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Iconic London Taxi to be replaced...

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:34 pm
by 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!

Re: Iconic London Taxi to be replaced...

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:51 pm
by colonel
The present one is made by a rival company, London Taxis International Ltd., so I doubt it will be going anytime soon.....

Re: Iconic London Taxi to be replaced...

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:56 pm
by 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.

Re: Iconic London Taxi to be replaced...

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 7:21 pm
by 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!

Re: Iconic London Taxi to be replaced...

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:47 am
by 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