Skip to main content

As ‘Bullitt’ turns 50, special-edition Ford Mustang may debut at Detroit Auto Show

Ford Mustang in 'Bullitt'
Image used with permission by copyright holder
A special-edition 2018 Ford Mustang Bullitt honoring the classic Steve McQueen movie will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show next week, according to Automotive News. The car is reportedly being prepped for the 50th anniversary of Bullitt, which featured McQueen’s police lieutenant Frank Bullitt at the wheel of a 1968 Ford Mustang GT in one of the most famous car chases ever.

The Automotive News report, which cited an anonymous source familiar with the matter, caps weeks of rumors that a Bullitt special-edition Mustang would appear in Detroit. But, for now, Ford has nothing to say.

“We don’t have any Mustang news to share today but we love the interest in America’s favorite muscle car,” Ford spokesman Mike Levine told Automotive News on Wednesday. The industry trade journal also noted that the Mustang Bullitt wasn’t among the cars Ford showed at a media preview earlier this month.

This isn’t the first report of a 2018 Mustang Bullitt. In December, a current-generation Mustang wearing Bullitt-signature Highland Green paint was spotted filming in Chicago. Earlier this week, the Mustang 6G forum unearthed an auction listing for a “special new Ford Mustang” that will be sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, on January 19. The timing of the movie’s 50th anniversary, the Detroit show, and the auction has led to speculation that the “special” Mustang will be a Bullitt special edition.

Ford has sold Bullitt-edition Mustangs before. The first appeared during the 2001 model year, and the second was sold during model years 2008 and 2009. Both tried to reference the look of the original movie car with Highland Green paint (or something close), special wheels, and other aesthetic touches. A 2018 Bullitt will probably take a similar route, adding Bullitt-specific styling touches to the current Mustang GT. Meanwhile, one of the two original 1968 Mustangs used to film Bullitt was uncovered last year, while the other is hasn’t been seen in decades.

With the 2018 Detroit Auto Show right around the corner, we won’t have to wait long to see if the rumors prove true. Ford has a press conference scheduled for January 14, so stay tuned for more news over the next few days.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
The Kia EV3 could be the cheap electric SUV we’ve been waiting for
White Kia EV3

The Kia EV9 was already one of the cheapest ways to get an electric SUV, but now the company is taking things to the next level. After teasing the Kia EV3 last year, the car is now official.

The EV3 is built to be a slightly smaller, cheaper version of the EV9 -- following the path of the Rivian R2, which arrived after the Rivian R1S. It's certainly not as technologically advanced as the EV9, but it still looks unmistakably like a modern Kia, and is clearly a sibling of the larger SUV. On the outside, the vehicle has the same split taillights and very similar Tiger Face front. But it is quite a bit smaller. The vehicle will be available in nine finishes -- however only "Aventurine Green" and "Terracotta" are being announced right now.

Read more
Kia EV3: release date, performance, range, and more
White Kia EV3

Kia is on a roll. Hot on the heels of the success of the Kia EV6 and EV9, the company is already announcing what could be its cheapest electric vehicle yet -- the Kia EV3.

The Kia EV line seems to follow the rule of lower numbers indicating a lower price — and if so, the EV3 will end up being the cheapest electric car Kia has released to date. That, however, thankfully doesn’t mean that the EV3 will be a low-end car — it just means that Kia may be pushing the boundaries on electric car pricing.

Read more
Kia EV3 vs Tesla Model Y: Can Kia’s new entry-level car take on Tesla?
White Kia EV3

The Kia EV3 is finally coming, and it could well end up being the best small-size electric SUV to buy when it finally rolls out. It's smaller than the Kia EV9, but it offers many of the same design elements and features. But there's another small-size electric car that's currently one of the most popular vehicles out there -- the Tesla Model Y.

How does the Kia EV3 compare with the Tesla Model Y? And is one vehicle actually better than the other? We put the Kia EV3 and the Tesla Model Y head-to-head to find out.
Design
The design of the Kia EV3 is very different than that of the Model Y, though they're both reasonably good-looking vehicles.

Read more