Iconic London Taxi to be replaced...

[max_tranmere]

Just seen this on the London evening news. The new one is quite bulky and is the size of a people-carrier. In addition to the stanard front-wheel steering, it has rear-wheel steering which can only be operated when the vehicle is going at less than 5 miles an hour. It is so the turning-circle can be very small.

It is black, but has 'taxi' written on the side in lettering about 6 inches high in the middle of the door. The passenger doors open by a switch in the drivers area (no handle!). It's made by Mercedes-Benz and is passable as 'the new London taxi' - in that it's black - but it looks more like a van than a car.

Is anyone sad to see the current one go? I think it's a shame, if for no other reason than the current one, and the one before it, was made in England (Coventry). This new one will be made in Germany! Yikes!

[colonel]

The present one is made by a rival company, London Taxis International Ltd., so I doubt it will be going anytime soon.....

[max_tranmere]

That was the impression I got from watching the London evening news tonight. It said they will be introduced 'next week' - but I guess it will take a long while to phase the existing ones out.

[colonel]

Don't go with the spin,Max. 'London taxis' are made in the Midlands- and I've heard or read nothing about that up here!

[Ace]

Carbodies in Coventry used to be the sole makers of these iconic vehicles, but I think they've gone as well, along with all the once great British car factories of a bygone age