Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Etc.
Standard Taxi: Purpose-built cab for North America
When we think of purpose-built taxis, only one brand comes to mind: LTI Limited, producers of the iconic London taxi. Their latest edition, the TXII, is highly versatile, offering features like a ramp for easy wheelchair access. In America, taxis are usually mid- to full-size sedans, though some large urban markets like New York City have seen a sprinkling of other vehicles such as SUVs and minivans enter their fleets.
Enter Standard Taxi, a Troy, Michigan-based outfit who is looking to do for the US what LTI has done in the UK: create a highly recognizable and enormously practical taxi specialized for North American use.
The recognizable part won't be an issue. The Standard Taxi looks like a compact armored car, with a tall, pedestrian-friendly nose, high roof, and a stubby rear that houses 26.7 cu. ft. of luggage space. Interior volume is 139 cu. ft. - on par with the Crown Vics passengers usually flag down when they need a ride. Unlike the venerable Crown Vic, however, the Standard Taxi seats four in the passenger compartment, something that hasn't been seen in a a reguler car-style taxi since the classic Checker cabs with their pair of jumpseats against the divider. The Standard Taxi accomplishes this by sealing off the driver's seat in it's own little box, opening up the rest of the car.
Follow the jump for more info on and photos of this proposed people mover.
Thanks for tip, Mark!
[Source: Standard Taxi]
The Standard Taxi also complies with American and Canadian standards for disabled individuals, providing wheelchair access to the passenger compartment via a standard recessed ramp. Power comes from a GM 4.3L V6 that's been prepared for the punishing daily grind taxicabs go through, and like the most popular livery cars in use today, it's rear-wheel drive. You can check out the car's full specs here.
Whether or not the Standard Taxi makes serious inroads in North America remains to be seen. At first glance, it seems like it might be a little low for pothole-ridden streets, terrain the big sedans navigate with relative ease. We're sure that's easily corrected. Other than that, it has the makings of a very serious contender. Come Q4 2007, taxi fleet operators may have another compelling option to choose from. In their eyes, this ugly duckling may look like a gorgeous yellow swan.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Paqza 11:48AM (9/21/2006)
This is a joke, right?
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Jim 11:49AM (9/21/2006)
So they found my preschool sketches and are trying to make a profit off them? I'll sue their pants off!
I think this company may soon learn that Americans don't use the logic side of their brain all that much.
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J P 11:52AM (9/21/2006)
wow. do it.
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exst 11:58AM (9/21/2006)
Hey look, its the car that i drew when i was 3!
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AndyT 12:01PM (9/21/2006)
#3. Wow, I had no idea a 3-year old had the capacity to create someting so hideous.
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JK 12:02PM (9/21/2006)
Gross.
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That One Person 12:03PM (9/21/2006)
WHile its butt ugly and looks like its made out of a refrigerator box, its pretty nifty. But I think it would be hard to convince cab companies to go from Crown Vics to this...
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chuck goolsbee 12:03PM (9/21/2006)
#3, you beat me to it!
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rwdmtparkingonly 12:06PM (9/21/2006)
This thing looks horrible, peolple will think the passengers are on some kind of extra "special" "short bus."
If cabbies were willing to pay for new specialty cars then the guy that is importing a LHD TXII would be succesful. The TXII is actually cool looking and has the important stuff: body on frame, rwd, every body panel bolts on, and it's diesel.
Cabbies and their companies aren't willing to pay though. A new crown vic lwb version is probably 24K, and used cop cars are probably 10K, that's tough to compete against.
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Steve S 12:09PM (9/21/2006)
We have a wiener! Ugliest care ever made. Hands down. The pontiac Aztech is a work of art compared to this thing.
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Mike G 12:15PM (9/21/2006)
How about a DIESEL V6 powerplant so there would at least be some savings in fuel efficiency? There is no mention of price either, so why would cab companies purchase this thing when they already have cheap Crown Vics at their disposal? And yes, it's painfully ugly to look at. If this were Stalinist Russia maybe I could see it...
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Adam Singer 12:19PM (9/21/2006)
Anyone else think that this looks like what a taxi cab would like if Russia decided to build one?
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Adam Singer 12:20PM (9/21/2006)
Anyone else think that this looks like what a taxi cab would like if the Russians tried to built one?
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mb 12:23PM (9/21/2006)
Takes ulgy to a whole new level.
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BLS 12:34PM (9/21/2006)
Question? ("Yes Dwight")
Why is body on frame, RWD important in a taxi. Is it yor longevity of the fleet? They must put on a couple hundred thousand miles in no time. I don't know how many miles a Crown Vic is good for but I can't imagine the car falling appart before the Engine/Transmission etc goes out and is to expensive to replace when as you guys have pointed out the Taxi companies are getting them for dirt cheap.
But it is pitifully ugly as you pointed out the Spanish compressed air powered car is a masterpiece compared to this.
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Greg A. 12:36PM (9/21/2006)
"...a tall, pedestrian-friendly nose..."
I'm assuming that means it should casuse less injury to a pedestrian hit by this vehicle. But I once read that SUV's (with their tall noses) cause greater injury to pedestrians who are hit than cars do. The claim was that a car hits a pedestrian only in the legs and the pedestrian winds up on the hood of the car, whereas an SUV knocks a pedestrian to the ground.
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Jason 12:37PM (9/21/2006)
Ummmmmm...who cares what it looks like? It's a purpose vehicle...it doesn't sit in your driveway while you wax it.
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PJ 12:45PM (9/21/2006)
I'm not understanding the looks comments, either. It's a taxi.
I'm more interested to know why they chose GM's 4.3-liter V6. Durability is key, of course, but don't these engines average well under 20 MPG in the S-10s and Chevy Blazers they were installed in? I'd be reluctant to jump on that bandwagon if I was an owner/operator.
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Seabass 12:49PM (9/21/2006)
This vehicle looks like I designed it.
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Shat 12:54PM (9/21/2006)
Will people want to ride in this thing?
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