In the world of Hollywood, the Ford Mustang seems to have been born to star in films. For some, the height of movie cars was reached with Sean Connery's Aston Martin DB5 as seen in the Bond films 'Goldfinger' and 'Thunderball', but to American muscle car fans, the Mustang reigns supreme.
It has to be 'Bullitt', starring Steve McQueen that truly epitomises the Mustang in movies. The entire film is defined by the dramatic tyre-squealing chase that was filmed around San Francisco with the Mustang and a black Dodge Charger.
Yat Ming have just released a 1/43 scale model of Frank Bullitt's Mustang, the GT 390 in Highland Green. The model is great value at just under fifteen pounds, especially compared with older, discontinued models of the Mustang that seem to sell for huge amounts on auction sites.
The model comes in a clear plastic display case, similar to many other 1/43rds, while the packaging shows parts of the iconic black and white film poster for Bullitt. Detail for the price is excellent, the brake discs are present behind the black wheels and the licence plate is accurate to the film. Sadly, there have been no plans to produce either the Dodge Charger from the chase, or the green Beetle that seems to pop up in every scene!
Since Bullitt, Mustangs have been seen in 'Diamonds Are Forever', driven by James Bond (he had already chased a white Mustang and been driven around the Bahamas in a light blue convertible) and most recently in Tokyo Drift, the third film in The Fast and The Furious series, although purists may not have enjoyed the conversion to a Nissan engine for drift sequences!
These appearances pale in comparison, though, when compared to what could be argued as a more famous Mustang than Bullitt's - 'Eleanor'. If the name doesn't mean anything to you, than it may be worth finding a copy of 'Gone in 60 Seconds' to watch!
The Shelby GT-500, one of the most powerful versions of the Mustang, starred in the film alongside Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie, a remake of the original film. 'Eleanor' is the moniker given to the car by car thief Randall Raines (Cage) who, at the climax to the film, finally manages to succesfully steal the car to save his brother.
The 1/18 scale model is produced by Shelby Collectibles and is completely accurate to the film, with NOS in the boot and the Carroll Shelby signature recreated on the dashboard. All of the doors open and the model is supplied on a black display plinth.
These models are some of the most popular die-cast releases and are in big demand around the globe, thanks to the fame of appearing in films, be sure to add at least one to your collection!
