Ford’s Racing Technology Group put plenty of work and expertise into the vehicle, and because of that, a specially designed tower brace under the hood, not only helps with additional torsional and lateral stiffness, but also holds the vehicle’s limited identification number.

The Bullitt also sports some unique cast-aluminum Euroflange wheels, specifically designed to reflect a modern interpretation of the original rims on the film car. The outer edges of these are bright machined, and the brake calipers, which now hold more aggressive pads, are color coded to match the wheels. P235/50ZR/18 BF Goodrich G-Force tires complete the look and supply amazing grip to the vehicle.

Whilst sitting in the car, you get a feeling of a real no-nonsense muscle machine. Some might term it rather plain inside for a vehicle which costs around the $40k mark after a few options have been thrown in, but the original muscle cars were pretty plain themselves, if you remember. The originals weren’t about comfort and luxury, but rather about menacing looks and awesome power. I think that Ford did the right thing in keeping the interior black with just a few shiney bits as it adds to the true retro feel of the vehicle.

For me, one of the most impressive parts on the Bullitt has to be the exhaust system. Ford’s Racing Department spent a lot of time watching and particularly listening, to the original movie (it was a tough job but somebody had to do it). They did this in order to almost perfectly replicate the sound of the original film car, and honestly, they did a truly amazing job. The roar emanating from the two big fat tailpipes is so sweet that you’re tempted to hold the Bullitt in gear for longer each change-up just to hear the wondrous sounds.

We now come to the ride and drive of the vehicle, and to be honest, I’ve knocked Ford a little in the past for the Mustangs rather crude and old-fashioned suspension setup. Not any more, because although the Bullitt still carries a live rear axle, the setup is almost perfect in recreating that classic Mustang feel, and after all, isn’t that the real appeal of the Bullitt?

I found the ride and feel of the car almost perfect for what I expected. Actually, scratch that. It surpassed my expectations there, because on every gear change, the Bullitt literally lurches forward and throws you back in your seat. This is partly due to a little fine tuning of the engine calibration, but the suspension setup also plays a large part in this. I have to say that it’s a wonderful feeling, and truly makes you feel as if you’re in a rather potent machine.

Of course, the vehicle also boasts an array of safety features, and cool items like keyless entry etc etc. But come on now, do you think Mr. McQueen worried about stuff like that in his ride? No, this car is all about how it makes you feel behind the wheel, and on that note, I have to say, I loved my week in the Bullitt, In fact, I didn’t want to give it back. However, if I hadn’t, I’d probably have ended up with someone chasing me!