2000 and 2001 Ford Mustang: Back with a Bullitt Mustang (Part 2)

The 2000 Ford Mustang was the second year of the New Edge Mustang. People were surprised to see the lack of a Cobra option that year, an absence perhaps due to the power output issue of the 1999 Mustang Cobra.  There were no changes to the exterior of the 2000 standard or Mustang GT, with the exception of the 35th Anniversary logo. The Mustang GT also sported dual exhaust cutouts and the GT badging.  Ford also released a special edition 2000 Mustang GT called the Spring Feature Mustang; all 3,091 units received the same side ducts and hood scoop as the 35th Anniversary Limited Edition GT, as well as black Mustang bumper inserts, dual black stripes on the hood with GT on them, and 17″ by 8″ bright finish wheels.  The 2000 Spring Feature Mustang was the only one offered in Zinc Yellow, a feature that would return to all 2001 Ford Mustangs.  Another special edition Mustang was the only Cobra Ford sold in 2000; the Mustang Cobra R was revived for a limited production of 300. Like the 1995 Mustang Cobra R, the 2000 Mustang Cobra R was basically a street legal race car: no back seat, no sound deadening material, no heaters, and no A/C. What the Cobra R did have was a new DOHC 5.4L engine building 385 horsepower, a new front clip, side exit exhaust, a huge rear wing, and an almost $55,000 price tag. The 2000 Saleen Mustang and 2000 Roush Mustang lineups remained the same that year. The changes in 2000 were comparably minimal, yet sales boomed and over 215,000 units found drivers.

2001

The 2001 Ford Mustang returned with the Cobra in exchange for the
exiting Cobra R.  The 2001Mustang Cobra came stock with 320 horsepower
(for real this time), and those who dared to race one were reminded of
their error in judgment thanks to the COBRA lettering across the rear.
2001 Mustang GT’s were styled with smoked headlights, the special side
ducts and hood scoop featured on the 35th Anniversary GT, and 17″
wheels – newly featured in 2001. Ford released the special edition
Mustang Bullitt in 2001 as a retro-themed trim package added to the GT.
Named after Bullitt, a cult classic that put the 1968 Ford Mustang on
the map, the 2001 Mustang Bullitt came in the Highland Green featured
in the movie – an option exclusive to the Bullitt that year. The
Bullitt was also offered in Black and, rarest of all that year, True
Blue. Along with the unique green paint, the Bullitt came with an
exterior upgrade package displaying blacked-out corral around the pony,
red brake calipers with a Mustang emblem, flush side ducts, a brushed
aluminum race-style fuel door, a spoiler, and fog lamp delete.  The
Bullitt’s interior sported more comfortable seats, gauges with 1960’s
Ford style font, aluminum accents on the shifter and shifter trim ring,
door lock buttons, and the engraved aluminum BULLITT door sill plates.
The only performance enhancement was the air intake system, which was
slightly altered from the regular GT intake resulting in 5 extra
horsepower. The 2001 Saleen Mustang lineup remained unchanged, but the
Roush Mustang lineup got a long awaited kick in the pants with the 2001
Roush Mustang Stage 3.  This Roush Stage 3 offered all of the available
appearance and suspension upgrades of the lower end Roush packages
along with the addition of the Roush intercooled supercharger, which
boosted the output to 360 horsepower, and sub-frame connectors to help
handle all of the power in conjunction with the suspension components.
The 2001 Mustang was not quite as popular as the prior year with sales
dropping to around 168,000 units, but in all it was a good year for the
Mustang.

Remember
when the “New Edge” Mustang was the “new” Mustang? That was a “new”
Mustang ago as we come up on another “new” Mustang. What are your
memories of the New Edge Mustang? Do you think all of these new
Mustangs are good or bad for the ponycar’s legacy? How do you feel about
the upcoming “new” Mustang?