The Bullitt is a limited edition

I think that would either be done by the four (4) 1966 Shelby GT350 convertibles (only one went to a private owner), or the handful of street versions of the original Ford GT40.

Wasn't the Edsel also a limited production run back in its day?

It was more of a limited demand car. Styling too far out of the norm and several features that were too far ahead of their time for a fairy conservative buyer meant it was a car few were drawn to and a price too high to offset that. ;-)

Limited edition and limited production are 2 different things and people keep confusing the two. Limited Edition (what this Bullitt is) means they're only making them for a finite time (2 model years). Limited production means they're only building X amount of cars. As far as we know officially, it is not limited production, simply a build-to-order car with restricted allocation (currently).

Bullitt said:

Limited edition and limited production are 2 different things and people keep confusing the two. Limited Edition (what this Bullitt is) means they're only making them for a finite time (2 model years). Limited production means they're only building X amount of cars. As far as we know officially, it is not limited production, simply a build-to-order car with restricted allocation (currently).

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I think this is part of the confusion Bullitt in the video the ford rep is saying its limited i actually agree with u but when they make statements like that its confusing

Matt, you are quite right, there is a difference between Limited Edition and Limited Production and I for one, forgot to make that distinction.

Ford has definitely said it will be a Limited Edition car, 2019 and 2020, that has been in the official releases.

What I haven't heard in those releases is anything concrete on overall numbers (Limited Production). However, we do know that these cars are on a "limited" Dealer Allocation. The two dealerships I've spoken to both have an allocation of one (1) 2019 Bullitt and are contacting other dealerships to see if they can find one that is willing to give up their one (1) allocation.

To my way of thinking, it is a bit like flow rate of a garden hose. The ultimate flow rate can only be as high as the lowest rate of the components, the tap and the hose. Which ever of those has the lowest number determins the flow rate and creates a "limited" situation.

Doesn't the existence of the limited dealer allocation, coupled with the limited production span, create a limited production number? Without knowing the dealer allocation details (most reports seem to indicate allocations of 1-2), we can't know ultimate numbers, but won't the allocation requirement/restriction coupled with the limited MY span result in a specific and "limited" (via the limited allocation) number being produced.

Of the dozen or so videos of interviews with Ford personnel that have been shot I've watched several and not having made the distinction earlier between Limited Edition and Limited Production can't recall for certain if anyone said they would be limited in numbers, but thought that they had. Guess I'll have to rewatch them this weekend unless someone has already done that exercise. ;-)

AC53 said:

Matt, you are quite right, there is a difference between Limited Edition and Limited Production and I for one, forgot to make that distinction.

Ford has definitely said it will be a Limited Edition car, 2019 and 2020, that has been in the official releases.

What I haven't heard in those releases is anything concrete on overall numbers (Limited Production). However, we do know that these cars are on a "limited" Dealer Allocation. The two dealerships I've spoken to both have an allocation of one (1) 2019 Bullitt and are contacting other dealerships to see if they can find one that is willing to give up their one (1) allocation.

To my way of thinking, it is a bit like flow rate of a garden hose. The ultimate flow rate can only be as high as the lowest rate of the components, the tap and the hose. Which ever of those has the lowest number determins the flow rate and creates a "limited" situation.

Doesn't the existence of the limited dealer allocation, coupled with the limited production span, create a limited production number? Without knowing the dealer allocation details (most reports seem to indicate allocations of 1-2), we can't know ultimate numbers, but won't the allocation requirement/restriction coupled with the limited MY span result in a specific and "limited" (via the limited allocation) number being produced.

Of the dozen or so videos of interviews with Ford personnel that have been shot I've watched several and not having made the distinction earlier between Limited Edition and Limited Production can't recall for certain if anyone said they would be limited in numbers, but thought that they had. Guess I'll have to rewatch them this weekend unless someone has already done that exercise. ;-)

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It may be restricted production, but limited production implies a specific number. It may in fact be limited production and Ford just isn't revealing the number, but when I talked with Ford's Mustang Marketing guy at the reveal in Detroit, he said it would NOT be a limited number car like the 50 Years LE (they announced only 1,964 of those would be made from the get-go). Bullitt will have a chassis number, but they won't be "number 200/8,000" for example.

Well, I guess that is likely as close to being directly from the pony's mouth as we'll get at this point. Thanks, that's definitely good news, bad news. The folks who have missed out on their dealer's initial allotment still have hope of getting one and those who already have an order in, like myself, won't have any idea of total production numbers until the end, although no one ever should have thought they did, and that wasn't my motivation in placing my order.

For me, having driven '66 and '67 289ci, '69 302ci, and '73 351ci Stangs, as well as some miles behind the wheels of most of the newer models including the Gen6, this is the most capable chassis and drivetrain they've ever produced. Love the look, simplicity and rawness of Gen1 and Gen2 cars though, just don't have enough room for a fair-weather car anymore. Kept several over the years and trying to rationalize now. ;-)

Bullitt said:

... when I talked with Ford's Mustang Marketing guy at the reveal in Detroit, he said it would NOT be a limited number car like the 50 Years LE (they announced only 1,964 of those would be made from the get-go). Bullitt will have a chassis number, but they won't be "number 200/8,000" for example.

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Matt, two things make me wonder about that.

1. There is going to be a "number" plate on the dash identifying the vehicle # (doesn't show xxxxx of yyyyy, just xxxxx)
2. Chief Program Engineer, Carl Widmann's replies in a video that I just re-watched while having a bite of lunch to the questions:
   Q) I heard this is going to be a limited run?
   A) Yep.
   Q) Do you know how many are going to be made yet?
   A) No, we haven't announced that.

Certainly, responding to the question of a "limitied run" may be different to "limited number", but with the followup response, it tends to lend credence to the thought that the actual # produced is going to be deliberately limited/capped. Time will tell and I should stop speculating. ;-)

AC53 said:

Matt, two things make me wonder about that.

1. There is going to be a "number" plate on the dash identifying the vehicle # (doesn't show xxxxx of yyyyy, just xxxxx)
2. Chief Program Engineer, Carl Widmann's replies in a video that I just re-watched while having a bite of lunch to the questions:
   Q) I heard this is going to be a limited run?
   A) Yep.
   Q) Do you know how many are going to be made yet?
   A) No, we haven't announced that.

Certainly, responding to the question of a "limitied run" may be different to "limited number", but with the followup response, it tends to lend credence to the thought that the actual # produced is going to be deliberately limited/capped. Time will tell and I should stop speculating. ;-)

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It's anyone's guess really. My point about the chassis number is that if it's capped at a certain amount of cars, usually the number plate will reflect that. Look at the number plate for the 2015 LE cars versus the open-ended nature of just a chassis number on the Bullitt:

Bullitt said:

It's anyone's guess really. My point about the chassis number is that if it's capped at a certain amount of cars, usually the number plate will reflect that. Look at the number plate for the 2015 LE cars versus the open-ended nature of just a chassis number on the Bullitt:

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What I'm gathering, and like you say, it is anybody's guess at this point, is that Ford has decided to cap the actual number but has not yet decided/announced what that number will be.

This 50th Anniversary Bullitt Mustang is their 3rd version and has had more publicity and hype to it than either of the previous two. As much because of the re-surfacing of the original as anything else.

Ford got stiffed by overestimating demand for the last version and ended up offering big discounts. I suspect they don't want to be caught like that again, so the easy fix is to say that they will be a "limited run" which they have, but not identify the actual number until they can gauge market demand and then try to hit that sweet spot between satisfying demand while maintaining a reasonable degree of exclusivity.

In the words of Jerry Seinfeld, "limited to the number we can sell"

Limited Edition and Limited Production are the same thing as Ford is currently using the terms (again- as Ford is using the terms, not dictionary definitions). The Edition will be Limited to the total number of cars built and that will match up exactly with 'limited' production--Ford just ain't telling us what the upper cap on the limited production is. And there is a very clear difference between a limited and capped production run than a stated guaranteed limited production run.

As everyone has noted Ford has stated Limited Edition. BUT they have not stated just what that limitation will be aka what and if there is an absolute cap of production units. Yes, they were slightly burned in the past over this.

The final limitation has been penciled out-- this car doesn't go into production without final executive approval which spells out numbers. However, that doesn't mean the numbers can't be changed--up or down to some degree. I stress some degree as many of the unique parts are coming from outside vendors and those vendors may have production capacity caps. Thus there is play but how much...we do not know and no one who wants to keep their job at Ford is saying.

The 2015 GT LE and the uber rare Cobra Rs are the SOLE exceptions here- please do not make a the rule out of the exceptions. The 15 LE is the ONLY Mustang where they stated the absolute build number aka production limitation upfront and then posted that number on the car itself (aka 1260/1964). Other known (upfront) production limitations have applied to the rare Cobra Rs such as the 2000 Cobra R stated to be limited to 300 units when announced and built (I do not believe this cars had serial numbers on the car as to xxx of 300 but simple research could verify that--I base this on the big deal made as to the 01 Bullitts back in the day and the shock tower decal with the build number and the subsequent search for the 2nd hidden decal). The production limitations (6500 units) were stated before the 1st 01 Bullitt was built but that was an upper production limitation aka 'cap' but only if demand justified building that many (didn't happen).

The 01 Bulltt was production limited (capped), if orders received, at 6500 units. That limitation was not stated in the Bullitt id (every Bullitt has been serialized with a production number). Again they never list such limitations as XXX of YYY as the 'limited' production goal may not be met (with the 01, 08, 09 it was't). With the 2000 and earlier Cobra R's and the 2015 LE the planned production numbers were so small that production was guaranteed to hit the number announced (again all presold to dealerships)...that is not the case with other limited production cars such as the Boss 302 and GT350. It appears that Ford fully built out the BOSS AND GT 350 runs but never stated those ' upper cap' limitations upfront as the final numbers were slightly fluid and did change through the production run. And Ford wanted the ability to up production if necessary and not be locked into a stated cap (again availability of unique parts on both cars self created upper caps but those numbers stayed internal to Ford).

AGAIN, sorry to repeat but the Cobra Rs and the 2015 LE are the only modern limited editions where Ford has stated not only an upper cap but a guaranteed build number from the get go (wait, before someone screams foul-they have stated max build numbers for the new Ford GT).

Please do not try to base anticipated 19/20 Bullitt 'limitations' on the examples of those every rare cars as they are the exceptions to the "Limited Edition" process Ford has clearly used over the past 20 years and not the rule.

As we all know they initially stated an upper cap/limitation (but not a guaranteed build) of 7700 units for the 08 Bullitt and that went bust so they moved the production run into 2009my to attempt to save some face--jobs are on the line in these types of situations...Ford has very strict internal controls and business plan submissions that justify the build and spreading of development costs over those units when the planned number of units comes up short so do profits and careers.

Ford has been slowly learning their lessons...with some relearning as folks move on and institutional knowledge is lost. The Boss 302 program and the GT350 programs are both limited but Ford has never stated 'max' nor 'min' build numbers and they won't with the 19/20 Bullitt. Within Ford there is a target number and that number is being used to assign allocations but unless someone who has that knowledge decides to release it on their death bed we ain't gonna see it.

As a brief but semi related note: Ford stopped giving internal numbers after the 2012 Mustang to Kevin Marti. Which sucks for the Mustang hobby. Ford is getting tighter and tighter with their data. Ford, like other manufacturers, does and will bite the hand of those that feed it. Would the Mustang be here today but for the Mustang Club of America, Kevin Marti, etc in driving the hobby and keeping the Mustang a car of interest. Would the Bullitt have gone on to a 2nd version in 08 without the efforts of IMBOC in creating a huge amount of publicity and interest in the Bullitt after the 01's release. To some extent this numbers game (and lack of information) and the overly severe limitations in allocations (as it currently appears) are really a slap in the face to the Mustang/Bullitt community...I guess time will tell.

The big difference between the Bullitt Mustang and GT350 and GT500 is that every Ford dealer gets to sell a Bullitt. Multiply the number of Ford dealers by 2 and you get an idea of how many Bullitt Mustangs will be sold in a year. Multiply the number of large dealerships by 3 or 4 and add that number to the total production for each year and you should have a good idea of how many Bullitt Mustangs may most likely be produced per year.

Most dealerships that I'm aware of have an allocation of one (1) only, at this point. I've heard of some having no (0) allocation and a few big hitters getting allocated several (3-8???). How much of the upper end is true is hard to judge right now, but the norm seems to be one (1) per dealership. So that's a low figure.

There are reports (again nothing official) that the total number will be less than the GT350. Only time will tell.