Happy Fordsgiving! Our Top 2022 Ford Moments that Make us Feel Thankful

It has been another whirlwind of a year for blue oval fans. But as we look back, we see that there are a lot of things to be thankful for this year.

2022 is not over yet. But it sure feels like we crammed in a whole year’s worth of Ford news into just 11 months. And if we are honest not all of it has been good. Supply chain issues continue. Truck prices are increasing. And gas prices went a little crazy. But it is Thanksgiving season, which means we need to take a break from the negative and look at the positive. Is there anything to be thankful for in 2022? There sure is. Even more than we have listed here.

These are a few of our favorite Ford moments from 2022 to help us remember just how good a year it was. Ford announced some big changes this year and many of them any Ford fan can totally get behind. More V8 engines, more power, more Raptors, all good stuff. So, sit back at scroll through some of the top moments from the year (almost) gone by.

F-150 Raptor R

After years of begging Ford to PLEASE put a V8 back into the F-150 Raptor they finally agreed in 2022. The V8-powered Raptor would be a new model called the Raptor R. And it is not just any V8 engine under the hood. Ford is stuffing (Happy Thanksgiving) the 5.2L supercharged V8 from the GT500 in the Raptor R. It makes 700 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque in Raptor R guise. And of course, this means the V8 soundtrack is back in the F-150 Raptor. How can you not be thankful for that?

Raptor All the Things

We got some really exciting Raptor-related news in 2022. First, it was announced that the Bronco Raptor was going to be a thing. It is jammed full of off-road goodness and was so popular that it quickly sold out for the model year. That is OK, they will make more. Then it was announced that the Ford Ranger is going to be getting the full Raptor treatment and it will be sold in the U.S. in 2023. Powered by a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost output is expected to be 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. This truck has been anticipated for a while now so the official announcement this year may not have been surprising but it sure was exciting.

F-150 Lightning Delivery

Has there been a Ford truck discussed more in recent years than the F-150 Lightning? The first all-electric truck from Ford was huge news since the day it was announced. And in 2022 they finally got built and into the hands of customers. Theoretical discussions were over, we could now see how these perform in the real world. Can they perform like real trucks? Are they fast, do they tow, can they haul? In 2022 we finally got to see for ourselves, and we are thankful for that.

Carlisle Ford Nationals Sets Record

The Ford Nationals at Carlisle has been an annual event since 1974. Many current Ford owners were not even born when the first show was held. Well, the 2022 event was the largest in history. The event set an all-time high for registered show field vehicles with 3,454. Think about that for a moment. Nearly thirty-five hundred Fords in one place. If you are a Ford fan, this is the place to be. I was there and can tell you that there is not another show like it. And as it approaches its 50-year anniversary the Ford Nationals at Carlisle is only getting bigger and better. Join us in 2023 as the event runs from June 2 – 4.

F-Series Milestones

The F-Series trucks hit a couple of historic milestones in 2022. In early January it was announced that F-Series was the best-selling truck for the 45^th year in a row. Then later that same month Ford built a 2022 F-150 Tremor in Iconic Silver for a customer in Texas. That truck marked the 40-millionth time an F-Series truck was delivered to a customer in the U.S. No other truck can put up these kinds of numbers. As Ford fans, this was one of our most thankful moments of the year.

S650 Mustang Reveal

OK, it is not a truck but anytime a new generation Ford Mustang is revealed, it’s big news. And we are especially thankful for this Mustang. In this day and age of companies getting rid of the manual transmission and the V8 engine the new Mustang will bless us with both. And the Mustang Dark Horse will be powered by a special Coyote V8 that is expected to produce about 500 horsepower. On top of a slew of performance upgrades that will make this the most formidable Coyote-powered Mustang on a racetrack ever. Are we thankful for this? You bet we are!

Mustang Mach-E Top EV Pick

Now we turn to a whole different type of Mustang. There was some big news in 2022 for the Mustang Mach-E. Consumer Reports named the Mach-E has the top pick in the Electric Vehicle category. It replaced the previous top pick Tesla Model 3. That is a heck of an accomplishment considering Ford has just begun to build all-electric vehicles. We know that not everyone is thrilled with the move toward EVs. However, if Ford has to build them, then they may as well build the best. And it seems like they are doing that.

Bronco Special Editions

2022 saw the introduction of a couple cool Bronco Special Editions. First was the Bronco Everglades. This Bronco has a strong focus on making a living off-road. It comes with the Sasquatch Package but ramps things up further with a heavy-duty front bumper to hold the ZEON 10-S WARN winch. There is also a snorkel and front and rear axles, transfer case and transmission with raised vents for improved water fording. Then in August Ford announced the Bronco Heritage Edition that would pay homage to the original 1966 Bronco. These were focused more on design than mechanical upgrades. But damn they look good. The Bronco and Bronco Sport were already popular, but these special editions ramped up that popularity even further.

Ford Blue and Ford Model e

Back in March Ford dropped a bombshell by announcing that it was splitting into two different companies. Ford Blue is going to focus on traditional ICE vehicles. And Ford Model e is going to focus on the EV side of the equation. Why are we thankful for a change to corporate structure? Well, if for nothing else it shows that Ford is not going to abandon the current range of ICE vehicles anytime soon. And for the EV fans, the Model e company will be focused on the electrified portfolio that ultimately is the future of Ford.

2023 Super Duty

In September of this year, Ford released details on the 2023 Ford Super Duty lineup. And they were exciting details. Four engines, new styling, and a lot of new technology will be part of the 2023 Super Duty offering. Onboard scales, a tailgate-down camera and trailer navigation are just a few of the tech highlights. These Super Duty trucks are going to be more capable, safe and comfortable than ever before. It is great to see Ford make such an investment in the Super Duty line. It is just another thing we are thankful for this year. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Images: Ford; Joe Kucinski

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.