Here’s Nissan’s new London cab
There's a new London black cab in the works. Japanese car maker Nissan has today unveiled its new version of the iconic vehicle, which is expected to go on sale in December.
The company said the new taxi will sport a 1.6l petrol engine, making it cleaner than the current diesel model. It'll also be launching a zero emission electric version in 2015.
The model had to be redesigned after the first version was unveiled in August 2012, following feedback from the office of London Mayor Boris Johnson.
Darryl Scriven, Design Excellence manager at Nissan Design Europe, said:
The Mayor’s office and taxi drivers were very keen that we maintain the character of the Hackney Carriage, making it something that people in the city can be proud of.
The main challenges were concerned with making sure customers can easily recognise it as a taxi. Being in London, we were able to go out and talk to cabbies about what was important to them as well as look at the vehicle from a customer’s viewpoint. It’s unusual for us to be able to work on something as bespoke as this, specifically for one location in the world and we are very proud to have been asked to do so.
Specific changes include round headlamps, a remodelled grill (so it looks like the traditional black cab 'face'), an LED-lit taxi sign and new bumpers.