New Ford Mustang pays tribute to Steve McQueen film 'Bullitt'

You can't drive more than a block or two without seeing a Ford Mustang.

But one new Mustang is special, because it's a tribute to a famous car from 50 years ago.

In 1968, mega-star Steve McQueen wowed movie audiences with one of the most legendary car chases ever in the film Bullitt. His ride as the title character was a dark green 1968 Mustang fastback.

Fast forward five decades, and you can get a bit of that McQueen magic in the new 2019 Mustang Bullitt.

Priced at a base of $46,595, it has the stance, the color, the sound, and the attitude of the car that became a legend in cinema. From the local drive-in when it came out, to Blu-ray discs today, millions of people have drooled over the car that performed real stunts and jumps, in the days before digital effects.

Ford's actually done Bullitt edition Mustangs twice before: in 2001, and again in 2008. But this time around is a little more special, as next month will mark 50 years since Bullitt premiered. And, the main surviving 1968 Mustang from the movie recently came out of hiding, to worldwide attention.

The 2019 Bullitt Mustang starts out as a GT Premium Fastback with the Performance Package. The $2,200 upgrade to Bullitt trim gets you both more and less than the GT. But both are intentional.

There's more power out of the 5.0 liter V8 engine; 480 horsepower vs. 460 in the GT. You also get exclusivity, and each car is numbered on the dashboard.

But to keep in the theme of the film car, things are purposely missing too. No horse on the grill or badges on the side, just like McQueen's car.

Oh, and no automatic transmission is available. You'll have to shift your own gears and use a clutch. But remember, that's what McQueen did in the movie.

It's the perfect cool detective fantasy car to wake you up in the morning on the way to your next case in San Francisco. Everyone else in the squad can just sit down, drink their orange juice, and shut up if they don't like it.

But just remember, no matter how hard you try when you're behind the wheel, you'll never be as cool as the fictional lieutenant Frank Bullitt - or the actual Steve McQueen.