1 / 10
img-6049
Few things in New York are as iconic as its fleets of yellow and black taxis. But while the color scheme will stay the same, the shape is about to change with the introduction of the next-generation cab at the New York International Auto Show.
Nissan won the competition to supply NYC's taxi fleet, redesigning and converting its NV200 cargo van for use in the Big Apple after researching what native New Yorkers, tourists and the men and women who shuttle them around want in a cab. The result is the first purpose-built vehicle since the Checker Taxi era ended in the early 1980s, and it's set to replace the Ford Crown Victorias, small SUVs and Toyota Prius hybrids that have been modified for taxi duty in the past three decades.
Due to begin infiltrating city streets in 2013, the new Nissan taxi packs a range of custom-tailored features for the rough and tumble life of a New York City taxi. And while the new design might not carry the same inner-city romance as its predecessors, passenger's noses, spines and ears are sure to appreciate the new Nissan's details.
Photo: Noah Devereaux/Wired
