tuner Mustangs in Germany, another builds tuner Mustangs in Italy, Jack Roush builds and exports a special tuner Mustang for the UK called the 420RE, and yet another tuner builds tuner Bullitt and Boss versions of the current Mustang exclusively for export to Japan--Mustangs aren't even exported to either of those four countries by Ford. Ford's definitely missing some opportunities there...

Of course, with no changes at all the new Bullitt offers great satisfaction for the buck. Drive one hard and see for yourself...

A dealer over on TMS has stated that the Bullitt package is $3300 after he ordered some for his dealership.  This particular car probably had HID and ambient lighting (like most of the Bullitts tested) or navigation and thus costed more.

[Raza]

KDWs are certainly not great and definately pale in comparison to any kind of dedicated performance tire and a 235 width is indeed quite narrow for a car this size and weight.

The Mustang has 235 width rears?  My Boxster runs 235 width on the fronts!

[LonghornTX]

The Mustang has 235 width rears?  My Boxster runs 235 width on the fronts!

235/50/18 all the way around

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

A G8 GT at $29,995 sounds even better!

+1

[Raza]

235/50/18 all the way around

I'd definitely move to summer tires on it if I were going to run the car year round.  Snow tires would make the most sense even if you have all seasons; I remember the scramble for sandbags when my friend ran all seasons on his Mustang in the winter.  Not just once did he encounter hills he couldn't climb.

[SVT666]

I'd definitely move to summer tires on it if I were going to run the car year round.  Snow tires would make the most sense even if you have all seasons; I remember the scramble for sandbags when my friend ran all seasons on his Mustang in the winter.  Not just once did he encounter hills he couldn't climb.

Snow tires FTW!  With snow tires on my Mustang I didn't need sand bags and I got up hills that most other cars with All-Season (really 3 season) tires couldn't or were having trouble with.

[SVT666]

The Mustang has 235 width rears?  My Boxster runs 235 width on the fronts!

I had 245's on my last Mustang and when it was stock I would say that was the appropriate width.  After the mods I was severely under-tired and had to bump the rears to 285's.

[MX793]

The Mustang has 235 width rears?  My Boxster runs 235 width on the fronts!

A limited slip makes it a bit easier to put power to the ground, thus you can get away with narrower tires.

[Soup DeVille]

A limited slip makes it a bit easier to put power to the ground, thus you can get away with narrower tires.

Plus oversized rears on a car with an already front-biased weigt distribution might not be the best ticket handling wise.

[Raza]

A limited slip makes it a bit easier to put power to the ground, thus you can get away with narrower tires.

Interesting.  Even if you don't increase width, something like a Yokohama Advan is going to generate more grip, right?

[MX793]

Interesting.  Even if you don't increase width, something like a Yokohama Advan is going to generate more grip, right?

Provided the rubber compound is stickier, yes.

[r0tor]

KDWs are certainly not great and definately pale in comparison to any kind of dedicated performance tire and a 235 width is indeed quite narrow for a car this size and weight.

i'd take the kdw's over the 225 width RE040's my car came with...

[LonghornTX]

i'd take the kdw's over the 225 width RE040's my car came with...

Oops, I mistakingly typed KDW instead of KDWS.

[Nethead]

would it kill mustang sales if ford decided to actually improve its steering at the cost of giving up some of its bargain appeal?

M_power: M_Dude, it's not about total sales as much as it is about total car for the money.  Yeah, the Mustang GT is the only US car offering 300 HP for under $26,000 brand new. But it's much more than 300 HP, and that's why you can still buy Mustangs but you can't buy any of the imitation Mustangs and you can't buy any of the musclecars--the one semi-exception being the resurrected Charger, and it's only available today as a four-door automatic. 

These bygone relics failed because what they did not have is the Mustang's central theme for success:  affordable performance in a really good car. A car that offered 2+2 seating without having to learn to love a four-door sedan, a station wagon, or a minivan. A car that working lads and lasses could afford to modify on the limited budgets that the working young must survive on. A fold-down split backseat, one-touch windows, power remote side mirrors, leather upholstery options, four wheel power discs with ABS, manual transmissions, and of course the usual amenities like automatics, A/C, P/S, P/B, radio/CD, yada yada yada.

Offering so much of what so many want for under $26,000 (convertibles are more) is NOT easy--else there'd be plenty of other successful 2+2 or four-passenger two-door V8 coupes in competition with the Mustang. Already, Dodge has cut Challenger first-year production from 30,000 units to only 5,000 units--and Challengers ain't even in the showrooms yet! Dodge has seen just how hard it can be, and GM is still hoping they can find the answers Dodge could not. There appears to be a much lower limit on what is genuinely affordable in the USA today than was previously believed to be the case.  When Ford is better off financially, the steering will be improved. It's quite good as is, fortunately. The only way to make a definitive steering improvement right now, when the runaway profits of the 'Sixties just aren't there, is to raise the price. The Mustang GT is currently priced squarely in the sweet spot so the line must be held on the price as long as possible. The resurrected GTO was not priced hugely above the Mustang like the Corvette is, but it became extinct again in just three model years even though massive discounts were offered. And yet the GTO was a four passenger two-door coupe with a bigger V8 and a six-speed manual. Go figure?

[Onslaught]

Considering there is no way you will find one for MSRP, I say no.

I could get one for $100 over cost. But then again I work for a Ford dealer!

[SVT666]

I could get one for $100 over cost. But then again I work for a Ford dealer!

Could you?  I spoke with a dealer about a GT500 and I asked the salesman if he can buy one.  He said "Yes, but only if I pay $20,000 over MSRP".

[Vinsanity]

Yeah, the Mustang GT is the only US car offering 300 HP for under $26,000 brand new. But it's much more than 300 HP,

Really? How much more? Like 400?

[SVT666]

Really? How much more? Like 400?

Western Motorsports in Calgary told me that stock 2005+ Mustang GT's are hitting 267-272 RWHP when they dyno the car for a baseline before they do any modifications.  Factor in a 15% drivetrain loss and that's 315-320 crank horsepower.

[Onslaught]

Could you?  I spoke with a dealer about a GT500 and I asked the salesman if he can buy one.  He said "Yes, but only if I pay $20,000 over MSRP".

I could probably pull it off because I've been there 14+ years and my dad has for over 26. It wouldn't be the first time someone got a special model for cost at my place. Now if only I had the money to pick up that Ford GT we had that time......