World's top five taxis
The classic New York taxi is to be phased out and replaced with a Japanese minivan. Here is a list of some of the world's most beloved taxis:
10:30AM BST 04 May 2011
1. London's Black Cab
The world's most distinctive taxi cab, the first Austin FX3 "Black Cab" rolled off the production line in 1948. But it was its successor, the FX4, from 1958 that set the familiar design that is still in use today.
More than 100,000 black cabs have been produced, but today Manganese Bronze, the company which owns the marque, is now importing parts from China, where it has a partnership with Geely, before assembling them in Coventry.
The company has struggled in recent years to make a profit, especially with other taxi cab manufacturers making inroads into London, but it did manage to sell 1,000 black cabs to Azerbaijan earlier this year.
2. Delhi's Ambassador
The Hindustan Ambassador, based on the Morris Oxford III, has also been in production since 1948 and is currently produced near Calcutta.
Despite its British origins, the Ambassador is known as the "King of Indian Roads" because of its excellent suspension. Its excellent reputation was bolstered by the fact that it was the car of choice for Indian political leaders until 2002, when the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee started travelling in an armoured BMW 7 Series.
3. Bangkok's Tuk-tuk
The auto rickshaws of Bangkok, or tuk-tuks, are often the best way to get around a city that is choked with traffic. These days, tuk-tuks are modernising, moving to low emission engines and sometimes being powered by Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG). Tuk-tuks do not have meters, however, and the cost of a trip has to be negotiated in advance. That has led to steep rises in fares with clueless tourists often willing to pay the asking price.
4. Mexico City's VW Beetle
Known in Mexico City as El Vocho, tens of thousands of VW Beetles have been painted green and white and have been a familiar sight for at least half-a-century. Now, however, the Mexican Transport ministry is out to get rid of the fleet of Beetles by next year, arguing that they should be replaced with more modern, fuel-efficient vehicles. To tempt taxi drivers to upgrade, Mexico City is offering 15,000 pesos (£790) to anyone who scraps their Vocho.
5. Venice's Gondola
The flat-bottomed gondolas that traverse the canals of Venice were the chief means of transportation in the city for centuries, reaching a peak of popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries, when some 8,000 to 10,000 operated in the lagoon. Gondoliers use oars to propel the boats and have to understand the hidden currents that run through the canals, making many of them impassable.
Source; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... taxis.html
Login
Register
FAQ
