2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt - Bullitt Is Back

"Paul Randle, who is the chief nameplate engineer on Mustang, has always been interested in the [Ford Racing Performance Parts] Performance Paks," says Jamie Allison, Performance Parts program manager at FRPP. "He asked us, 'Why don't you send me a set [of parts] and we'll see what we can do?' He challenged his team to put the FRPP bits on there, and he came back with the mainstream-designed, tuned version of those parts.

"This resulted in the most balanced package that you can do. We're now replacing our aftermarket parts with these cold-air and exhaust parts. This elevates the game. Team Bullitt wanted to attack the enthusiast who may not want to track the car, but they really rounded out the handling characteristics."

From an engineering standpoint, Bullitt is quite different from the standard Mustang GT. We found the handling and road feel to be precise and more neutral in balance. You can feel the performance provided by the extra 15 hp and the 3.73 gears, and a set of Shelby GT500-like seats keep you firmly in place during spirited maneuvers.

"We put a business case together from both an appearance and function angle," says Paul Randle. "For appearance, Doug [Gaffka] had free range to do what he wanted: the color, type of wheels, brake calipers, badging, and everything else. We're pleased, and it has everything that we wanted to put into this Bullitt that resembles the '68 Bullitt. Production will be about 7,700 units sold in the United States and Canada.

"On the '08 Bullitt and the '08 GT, we really focused our efforts on vehicle noise/vibration/ harshness (NVH), specifically in the drivetrain. We calibrated the 4.6 engine and raised the rev limiter from 6,250 to 6,500 rpm. The engine mapping is enhanced [on the Bullitt], and we've been able to certify the engine for 315 hp. The torque curve has about a 5-pound increase at tip-in and from off-idle to 2,000 rpm. Then there's a dip, but at 2,400 the 5-lb-ft of torque comes back for the rest of the rpm range." Randle tells us the springs and struts have been improved for handling, and the Bullitt sits 6 mm lower than a Mustang GT.

"The 8.8 has the Shelby GT500 mods, which equates to larger axle tubes and larger bearings, and Bullitt gets 3.73 gears," Randle says. "It also has increased hardening on the ring gear, which the Mustang GT doesn't have. The 3650 five-speed trans is the same. The '08 Bullitt has 311/42-inch exhaust tips, but it has a unique H-pipe and unique tuning. We set out to be as close to legal noise with reduced backpressure.

"Our next job was to see how we could suck air in optimally. On the current GT, it sucks from the left-side fender. We went to an open-element filter, and the box was sealed to a hood blanket. We went from a rise over ambient from 57 degrees to 24 degrees at the air filter. There's also a dual-knock strategy that allows the engine to run on regular or premium gas. We have a more aggressive spark with premium, but there's not a lot of difference [in overall power]."

Track And Road
As noted earlier, our chase ensued at Englishtown's Raceway Park, where Bullitt out-powered the Dodge on the quarter-mile. It took a few runs to find the best launch technique for the Mustang, but after we learned to rev the engine to 3,000 and slide the clutch just right, we were rewarded with a 13.29 at 105.27 mph.

That run came by powershifting just short of the 6,500-rpm redline and nailing Fourth gear just before the traps. Vehicle weight was 3,650 pounds with driver and a quarter-tank of 93 octane. Other runs were 13.42/104.91, 13.52/104.50, and 13.50/104.17. For comparison, we found the Bullitt to be about two or three tenths quicker than a manually shifted Mustang GT.

Powerbraking the Dodge to 1,500 rpm and nailing the gas gave us the best e.t. of 14.04 at 99.88 mph. Considering the 340hp engine and the 4,250-pound weight, we were impressed. Still, score it a win for the Bullitt. Mustang, 2-Charger, 0.