Nissan unveils its new London black cab
Baku, January 11 (AZERTAC). Japanese auto maker Nissan Motor Co. 7201.TO +1.07% on Monday revealed the new face of its Taxi for London as it pushes into an increasingly competitive market for the venerable black cab.
Nissan cabs based on the car maker's NV200 compact-van platform are already on the streets in New York and Tokyo, but the model has been redesigned to look more like the traditional London taxi. Changes include round headlights and a remodeled grille, LED lighting to improve visibility of the traditional taxi sign and new front-bumper panels.
It also conforms with London's strict licensing rules for vehicles to be used as cabs, including the requirement for a maximum 25-foot (7.5-meter) turning circle, which allows taxis to make U-turns in many of London's narrow streets.
The Japanese mass-market maker expects its first London cabs to roll off the production line in December. The base vehicle will be produced at its existing plant in Barcelona and modifications added in England, but not necessarily at its current facility in Sunderland, where it already produces more than half a million cars a year.
"There will be some additional jobs, but we don't have details yet and we have yet to decide on where the work will be done," said Andy Palmer, chief planning officer for Nissan.
Nissan is entering the market just as the original maker of London's famous black cabs has been restored to life by Chinese auto manufacturer Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Geely rescued what is now known as London Taxi Co. from bankruptcy last year and restarted production of LTC's TX4 cab in September, targeting sales of 2,000 in the first year. Nissan also is up against competition from Daimler AG DAI.XE -0.06% 's Mercedes-Benz, which launched its Vito Taxi in June 2008.
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