Nissan unveils new generation 'black cab'

NISSAN has unveiled its new ‘black cab’, adapted specifically for London and designed to win business from cabbies looking for a more reliable, more functional and less polluting vehicle.

This year, emissions legislation will force many older taxis off the road, and noting the financial struggles of Manganese Bronze, the makers of the traditional black cab, Nissan has seen the opportunity to muscle in on the market.

The famous London taxi design has come in for much criticism from cabbies for its unrefined drive, patchy reliability and questionable cabin ergonomics.

Nissan has engineered a version of its NV200 van to meet all the requirements set out by London authorities, including a 7.6-metre turning circle made possible by a special front suspension system.

The ride height has been raised to allow more comfortable access from high kerbs, while drivers will benefit from an automatic gearbox and improved reliability.

The new taxi, which has been designed to mimic the look of the Manganese Bronze black cab by using a pair of lights taken from Nissan’s Juke, will only come with a petrol engine.

It is an open secret that the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and Transport for London (TfL) would like to see fewer particulate-producing diesel engines in central London, and it is likely that ‘petrol only’ was a condition of Nissan’s immediate entry to the taxi market.

However, there is also a fully-electric version planned for 2015. Nissan plans to have it on the streets of “a UK city” in the same year.

By Press Association reporter