Last cabs off the rank
FAMOUS CITY-BUILT BLACK TAXIS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT MOTOR SHOW AS CURTAIN PREPARES TO COME DOWN ON ITS PRODUCTION
A LONDON icon that’s made in Coventry took centre stage at a major motor show in the capital at the weekend.
The end of an era is approaching as the London Taxi Company prepares to bid a fond farewell to its famous black cab and one of the final diesel models was at Battersea Park to do just that.
The Coventry-based manufacturer celebrated the life of its iconic diesel taxi at The Confused.com London Motor Show before finally saying goodbye to it later this year.
A high-tech electric taxi will replace the diesel cab at the end of the year, but in the meantime LTC will be pulling out all the stops to honour its existing model.
The Coventry company opened the UK’s first dedicated electric vehicle factory in Ansty in March.
The new site will manufacture the new TX5 electric taxi and also a new electric light commercial van (LCV) as the firm expands its range.
The current cab has spent ten years as the world’s number one taxi of choice and has been exported to more than 40 countries around the world, including Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy and New Zealand.
It has also attracted a host of celebrity owners, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Stephen Fry and Terminator Arnie has put a deposit on one of the final diesel models.
Its appearance at the week- end’s London event was a big nod to the black cab’s spiritual home.
As part of the event LTC was also inviting show-goers to say a personal goodbye by sharing their own London taxi stories.
A giant ‘leaving card’ was displayed at the LTC stand, which guests can sign with their favourite taxi tales and memories of their time spent in the vehicle.
The model on show was a Limited Edition TX4, one of the last 300 diesel cabs to roll off the firm’s production line at its Holyhead Road factory.
It is thought the TX4 has appeared in more than 5,000 movies and TV shows, including James Bond films, Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes.
The Limited Edition TX4 joined a long list of exhibits in Battersea Park, where more than 130 new cars went on display.