The 2022 Woodward Dream Cruise might’ve had a soggy end to the festivities due to rain squalls in the area, but before the heavens unleashed buckets of rain, the sun and blue skies held out long enough for celebrity and everyone’s favorite car enthusiast Jay Leno to unveil a brand new Ford F-150 Lightning project truck that not only pays homage to Sam Walton’s original F-150 pickup but also celebrates a collaboration between the star and Walmart.
F-150 Lightning Paying Homage To Frugality Of A Classic
Walmart is a robust shopping juggernaut these days, but it can be hard to forget that this mighty empire once had a humble start thanks to founder Sam Walton, an ambitious yet frugal individual. That’s reflected in his first truck, a 1979 F-150. This vintage classic doesn’t have alot of the frills that truck buyers in the 1970s were used to and instead focuses on only the essentials, which include the sensible toolbox in the back of the bed and the simple red and white two-tone paint.
Leno’s interpretation also has red and white paint, but unlike the Walton original, the Lightning isn’t available in a two-door layout, forcing this truck to embrace a crew cab layout. The truck also has grey-hued wheels and a grey grill panel, and while there are some concessions to modern times in the basic design, this Lightning is still a faithful replica of Sam Walton’s original truck. Ford didn’t release any photographs of the interior but look for the transformation to be limited to the exterior, with the cabin having the same high levels of technology and comfort that defines other F-150 Lightning models.
In addition to wowing audiences with the truck, Leno also revealed that the truck will serve as a visual symbol of a partnership between the comedian and Walmart, with the shopping giant revealing that they will now carry his full line of “Jay Leno’s Garage”car care products. Look for many of these products to either be on store shelves now, or in the near future once the full nationwide rollout is completed.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.