Nissan's London taxi to be assembled in Coventry

NISSAN has announced that final assembly of its new NV200-based London taxi will take place in Coventry, contributing to a £6 million investment in a brand new facility.

ADV Manufacturing will undertake the final production stage before each unit then heads for the streets of the English capital.

Andy Palmer, Chief Planning Officer and Executive Vice President of Nissan Motor Corporation, revealed the news as part of his address to students at Coventry University, where he was delivering the prestigious Bugatti Lecture on the future of motoring.

The ‘Taxi for London’, as Nissan calls it, will be built in a new facility adjacent to ADV’s existing premises.

The base vehicle will be sourced from Nissan’s Barcelona factory and shipped to the ADV plant in Coventry to receive essential London taxi-specific modifications. The extensive transformation includes new bodywork, taxi interior refit and revised suspension and steering.

Andy Palmer said: “Our new Taxi for London is part of a wider, international taxi programme that forms a key part of Nissan’s global strategy, so we are naturally being very prudent in selecting our partners. ADV has demonstrated that it has the proficiency and capability to deliver what we believe will become a new icon for London.

“We are pleased to be reinforcing once again our commitment to the British automotive industry and the fact that our black cabs will be rolling off the production line in Coventry, with its long history in the taxi business, is an added bonus.”

By Press Association reporter