Ford Celebrates F-150's 75th Anniversary With Special Model

Aside from leading the pickup market for another year, the Ford F-150 has just turned 75 and the automaker is celebrating the anniversary with a special edition.

As everyone knows, the leading truck in sales for the last 45 years has been the Ford F-Series. In itself, that is quite an accomplishment. Here's another one to think about. The F-Series was introduced in 1947 or 75 years ago.

F-150 Is Long-Time Market Leader

Now, if you do the math, you'll find something interesting. The F-Series has been the market leader for nearly two-thirds of its time in dealer showrooms. Others have tried to knock it off with similar vehicles. For instance, GM has tried to build Chevy Silverados that emulate vehicles like Ford's Raptor, but it hasn't quite got the knack to do it. And now, Ford has taken even more ground in the truck wars with the introduction of the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning. And they even have specialized versions of heavy-duty off-roading pickups like the Tremor.

It is quite an array of vehicles that, as was noted, the rest of the industry hasn't touched. And now, after more than seven decades, Ford has decided to honor its feat of sales know-how with the release of a new trim level, the 2023 F-Series F-150 Heritage Edition. It is a modern take on the pickups of the 1970s and 80s.

The Heritage Edition, based on an XLT level vehicle, features two-tone paint offerings that are stylish and combine with the durability, capability, and technology of today's F-150.

Colors Are Fresh Interpretation

The design of the Heritage Edition represents a fresh interpretation of the Classic A-B-A exterior paint pattern. The A-B-A represents how the paint is applied. With the first A color, you find that roof and pillars sport that hue. The B color is applied to the midsection of the pickup. The third A represents A repeat of the first color on the bumpers, lower door, and lower body.

In other words, let's after checking the various color availabilities you were to choose a red-gray two-tone scheme, the colors would be like this:

• The roof and pillars of the Heritage Edition would be done in red
• The midsection would be done in carbonized gray
• The bumpers, lower door, and lower body would be done again in red

It is quite a striking color combination.

Unique Interior Offering

Meantime, unique interior offerings are in slate gray and black to complement the exteriors. Distinct seat trim covers featuring unique inserts, plus embossing on the console lid, further enhance the uniqueness of the Heritage design. A white "75 Years" logo appears in the upper center windshield and is included in the center screen startup animation and on the center console.

According to Ford, there are five color options available. They include:

• Race Red midsection, with upper and lower Carbonized Gray
• Atlas Blue midsection, with upper and lower Agate Black
• Antimatter Blue midsection, with upper and lower Carbonized Gray
• Avalanche midsection, with upper and lower Agate Black
• Area 51 midsection, with upper and lower Agate Black

Heritage Edition Available In Fall

Pricing will be available when order banks for the 2023 F-150 Heritage Edition open mid-July, with production, starting this fall.

Photo courtesy Ford Motor Co.

Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971 when an otherwise normal news editor said, "You're our new car editor," and dumped about 27 pounds of auto stuff on my desk. I was in heaven as I have been a gearhead from my early days. As a teen, I spent the usual number of misspent hours hanging out at gas stations Shell and Texaco (a big thing in my youth) and working on cars. From there on, it was a straight line to my first column for the paper, "You Auto Know," an enterprise I handled faithfully for 32 years. Not many people know that I also handled computer documentation for a good part of my living while writing YAN. My best writing, though, was always in cars. My work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, etc. You can follow me on: Twitter or Facebook.