Car Auto Magazine

There’s Gotta Be a Pony in Here Somewhere

There is no pony in the grille, making it the only horseless Ford Mustang in recent history (we don’t include the Shelbys, with their snakes). The Bullitt uses a Mustang GT front fascia with a new black-mesh grille encircled by a satin aluminum strip, a nod to the chrome accent piece on the movie car. Film buffs may recall there was no pony in the grille in the movie and no exterior badging. Ford officials aren’t sure if it was stripped for the camera’s sake or if the Mustang arrived on set without a prancer up front.

The cast-aluminum Euro-Flange wheels of the 2008 model mimic the 14- and 15-inchers on the original, but modernization demanded an upgrade to 18-inchers on the new model. It wears the same P235/50-18 BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDWS tires that Ford Racing uses at its performance driving school at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. Continuing the muted theme, the brakes are done in dark gray with matching calipers.

The sedate interior is heavy on the machined-aluminum appliqué, with some satin aluminum finishes, but no chrome or brightwork. Mustang chief designer Doug Gaffka describes the car as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”