"These 'new old men' love cars and will buy
based on looks second and power first.
They may have a few grey hairs but they still
love to let the boy inside free once an a while!"
light up the tarmac!
Small towns are full of NOM's. They are
rebuilding V8 this and cutting down that.
Just join in the fun at Whangamata's annual
'Beach Hop' and note just how old the
drivers of all those deliciously prepared cars are!
Talk with any car dealer and they will smile
broadly when you ask them about the
purchasing habits of this clearly defined
group of clients. "These 'New Old Men' love
cars and will buy based on looks second and
power first. They may have a few grey hairs
but they still love to let the boy inside free
once in a while!"
The car industry has also embraced the
'NOM's' as they buy often and they buy big!
Big wheels, big engines and big spend.
Porsche, Mercedes and BMW have all
released 'NOM' cars over the last five years.
The models are specifically designed to not
be too flamboyant but they all are very, very
powerful and very, very quick! At a casual
glance, they may well look like a four door
saloon but that is where the sensibility stops.
I drove a 'NOM' car this week; a Jaguar
XFR, black, four door, chrome trim... At first
glance, it too didn't look much like a 'sporty
car'. Inside it focused on luxury and comfort.
As I pushed the start button I began to get
some inkling as to this beast's real nature
but nothing could prepare me for the vein
injected adrenalin shot I felt as I explored its
potential on a straight stretch of tarmac. The
power available literally scared the hell out
of me!
I asked my man if he thought he was a
'New Old Man' and he suggested that the
type of driver I was talking about should
be pigeon holed as a 'New Old Boy' as the
acronym befitted what type of driver they
really were. Giggling at his gibe, I too began
to play with possible new labels for the true
'Old Man' drivers, those that still bought the
gold Honda. I thought 'Senior Community
Driver' had the right level of respect.
Again, my less respectful partner had to have
his say and his preference was 'ROF'.
"Exactly what does that stand for?" I probed.
"You work it out honey!" he replied as he left
the room.
After a moment's reflection I chuckled and
then pigeon holed my man as a cynic!
Keep safe on the road this month.
Toni Marshall
www.h e rmagaz in e .co.n z | 59
