NATCHEZ — In keeping with a mayor’s office tradition, recently sworn-in Mayor Butch Brown is cruising the streets of Natchez in a new car.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen retroactively approved the purchase of Brown’s 2012 black Chrysler 300 four-door sedan at the board’s July 24 meeting.

Brown said historically new mayors purchase new cars for their terms.

Brown traded in the 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis former mayor Jake Middleton purchased when he was elected mayor in 2008. Brown said the city got $12,000 for the Grand Marquis to offset the cost of the Chrysler 300.

The city, Brown said, financed the Chrysler for $450 for 60 months from Heritage Chrysler Dodge Jeep, which he said is $9 cheaper than the payments for the Grand Marquis. He said the car would have not been any cheaper had the city paid cash for it.

Brown said he did not keep the Grand Marquis in the city’s inventory because it was no longer needed.

“It served its purpose,” Brown said. “I think we got an exceptionally good deal considering the (Grand Marquis) was five years old.”