New York picks new taxi: Nissan cab is the big winner

[The Straight Story]

New York picks new taxi: Nissan cab is the big winner

All hail Nissan.

The Japanese automaker has been selected to produce the "Taxi of Tomorrow" after submitting a bid based on its NV200 minivan design, sources said.

Mayor Bloomberg is set to make the announcement Tuesday morning at City Hall.

The Daily News reported last week that the Nissan bid received the highest score in the competition based on design features like interior legroom and durability.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/05/03/2011-05-03_new_york_picks_new_taxi_nissan_cab_is_the_big_winner.html

[rurallib]

1. Way to buy American, Michael!

[Dappleganger]

11. That Ford taxi would have been built in Europe, not the US.

Damn, is that the best design they could come up with, however?

[Romulox]

30. What do you fault in the Ford design? The Transit van is a very popular vehicle

with a low cost of ownership.

Can you please specifically cite what fault you find in it, specifically in light of the following quote from the article:

"Large fleet owners wanted the Ford Transit Connect, another van that has been used for commercial purposes in Europe and has been approved for use as a cab in U.S. cities like Boston."

:hi:

[Dappleganger]

31. First of all, it's butt-ugly.

Not handicapped-friendly and looks as if it was designed with features from the 1980's.

We CAN do better, and I am sorely disappointed that Ford didn't really step it up (and we absolutely LOVE Ford).

[Romulox]

33. That seems like a fairly thin critique, imo. Boils down to "not cute enough"???

"Not handicapped-friendly"

Apparently neither is the winning design. Which brings us back to your view on the aesthetics. Of a taxicab. Not the engineering, cost of ownership, or anything like that. But how "cute" it is.

I'm sorry, but I'm disappointed. The way you posted, above, I thought you had a bit more insight into the matter. :shrug:

[Dappleganger]

38. Well you act as if you do.

If all you can do is post ad hominem attacks against me, there is no discussion here.

Edited to add: Below it looks as if you are intentionally picking a fight, so we are most definitely through here.

[Romulox]

40. You were asked to qualify your critique. That's a fair question. nt

[DainBramaged]

2. Sad, a sad commentary on our elected leaders, oh wait, forced elected leader

looks like the UAW will be seriously reconsidering doin business in NYC in the future....

Large fleet owners wanted the Ford Transit Connect, another van that has been used for commercial purposes in Europe and has been approved for use as a cab in U.S. cities like Boston.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/05/03/2011-05-03_new_york_picks_new_taxi_nissan_cab_is_the_big_winner.html#ixzz1LIwxvLcu


Ford has been making cars WAY fucking longer than Nissan Bumbag.

[Renew Deal]

3. What happened to the crown vic?

I guess they've been gone a while. I see some Prius and Ford hybrid cabs out there.

[MindPilot]

6. The Crown Vic platform is old

The CV is based on 30-year old technology and as good as it was, it has to be updated.

The Crown Vic's passing is making a lot of cops unhappy too.

[snooper2]

4. And the winner is..............the box

Although it did have some tough competition..

[WillParkinson]

5. From Joe.My.God

After a year-long contest to pick a replacement for the discontinued Ford Crown Victoria, New York City has selected a boring-ass Nissan minivan as its new "taxi of tomorrow." Passed over was the much cooler futuristic entry from Turkey's Karsan, which had pledged to manufacture its taxis in Brooklyn. Nissan now gets a ten-year exclusive contract to provide taxis to the city. Advocates for the disabled are quite unhappy because unlike the Turkish entry, the winning vehicle isn't wheelchair-accessible.


From the NY Times
The Karsan V1, an oblong Turkish van vying to become the exclusive vehicle of the New York City taxi fleet, has features that would make a Crown Victoria weep: London-style jump seats; a moon roof for panoramic views; even a pledge to build the cars in Brooklyn. (The Crown Vic, the fleet’s old mainstay, was made in Canada.)

“How can we possibly reject this proposal?” Marty Markowitz, the Brooklyn borough president, said at a rally he organized on Sunday to support the van.

The Bloomberg administration is set to present a few reasons why.

The Karsan van has been rejected by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, according to a city official who has been informed of the decision, and who insisted on anonymity because it had not been made public. The rejection came after a review raised concerns about whether the Turkish company, untested in the American market, could reliably execute the high-concept product it had designed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/nyregion/karsan-from-turkey-is-rejected-as-new-york-taxi.html

[MindPilot]

7. Are taxis a city-run service in NYC?

Why would the mayor have any say into what cabbies drive?

[NYC Liberal]

28. They're privately operated but licensed by the city.

Only licensed cabs can pick up fares and only certain car models are approved.

[FLAprogressive]

8. Republicans and their buddies at the big foreign union-buster automakers rejoice!

[DainBramaged]

10. Yup, and I will BET it isn't made in Tennessee

Bloomberg, KING of the Nanny state, gives our treasure to Foreigners. IN spIte of the desires of the large fleet owners who see INSTANT availability and easier repair access by the Ford Transit (in spite of it being made in Turkey for now).

[Dappleganger]

12. None of those taxis would have been made in the US.

[FLAprogressive]

32. so why not buy from Ford, an American company, which employs a lot more people here than Nissan does

[Romulox]

9. NYC survives on bankster bailouts, can't wait to send ill gotten gains overseas.

SOLIDARITY?

[Xithras]

13. Aww, I was hoping they'd pick the Karsan.

Seats the most people in the back, has the smallest and most city friendly design, the glass roof is great, it runs cleanly, etc.

As for "buying American", I hate to point this out, but the Transit Connect is one of Ford's "Global Models" and is produced in Romania and Turkey (only 50 miles from the Karsan plant, FWIW). The Connect is also an interim model, and is supposed to be replaced by a new design in the next couple of years. It's understandable why NYC wouldn't want to issue a 10 year contract to a vehicle when the manufacturer won't be keeping it in production that long.

[LeftinOH]

14. There was an opportunity here for US Automakers to make their mark..

The winner:

The losers:
Ford

Too bad. This is a huge fleet, and the Taxi vehicles become iconic (remember the Checker Marathon)? The 3 US Automakers should be ashamed.

[Romulox]

15. LOL. nt

[DainBramaged]

18. It's always our fault....

[DainBramaged]

16. No they shouldn't shame on you for saying that.

The TAXI OWNERS WANT THE FORD.

[cottonseed]

19. I can't believe how out of touch Detroit's designers are. Now, compare an iPhone to its competition.

[Romulox]

22. On the other hand, one isn't required to sign a "Suicide Pledge" to work at Wayne Assembly.

:hi:

[DainBramaged]

24. Well said.......

:patriot:

[cottonseed]

25. I know the Apple stories and this isn't a jab a Unions. I'm just pointing out design.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EOTE]

34. The Connect is pretty much an industrial/transit vehicle.

The Nissan isn't even in production yet and it looks like they pretty much just took a Quest and blew it up by about 20%. If you'd like more of a family vehicle look, you can just turn to the Ford Flex or Edge or even the new C-Max. If you're going to criticize a design, you should at least know what type of vehicle it is you're criticizing. The Dodge Sprinter is designed by Mercedes yet still looks like the broadside of a barn. Some vehicles are designed with aesthetics as a minimal priority.

[DainBramaged]

35. As I said, there are many reasons why GM Chrysler and even MB declined to participate

Michael Limburger may be the number one reason....

[EOTE]

37. Oh yes, I know of his biases.

I was just pointing out how stupid it is to criticize the Ford from an aesthetics standpoint.

[DainBramaged]

39. The Ford takes the place that the Astro vacated in 2004

and a LOT more efficiently. people still have new drive trains put in Astro's to keep them going because until the Ford, there was no alternative in that size, and WALK IN to boot.

[jmowreader]

46. Mercedes' bread and butter is trucks, not cars

They don't sell them in the US because Americans can't wrap their little heads around Mercedes commercial vehicles (Daimler bought Freightliner so they'd be able to sell trucks in the US), but the Daimler Group is the biggest truck manufacturer in the world.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DainBramaged]

23. You really don't understand this at all do you?

How a competition works, and why GM and Chrysler, who makes the best selling minivan in the World declined to participate. The new Equinox has won every competition it has been entered in, but it ISN'T taxi capable.


You don't get it do you? if not, why comment like that? Fucking Apple is an AMERICAN company, so thanks for the straw dog.

[cottonseed]

27. Holly shit! Sorry about knocking over your ice cream cone.

I'll leave you to piss and moan on your own...

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EOTE]

36. You seem to be adding plenty of piss and moaning of your own.

Combine that with your pitiful knowledge of all things automotive (and American too, apparently), it's understandable why some might have "their panties in a bunch".

[blue_onyx]

42. I think the Nissan one is unattractive

I saw a picture of it and it looks worse than the illustration. The front is strangely narrow/pointy given that the rest of the vehicle is so boxy.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/05/new-york-names-nissan-taxi-of-tomorrow/

[cottonseed]

43. I have been aggressively re-educated. I stand firmly with the Ford Transit. An A+ vehicle.

Yea.. that picture you sent does look a pretty bad. I can't believe this is supposed to be the next iconic image of NYC taxi cabs. I initially wasn't crazy about any of them, but that might be just resistance to change.

[HopeHoops]

17. No thanks - I'll walk.

[Romulox]

20. Bloomberg has a hate-on for Detroit. From Sunday's freep:

"Take a look at the big, old, industrial cities, Detroit, for example," he said. "They’ve got a great mayor, Mayor (Dave) Bing, but the population has left. You’ve got to do something about that. And if I were the federal government, assuming you could wave a magic wand and pull everybody together, you pass a law letting immigrants come in as long as they agreed to go to Detroit and live there for five or ten years. Start businesses, take jobs, whatever."

http://www.freep.com/article/20110501/NEWS15/110501017/NYC-mayor-Immigration-key-rescuing-Detroit

Racist/anti-labor dog whistles being blown here, or just profound stupidity on the part of the Mayor? :shrug:

[KamaAina]

21. And so NYC taxis will continue to be inaccessible

for wheelchair users, this is the "Taxi of Yesterday". At least the Karsan would have been accessible.

edit: The rejection came after a review raised concerns about whether the Turkish company, untested in the American market, could reliably execute the high-concept product it had designed. This is code for "Turkey isn't a G8 country, so how can they possibly build cabs for us?" :puke:

[taught_me_patience]

44. They were probably traumatized by the POS Crown Vic experience

The Crown Vic is literally the shittiest car that I've ever owned:

1) Terrible gas mileage (17mpg city and hwy)
2) Weak motor, due to the fact that it was using pushrods and had only 3 valves/cyl
3) Shitty rear legroom (very surprising for a car this size)
4) The stupidest trunk design ever. There was a full size spare in the trunk, making the space awkward and useless.
5) Leaky rear axle seals @ 60k miles
6) 8 ignition coils. WTF!?!?! Why not just have one coil for all cylinders like all other cars? In my year of ownership, I had at least 4 die on me.
7) 4 speed transmission. The cheap ass bastards at Ford... almost all automakers went to 5 sp autos in the early 90's. This is probably the cause of the shitty highway mileage.
8) "Twitchy" ride due to the way outdated body on frame construction. Terrible road vibration could be felt for a car this size.

[jmowreader]

47. 8 ignition coils is getting very, very popular

There's no distributor in the system either, just a computerized switchbox. It's more efficient this way.

[EOTE]

48. I think you're a little confused about the Crown Vic's engine.

The Crown Vic hasn't used pushrods in about 20 years or so. Since then, it's been pretty much the same OHC V8 used in the Mustang GT (although the GT has gotten progressively more powerful quicker than the Vic's version and now uses a new 5.0 liter). And as far as I know, all the OHC V8s in the Crown Vics have been 2 valve per cylinder designs. Multi-valve setups in pushrod engines are VERY rare. And the body on frame construction is by design. The Crown Vic provides the platform for the Lincoln Town Car and Town Car limosine. It's far, far more difficult to make a smooth riding limo without body on frame construction. I'm not sure about your complaint about road vibration, the Crown Vic has some of the lowest NVH numbers in its class. As for the rest of your complaints, well, the Crown Vic has long been the cheapest V8 sedan you could buy in America. Sacrifices have to be made somewhere.

[taught_me_patience]

49. You're right, it was a two valve SOHC

235hp/275ft/lbs of torque (police engine motor).

There were a couple of positives about the car:

#1) Great handling from the police heavy duty shocks (maybe this caused the noticeable road vibration)
#2) Ice cold ac
#3) Second most comfortable driver seat I've ever had (second to Mercedes E420)
#4) Cheap parts


But, as it relates to taxis, I think Ford should have made a better effort to provide a competitive alternative to the Nissan. I think the new Taurus would make a great platform for a taxi (great rear legroom and trunk space). If they offered it with a turbo four banger, it would be perfect.
I currently own a UAW made 2007 Ford Five Hundred. It would make a great taxi...

[EOTE]

50. 235hp and 275ft/lbs wasn't enough for you?

Granted, it's not sports car territory, but is plenty for the sedans that the Crown Vic competes with. It's almost the same power to weight ratio as the previous generation V6 Mustang. If you're used to driving 540i BMWs, I could understand, but most of the vehicles that the Crown Vic is competing against don't have that much torque. It should certainly be as quick as your current Five Hundred, even though your 500 is most likely equipped with a CVT and the Vic a 4 speed. That 4.6 was a great engine, the new 5.0 cammer is looking rather hot too.

[tranche]

45. So if everyone wanted the Ford. How did Nissan win the contract?