Now in its final specification, the NV200 London Taxi enters the last phase of its testing process – hitting the streets of the city where it will spend its working life. It complies with all Transport for London (TfL) regulations with a 25ft (7.6m) turning circle and will be more environmentally friendly than current “black cab” models thanks to its Nissan-sourced 1.6-litre petrol engine.
Sliding doors give easy access to the five-passenger rear interior, while other highlights include a glass roof (so that those onboard can enjoy the view of the city), rear air-conditioning and even plug-in ports for charging smartphones.
Nissan has also announced that the Glyn Hopkin dealer group has been selected to sell, service and maintain the NV200 London Taxi.
‘Glyn Hopkin has a long relationship with Nissan, providing expert customer service to new and used buyers,’ explained Nissan GB managing director Jim Wright. ‘And with a new dedicated facility to be opened next year; it's ideally placed to apply that experience to serving taxi drivers.’
Glyn Hopkin, chairman of the Glyn Hopkin Group, added: ‘We're very proud to be selected to sell, service and maintain the new NV200 London Taxi. It's an iconic and very exciting vehicle – we're looking forward to looking after the needs of our new taxi customers.’
Sales will begin in the second half of 2014 to allow time for thorough testing and evaluation. An all-electric version is under development which will further reduce emissions of the London taxi fleet.
Taxi versions of the NV200 have already been unveiled in Tokyo, Barcelona and New York, with the stateside version being launched as the New York City “Taxi of tomorrow” last month.