During our trip to the Petersen Automotive Museum in July 2025, Ford Authority got up close and personal with some unique vehicles that defined Ford’s past and future. One such model may seem mundane at first glance, but it marked the resurgence of a popular pickup option from the late 1980s: the 1992 Ford F-150 XLT Lariat.
On display as part of the “Totally Awesome!” exhibit – which hosts notable models from the 1980s and 1990s – this 1992 Ford F-150 XLT Lariat featured was Ford referred to as its Flareside body style – that is, exposed fenders attached to a narrower bed, which had been discontinued in 1987.
This particular 1992 Ford F-150 XLT Lariat is painted in Iris Metallic, which was a brand new color for the 1992 model year. Under the hood, the pickup cradles the 5.0L V8 engine, delivering 185 horsepower.
Beyond its Flareside exterior, this F-150 features a chrome grille guard, spoiler, tonneau cover, and other extras, making it a prime example of pickup customization culture from the 1980s and 1990s – a trend that The Blue Oval itself has sought to revive by way of the new “Lobo” variants of its popular 2025 Ford F-150 and Ford Maverick pickups. However, Flareside once again fell out of vogue in the late 2000s, prompting The Blue Oval to strike it from the options list after the 2009 Ford F-150 was built out.
While this 1992 Ford F-150 XLT Lariat was representative of real-life models that made it to the production line, some of its Blue Oval brethren never went further than the concept stage. The 1983 Ford Probe IV concept – also on display at Petersen – was never introduced as a production model, but its styling paved the way for future Ford vehicles that prioritized aerodynamics.
Other notable Ford vehicles on display include the screen-used 1966 Ford Thunderbird from Thelma & Louise and Ken Block’s 1986 Ford RS2000, one of 148 examples ever produce.
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