While some people may proudly tout their brand loyalty, it's unlikely that any of them hold a candle to Floyd Pullin's commitment to Ford. The 102-year-old Pennsylvania native has been driving Fords since the 1920s and he recently purchased a new F-150, which is his 16th new Ford, USA Today reports.
The milestone did not go unrecognized. There was a party thrown at the local dealership where Pullin has been a loyal customer for decades. Additionally, Ford marked the occasion by releasing a video tribute to Pullin, and local lawmakers also turned up at the dealership to mark the occasion. He was also named honorary Ford Trucks president for a day. This isn't the first time Pullin's youthful endeavors have earned him some attention, either. In 2011, back when he was just 100, he was singled out for his active lifestyle, including being an avid driver.
"I wear glasses, but only for reading," he told the Daily American. "I just got my new driver's license a few months ago."
Pullin's purchase of a new truck highlights the growing number of older adults buying new vehicles. Recent findings from the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute, revealed that consumers in the 55-to-64 age bracket recently replaced younger adults as the most likely to buy new cars. In fact, consumers 75 and older were also more likely to buy cars than those in the 25-to-34 and 18-to-24 age ranges.
This trend has not gone unnoticed by manufacturers either. According to Newsday, Toyota recently unveiled the Venza - a sportwagon that's easy to get in and out of that is being marketed primarily toward older baby boomers.