Rare Heat: The Steeda 2019 Steve McQueen Bullitt Mustang
You may remember when Ford first introduced their take on the Steve McQueen Bullitt Mustang back in 2001. It was such a big hit, that the car was reintroduced as a 2008 version, as well as a 2019 special edition. While these cars were ultra cool and a great way to embrace the rich McQueen Racing heritage, there was still something missing.
Righteous Redo
That missing “something” with Ford’s rendition of the McQueen edition Mustang had to do with the quantity of the cars, which was felt to have a direct effect on their overall quality. The car was built for the masses, which left a lot of important details and finishing touches to be desired among diehard fans.
“When we approached Chad McQueen, Steve’s son, about offering a limited run of our take on what a McQueen Racing Bullitt Mustang should be, he was on the same page as we were,” says Joe Day, Vice President of Operations at Steeda Performance Vehicles. “Chad was a fan of what Ford had done with his dad’s namesake car, but even he acknowledged that there was still a lot of room left for improvement,” Joe added.
Limited Run
To combat the woes that a mass-produced custom vehicle might present to the end user, Steeda and Chad McQueen proceeded to agree on a 2019 model McQueen Racing Bullitt Mustang with a 2020 offering following it up, with just 300 of each being made available to the public. These were made available for delivery to every continent, so they have been dispersed throughout the world, making these cars even more rare than if they had been only been made for sale here in the U.S.
With the number of this edition limited to only a few hundred, Steeda’s close collaboration with the estate of Steve McQueen, Chad McQueen, McQueen Racing, and Galpin Auto Sports, a high level product deserving of the heritage and process was finally made available to the fans.
Standard Equipment
Steeda has provided each of their McQueen Bullitt Mustangs with either a naturally aspirated 500HP or supercharged 775HP engine. Additionally, they come with a McQueen Racing Performance suspension system that features a one-inch drop, front and rear sway bars, IRS subframe bushing support system, alignment kit and support brace, dual rate ultimate handling springs, ultralite jacking rails and an extreme G-Trac K-member support brace just to name a few of the highlights. A standard McQueen Racing engine performance tune and short throw Tri-Ax shifter are also included as well as interior upgrades that make the car what it truly is.
Where The Rubber Meets The Road
Although only a small batch of these cars have been made available, there is a trusted formula that has gone into them to provide optimum performance output. When it came time to decide on a winning wheel and tire package, the Steeda team developed a modern 20-inch reincarnation of the original Torq Thrust 1968 Bullitt Mustang wheel that goes on every car.
A specific tire combination is also used to cover these wheels, and for very good reason. 275/35ZR20 Nitto NT555 G2 summer ultra high-performance tires up front and rear 315/35R20 Nitto NT555RII drag radials have been paired together to give the Mustang everyday street drivability with a dash of true track-ready performance.
A Personal Touch
The actual car in these photos is just a tad bit different than the other 299 2019 McQueen Bullitt Mustangs, making it a true one-off machine at the request of a very important Ford supercar driver and collector. Those familiar with these cars might recognize Darroll Myers’ name.
He owns an unreal collection of ultra rare Blue Oval cars, and to make this limited edition car unique, he collaborated with the Steeda team to make this McQueen Bullitt Mustang the only one in the world to be equipped with their stage II drag package. Mr. Myers seeks out true 1-of-1 vehicles to add to his esteemed collection, and this car was tailor made to fit right into his Mustang stable.
A Lasting Legacy
Knowing that these limited edition McQueen Bullitt Mustangs were built to the highest standards to meet the approval of the McQueen estate, as well as Steve’s only son, Chad, gives them a sense of legitimacy that Ford’s previous releases just didn’t capture. “Ford’s Mustang has always been a big part of my dad’s legend,” said Chad McQueen. "This special edition reflects the lessons my dad ingrained in me about what made his personal cars so desirable.”
