Nissan has unveiled the new model NV200 to be used as taxis in London. The new taxi that will be introduced in UK is similar to the other NV200 models that already exist in the cities of Barcelona, Tokyo and New York. The car is expected to go for sale in London before December 2014. Although the car will have to go through a final assembly stage in UK itself, it has been designed in Paddington, where Nissan’s London Design studio is located.
The design of the new cab is not much different from that of the classic black cab. It features the classic round headlamps and the front grille, which does not bear any signs of the Nissan badge. The company has not designed the car by itself, rather they have consulted organizations like the Transport for London (TfL) and the London Mayor’s office.
The car has been built with the intention of meeting all the demands on taxi turning circles, which it successfully does with the redesigned suspension in the front that helps to meet the 7.6-metre requirement. The NV200 is equipped with a 1.6-litre petrol engine that has been mated with a CVT gearbox. Nissan is also said to launch an electric version of the NV200 in London by 2016.
The emission standards that are prevailing throughout the world will lead most of the old cabs in London to go off the road. Once most of the old cabs are out of the streets, Nissan is aiming to get a significant share in the market with the new NV200.