It was 62 years in the making. The Kenworth W900 Legacy Edition is here, and it epitomizes the iconic Kenworth model that drivers of all ages aspire to own. More than 280,000 W900s have been sold since 1963, with the final builds coming in 2026.
“Our W900 Legacy Edition is a way to celebrate the history and importance of the truck model with our customers,” said Kevin Haygood, Kenworth’s assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “We will produce 1,000 of these limited-edition trucks, and they’re sure to become a collector’s item. They’ll be powered by the Cummins X15 engine painted in legacy Cummins beige – an exclusive color for this limited edition. The Legacy Edition is the ninth limited edition W900 Kenworth has produced. In recognition of that, we are bringing back paint schemes from those past trucks and some other fan favorites.”
The Legacy Edition is available in Extended Day Cab, 72-inch Flat Top, and 86-inch Studio Sleeper configurations. Each Kenworth W900 Legacy Edition will be serialized – counting from 1000 down to 0001– in order of build date and sequence with a special limited-edition badge on the glovebox. The interior features a luxurious black Diamond VIT interior with platinum accents. For those ordering a sleeper, vintage tuck-and-roll adorns the sleeper back wall. Ravenwood door and dash trim compliment the Legacy Edition’s styling, while platinum accent stitching and throwback vintage Kenworth logos on trim and headrests complete the package. The Kenworth hood badges take the Legacy Edition into the past as well, utilizing the design that became popular in 1966.
“There has been a long love affair between drivers and the W900,” said Haygood. “The trucking industry features many generational families and owner-operators who have bought the W900 over all these years. It’s The Driver’s Truck™ with its bold, long hood and stately appearance. It’s why you see them at so many truck shows – they’ve won plenty of awards. The W900 also occupies a special place in popular culture. It dodged Smokey and aided Mr. Bond, all while becoming an iconic piece of automotive history.”
According to Haygood, it’s bittersweet seeing the end of an era with the W900. “That truck means so much to Kenworth, and we know it means just as much to our customers in virtually every vocation thinkable,” he said. “We’re extremely proud and grateful that the W9 played a part in the lives of so many truckers and businesses –for many, the W900 has been a part of their legacy as they’ve grown throughout the years. And, of course, it’s been the truck with owner-operators from the very beginning. So, it’s with a heavy heart we say goodbye – due to emission regulations and component constraints – to a truck that signifies so much to so many. It’s a foundational piece of Kenworth and North America’s trucking legacy.”
Haygood said Kenworth’s W990 will now carry the torch of nostalgia for those who want traditional long hood styling. “It shares many of the same custom tailoring characteristics of the W900 but in a wider cab configuration, with better aerodynamics,” Haygood said. “It also accommodates current and future emissions-compliant engines and driver’s assistance features through its platform and is set to meet regulations down the road. We hope it will continue the legacy of a bona fide legend – the W900.”
Kenworth and the Mid-America Trucking Show share a long history. In the late 1980s, Kenworth partnered with MATS to begin hosting the band Alabama for a concert series that lasted 13 years in an effort to attract more drivers and grow the show. MATS is now the largest annual heavy-duty trucking event in the world that attracts 70,000 industry professionals, owner-operators and truck enthusiasts each year. Additionally, Kenworth has launched numerous flagship products at the show, including the aerodynamic and fuel efficient T660 in 2006, the highly evolved aerodynamic T680 in 2012 and the vocational workhorse T880 in 2013.
The following trucks can be seen at MATS in Kenworth booth #32025:
- 2026 Kenworth W900 Legacy Edition 72” AeroCab FlatTop Sleeper; 1000 of 1000 produced (serial numbers will count down for this special edition).
- 1982 Kenworth W900A 36” Sleeper, restored in 2017 with original ‘Cape Cod’ paint scheme in light green, dark green and gold.
- 2026 Kenworth W990 52” Flat Top Sleeper, customized and painted to match the W900A’s ‘Cape Cod’ paint scheme.
- 2023 Kenworth T680 76” High Roof Sleeper (Kenworth Certified Pre-Owned).
SOURCE: Kenworth
