On the road, we pushed both Mustang and Charger, and again it was no contest. Bullitt drove away thanks to its unique spring, shock, and strut tuning. It's balanced towards track handling but is plush enough for a daily driver. There's definitely a difference between the Bullitt and the '05-up Mustang GT. Bullitt is lowered (6 mm), and with its improved suspension, it has better overall grip and a more neutral feel that is less prone to understeer.
The seats offer comfort for the long haul, yet the enlarged side bolsters keep the driver in place. The leather seems softer than most Mustang seats, and we also really liked the GT500-style steering wheel that fit perfectly in our hands and translated road feel back to us in a precise manner. Through the curves and on the straights, the Mustang, with its better power-to-weight ratio, could drive away from the Charger, although the Dodge hung in there quite well for a heavy sedan. It, too, had a nice road feel, and handling was more precise than one would expect from such a large automobile.
 "You have to get the pieces...  "You have to get the pieces and content correct. It's flat-out just a fun car to do. When I was a kid, Steve McQueen was the meaning of cool."-Doug Gaffka, Chief Of Design on Mustang |  |  "We are continuing our steed...  "We are continuing our steed for every need. we are not about to give up our position, even in the face of potential competition."-Robert Parker, Marketing Manager on Mustang |
Due to obvious reasons, we had to forgo the big jumps, fender smashing, and gunshots, but we did have a blast running up and down the hilly byways in northwestern New Jersey. We even had one of our guys, McQueen stunt double Thomas Lyman, dress up as Frank Bullitt-blue turtleneck, brown tweed jacket, and all.
Perhaps best of all is Bullitt's price tag, which Ford tells us is under $31,000. That's a lot of pizzazz for your pennies-so long as the dealers don't gouge out your eyes. Whether you want to live out your Steve McQueen fantasy, or you simply want one of the coolest new Mustangs to hit the streets, Bullitt is one serious player that won't be easily beat.
Editor's Note: MM&FF would personally like to thank Darin Buhler of Buhler Dodge/Buhler Ford for providing the Dodge Charger for this photo shoot. Buhler Dodge/Ford is located at 105 Rte. 36 in Eatontown, New Jersey. You can also contact them by calling 732/544-5515 or by checking out www.buhlerauto.com.
The Bad Guys
 In hot pursuit, the Dodge...  In hot pursuit, the Dodge Charger R/T rolled to a 14.04 at 99 mph. Not bad considering its Hemi had to propel 4,250 pounds (with driver) down the strip. |  A plastic cover in the Charger...  A plastic cover in the Charger hides a 5.7-liter Hemi with multidisplacement system. It produces an impressive 340 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. Dodge's larger 6.1 Hemi in the more expensive SRT-8 model makes 425 ponies. |  The Dodge seats five comfortably...  The Dodge seats five comfortably and has a well-appointed front office. Our fully optioned tester had a sunroof and navigation and was priced just under $38,000. |