As Skippy states, the turning circle is sorted, it will be powered by a 1.5 cdi Cttroen engine (88-108 bhp), I am unsure if it will have an auto box option, a variable transmission is I believe available and I hope it makes its way to the UK.
At present the vehicle is still undergoing 'Type Approval' ( Homologation) essentially this involve proving that the vehicle is built to the standards of use it is intended for.
Found this review on the Nv200, it is not the taxi version but is basically the same.
http://www.whatcar.com/car-reviews/niss ... y/26137-7/ Overall it gets a pretty poor review from the testers even though it was voted van of the year in 2010 (there are no user reviews at present which are important)
http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/ful ... san/NV200/However, the above review rates it much better....so who knows what to think.
But if it comes in at £28,000 ,increases the guarantee to 150k miles (currently 100k) and offers an auto transmission version then I think the trade may be onto a winner here.
The main reason will be the MPG, just imagine, instead of paying £150 a week for derv you end up paying just £75 a week! The savings would be an optimistic £3900 a year but in 7.5 – 8 years the vehicle would have paid for itself in the fuel savings alone, which I reckon is a bloody good reason to buy. Another saving will be the road tax @ £115/130 a year as opposed to a whopping £445 on a late tx2 ,e5 merc vito is £270 a year (not sure how much the e5 tx4 costs) Once out of warranty the parts will be both plentiful and chap, the engine is a Citroen and the vehicle itself is also being made in India for their home market and also in Mexico for the New York taxi market (2013 on)
The other reasons for it success may well be that the Vito is just way over priced and STILL has Rear Wheel Steering (rws) problems. Who in their right mind wants to part with £42k for a vehicle that proffers potentially dangerous steering issues? Once out of warranty, to replace the rws activators costs £400 a go and they are only under warranty for 3 months....that tells you something me thinks.
http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/20 ... -01-e.html‘’ The new NV200 Vanette's standard HR16DE engine incorporates variable valve timing which, combined with an expanded lock-up operation range of the four-speed automatic transmission, enables the NV200 Vanette to deliver best-in-class fuel economy of 14.0 km/liter*1.’’
According to the above link then the NV200 already has the availability of auto transmission....Nice
The only real negatives I can see is that it will MAY slow on acceleration with a full load. At 88 bhp it’s performance will be on par with a tx2, or metrocab ttt, BUT if it is 108 bhp power output (as according to some sources) then the performance should be on par to the e4 vito & tx4.