Ford Mustang a shot at history

Ford will debut a variant of the growling, retro-styled Mustang this weekend at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt is an update of the 1968 pony car driven by Steve McQueen in the movie Bullitt.

Last year the car chase scene in Bullitt was chosen as the best of all time. The 2008-version goes on sale in January. Ford will produce just 7700 for the American market, with a starting price of $US31,075 ($35,255) .

It will be a close replica of the original 1968 Mustang, right down to its stealth-like appearance. For the movie, all the exterior badges and logos from the car were removed.

The new car features the same Dark Highland Green paint, lack of badges, scoops and spoilers. Ford will also offer the car in black.

The word Bullitt is on a graphic on a fake petrol cap on the boot.

The car's chief designer, Doug Gaffka, says: “The 2008 Mustang Bullitt, like the movie car, is ... a wolf in sheep's clothing.”

The new car features a 4.6-litre, 3-valve V8 that delivers 235kW at

6000 rpm and 440Nm of torque at 4250 rpm. Top speed is 240km/h and it has a 5-speed manual gearbox. It even features a polished aluminium shift ball designed specifically for the car.

The book The Greatest Movie Car Chases Of All Time last year awarded Bullitt its prestigious accolade. Author Jesse Crosse voted the Bullitt chase better than other iconic movie chases including the chase through Paris in the 1998 movie Ronin, which came second, the little known 1973 movie The Seven Ups (third) and the famous Mini Cooper S chase in the The Italian Job of 1969 (fourth). Crosse says the Bullitt chase in which McQueen's Mustang chases a black Dodge Charger R/T driven by actor Bill Hickman through San Francisco is without doubt the best.

“It's not just the inclusion of the fabulous cars, the fabulous city and King of Cool that makes Bullitt the best chase in the world,” he says.

“The engine soundtrack of both cars is simply awesome.

“The cinematography broke new ground and in-car footage is raw and gritty, with plenty of opportunity to watch Hickman, McQueen and Bud Edkins ... in action.”

Ford is hoping the car re-ignites sales of the new-age Mustang. In the US, Autodata sales figures show Mustang sales are down 18per cent in the first 10 months of this year.

Other highlights of the LA show include Chrysler's street-legal version of its Dodge Viper SRT10 race car. Hyundai's Genesis Coupe and Lamborghini's Reventon super car also will be featured.