Black Appearance Package - Ford Superduty 7.3L

Some people like to bling out their vehicles in shiny chrome. There seems to be a growing number of people, including myself, who prefer sleek black, and truck manufacturers are there to cash in, I mean help.

Ram calls it the Night Edition. Chevy has the Midnight Edition. If you are considering the Ford Super Duty, it’s the Black Appearance Package and you can see it here on my ’21 F-350 Lariat.

The Black Appearance Package is available on LARIAT and XLT Crew Cab 4x4 SRW 6.75’ bed. It is not available with the Camper Package, the Snowplow/Camper Package, or with the long-bed.

Side rant: I special ordered my truck and I maybe would have added the camper package for a bit more payload if it was an option with this package, especially if I had known where I would end up on payload. With a 350, I think it only would have increased the front axle springs though. Using Ford’s online build tool, it’s not clear what payload number you’ll end up with when selecting options. The F-350 starts at around 4,500lbs of payload and by the time I was done with options I was down to 3,787lbs. I didn’t know that payload number until the truck showed up at the dealership. I was expecting it to be closer to 4k.

The Black Appearance Package on a Lariat adds a hefty $4,295 to the sticker. That seems a steep price for some black paint, but Ford’s blackout package includes a lot more than you might expect.

Included with both XLT and Lariat:

• Black Ford Oval Logos, Front and Rear $130

• Body-color front and rear bumper

• Ebony Black Painted front Grille Bars

• 6” Ebony Black Angular – Running Boards

• 20” Ebony Black Painted Premium Aluminum Wheels

• LT275/65R 20E Outlined White Letter (OWL) A/T Tires

• Reverse sensing system

• Wheel Well Liner, Rear

XLT $2,630 *cannot combine with XLT Premium Package

• Halogen fog lamps

Lariat $4,295 or $3,800 w/o bed liner

• Ebony Black Fender Vent Surround

• Ebony Black Painted Mirror Caps

• LED Headlamps w/ blackout surrounds

• Tough Bed® spray-in bed liner: includes tailgate-Guard, black box bed tie-down hooks and black bed attachment bolts

I don’t believe it was an option in ’21, but you can now skip the bed liner to save $495 and gain around 50 pounds of payload.

I have the 7.3L Godzilla gas engine. Ford does not add any specific badging for their 2 gasoline engine options. The 6.7L Powerstroke diesel comes with a chrome door badge, and even though all the other badging is blacked out, that badge is still chrome. Another chrome miss is the tailgate handle.

I also have the FX4 package, which comes with decals on the rear bed sides. I removed mine because I prefer a cleaner look. That sticker was grayed out instead of the normal red and grey. The Tremor decal is also black when combined with the black-out package.

The most annoying miss in my opinion is the galvanized tailpipe. Adding a black exhaust tip is a small addition that would nicely finish off this package. Ford Performance now has a bolt-on 49-state legal sport exhaust with black tips. It’s a bit pricey at $1,395 for just a partial exhaust. I enjoy the throaty sound of the original 7.3L exhaust. It’s also hardly noticeable at cruising speed while towing. I’ll probably just find a local muffler shop to add a basic black tip. https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-5200-FSD73SB

Lariat models normally ship with halogen headlamps. These upgraded LED headlights look fantastic and do an excellent job of lighting the road without blinding other drivers. The LED lights on the GMC AT4 I had were awesome off-road, but I felt bad pulling up behind someone at a stoplight after dark. Even smaller SUVs were blinded and immediately reached to cover their rearview mirror.

The reverse sensing system is standard only on King Ranch, Platinum and Limited models, so this is another nice addition. We all have those days, so it’s nice to get those beeps before you run over a bike.

An alternative to the Black Appearance package, especially if you are going with black paint, is the Lariat Sport Appearance Package for $1,605 which saves you $2,690.

Includes:

• Body-color front and rear bumpers

• Exterior mirror – body-color

• Painted body-color grille

• Platform running boards

• Unique Sport 4x4 box decal

• Chrome exhaust tip

If you don’t like chrome, this package offers a lot for the money with painted bumpers, mirrors, and grille. If you go with black, you end up with the same grille and mirrors as the black appearance package. You can pick up the front and back black ovals for $130 from Ford. I think the Sport Package is a good choice to save a bit of money, or for someone that intends to go with some aftermarket customizations, like tires and rims. You’ll be missing out on the great-looking LED headlights, bed liner, and a few other items that were worth the $2,690 for me, but we all have our own priorities.

To sum up, the Black Appearance Package on the Ford Super Duty is costly, but it is a lot more than just some black paint. You can easily spend a few thousand dollars adding running boards and customs wheels to your truck. If you like the details that come with this package, it’s a good value with a factory warranty. If you want a more custom look, consider the Sport Package and go aftermarket.

And finally, a couple of questions for whomever at Ford puts these packages together:

• Why does the Sport Package remove a bunch of chrome and then give a chrome exhaust tip?
• How does the much more expensive Black Appearance Package not get a black exhaust tip?