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Sweden - How to spend your 97th birthday? For Lennart Ribring the answer was easy; behind the wheel of a unique and iconic sports car.
Born in 1919, when the Ford Model T had only been in production for 11 years, Lennart got his driving licence at the first opportunity, when he turned 18 in 1937.
In November 2016, he has treated himself to a new Ford Mustang fastback.
'I'm really happy'
Capable of 249km/h and 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds, the race red sports car, takes pride of place on Lennart’s driveway at his home in Stockholm, Sweden.
“My name is Lennart Ribring. I’m 97-years-old. I drive a 5.0-litre V8 Ford Mustang fastback and I’m really happy,” he says in a video that captures the moment when Lennart picks up his new car from his local Ford dealership, takes his son Michael for a spin, and shows it off to granddaughter Emilia.
A dream 50 years in the making
Lennart, who also enjoys sailing, was among the first people in the country to buy an original Ford Mustang in the 1960s. Now, more than 50 years later, it could be that he’s one of the world’s oldest Mustang drivers.
Lennart said: “I fell in love with the first Mustangs that came out and I have hardly thought about another car since. You felt a bit like king of the road. I don’t have long to live now, maybe. So, I want to take the opportunities I have to drive and have a little fun in life. This is the real thing.”
Do dream of driving a motoring icon? Which car is on your petrol-head bucket list? Tell us your story.
A retired businessman who still works part-time as an accountant, Lennart also has some wise words for those who plan on still being behind the wheel when they are approaching 100.
“I would encourage younger drivers to let their porridge cool down first,” said Lennart. “Learn about a car properly before you drive it. You must always think about safety.”
Read: 3 generations of Ford Mustang in SA
The new Mustang, the first to go on sale across Europe since the model was first launched in the US, in 1964, is available as a fastback or convertible, and with a 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine, as well as the 5.0-litre V8.
Ford Sweden produced this clip: Make sure to switch on subtitles/captions
