The Bullitt Mustang ended up staying in the Kiernan family's D.C.-area garage for decades. Upon Kiernan's passing in 2014, the car was passed down to his son Sean who was inspired to get the car back up and running. Sean Kiernan restored the car in secret on his own before unveiling it to the public.
The iconic movie car has been owned by the Kiernan family since 1974. After nearly 50 years, McQueen's Mustang GT fastback from "Bullitt" is back on the world's stage. The Mustang Steve McQueen expertly drove in the 1968 movie "Bullitt" was no average sports car.
Did Steve McQueen actually drive the Mustang in Bullitt?
Although Steve McQueen was credited with the driving during the chase sequence, it was actually shared by McQueen and Bud Ekins, one of Hollywood's best stunt drivers. From the interior shots looking forward inside the Mustang, it's easy to see which one is driving.
A dull green 1968 Ford Mustang GT driven by Steve McQueen in the movie “Bullitt” just became the most valuable Ford Mustang ever sold at auction. It went for $3.7 million, including auction fees, at the annual Mecum collector car auction in Kissimmee, Florida.
After shooting was complete, the surviving hero car was returned to the dealer, who repainted it yellow and sold it. And so it was for a few decades. But in 2002, 51-year-old Mopar fanatic Arnold Welch purchased what he believed to be the "Bullitt" Charger, in Tucson, Arizona.
However, it seems that a certain buyer grabbed the machine from the Valley Dodge car dealer in Van Nuys, California in 1970 and sold it to Arnold Welch of Tucson, AZ in 2002. There were either two or three 1968 Dodge Chargers used in the film.
Following its movie debut, the 1968 Mustang GT hero car—this car—was sold to Robert Ross, a Warner Bros. employee who used it as a commuter, documented by the Warner Bros. parking sticker on the bottom right corner of the windshield. The other Mustang stunt car was deemed unrepairable and reportedly scrapped.
What engine did the original Bullitt Mustang have?
Powered by a 390-cubic inch V8 engine, this Mustang painted in the famous Highland Green body colour was driven by the King of Cool himself, Steve McQueen, during the famous car chase in the streets of San Francisco (which you can re-watch below).
On November 7, 1980, McQueen died of a heart attack at 3:45 a.m. at a Juárez hospital, 12 hours after surgery to remove or reduce numerous metastatic tumors in his neck and abdomen. He was 50 years old. According to the El Paso Times, McQueen died in his sleep.
How long did it take to film the Chase scene in Bullitt?
One of the most memorable car chases in all of cinema features Steve McQueen in a Ford Mustang being chased by bad guys through the streets of San Francisco in the 1968 film “Bullitt.” Warner Bros. The sequence took Yates three weeks to film and was pieced together from multiple takes.
Frank Bullitt's car is a 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback. The bad guys drive a 1968 Dodge Charger 440 Magnum. The Charger is just barely faster than the Mustang, with a 13.6-second quarter-mile to a 13.8-second.
The actor is better known for his prowess as a stunt driver. His work in Bullitt (1968) is legendary where he drove the black Dodge Charger 440 Magnum that was pursued by Steve McQueen in his Ford Mustang 390 GT.
Industry experts believe it is odds-on there will be a new-generation Ford Mustang Bullitt – given the special edition was included in the previous three generations – but it could be several years away, in the second half of an expected eight-year model cycle.
GT stands for “Grand Touring,” which represents a trim level that offers additional performance and luxury features compared to the base models. This designation signifies a Mustang that's built for power, speed, and a refined driving experience.
The Bullitt Mustang ended up staying in the Kiernan family's D.C.-area garage for decades. Upon Kiernan's passing in 2014, the car was passed down to his son Sean who was inspired to get the car back up and running. Sean Kiernan restored the car in secret on his own before unveiling it to the public.
About 40 years ago, a certain Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT exchanged hands for $3500. That same car, the one that was actually driven by Steve McQueen in the movie Bullitt, just became the most valuable Mustang ever after it was auctioned off for a cool $3.4 million.
Who owns the Mustang that Steve McQueen drove in the movie Bullet?
After filming, the Mustang was sold to a Warner Brothers employee, and later to a New Jersey police detective. He in turn sold it for $6,000 in 1974 to Robert Kiernan of Madison, New Jersey, who held onto the car until he died in 2014.
Unfortunately, according to CBS, that was just some dramatic license. The telecast featured two authentic 1968 Mustangs, but neither is the car from the film.
Two Mustang GT 390s were modified for the making of Bullitt – which included a dark Highland Green paint scheme, no exterior badges, scoops or spoilers and adorned with a black-mesh grille absent of Ford's iconic pony badging.
What is the difference between a Mustang and a Mustang Bullitt?
To give the limited-production Mustang Bullitt an extra dose of performance, Ford retuned its engine to produce 475 horsepower. Aside from packing a bit more power, the Mustang Bullitt also comes standard with the GT? s optional Performance package and an active exhaust.
What happened to the Bullitt Mustang found in Mexico?
Sanchez co-owns the Mustang with shop owner Ralph Garcia Jr., who had already started repairing the car -- it now wears a fresh coat of Highland green paint. It was displayed at the local Mexicali Ford dealership before being shipped back to California, where Garcia lives.
