Every once in a while, Ford Motor Company puts out a special edition Mustang, like the Boss 302. Some of the cars are numbered, suggesting they’ll hold more of a place of reverence with owners and fans alike. One such car is the S197 generation 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt. So, in a market with near-endless muscle car options, should you buy the dark green film homage? 

Is a 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt collectible?

The Bullitt is a special edition homage to the 1968 cult classic crime film, “Bullitt.” In the film, Detective Frank Bullitt, played by the iconic Steve McQueen, pilots a dark green 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390 around the rolling hills of San Francisco. The 2008 car takes the already retro S197 body styling and adds the subtle film car aesthetic, deleting badges, adding seats from the Shelby, and wearing its Dark Highland Green paint.

I recently bought the 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt number 0564. That means the car is the 564th Bullitt out of a total of 5,808. According to Ford Performance, Ford made 4,377 in the Dark Highland Green paint and 1,431 in black. Given the car’s numbers and performance upgrades, it’s likely to continue gaining value as a collector’s car. 

How much horsepower does a 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt have?

Ford gave the Bullitt a modest power bump over the GTs of the day, for a total of 315 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. The horsepower is courtesy of a 4.6L V8 with a factory cold air intake and H-pipe. While that doesn’t seem like much, it’s enough to coax the pony car with its revised 3.73:1 gears to 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds. 

Even if you don’t care for the film connection, the Bullitt’s raised redline, stiffer suspension, and power bump make it a sharper Mustang GT without stretching into Shelby territories. In my experience, the car is in a power-sweet spot; it’s fun to drive without being an inconvenience during commutes. Furthermore, with an optional Shaker 1000 stereo, it’s still a joy to turn up the volume. Of course, you’ll likely spend all of your time with the windows down listening to the tuned exhaust. 

Is there a 2009 model?

Ford also produced its Bullitt homage Mustang in 2009, but with fewer numbers. The 2009 model year offered only 816 examples. As a result, there aren’t vast quantities of the S197 generation Bullitt in circulation.

However, with three generations of Dark Highland Green-clad homage cars, there is no shortage of options for the enthusiast or collector.

How many Bullitt Mustangs are there? 

In addition to the 2008 and 2009 Bullitts from the S197 generation, Ford produced two other generations with homage cars. The first homage is an SN-95 generation car Ford built in 2001 and 2002. It also features the handsome Dark Highland Green paint scheme and retro wheels. 

More recently, Ford produced a 2019 and 2020 model year Bullitt on the S550 platform. The sharpest tribute yet, the S550 generation car packs 480 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. Better yet, the manual transmission and homage paint scheme never left the vehicle throughout the three interpretations. 

Should you buy a Bullitt?

The S197 Mustang is, along with the Dodge Challenger, the most true-to-form retro-styled muscle car of modern times. Moreover, the S197 Bullitt features subtle, classy, athletic credentials with a movie-inspired soundtrack. If you’re even somewhat tempted to buy a Bullitt, I recommend it. Whether you’re a Steve McQueen fan or not, the tribute car is worth your time. 

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