NYIAS: Ford Transit Connect Taxi

[NoNameDenton]

Originally Posted by Buick61

This is DOA unless they put the hybrid powertrain in there.

It is a two liter inline 4 engine, gets great milage as is, if they need better milage they should bring the diesel versions here

[chakis24]

Originally Posted by NoNameDenton

It is a two liter inline 4 engine, gets great milage as is, if they need better milage they should bring the diesel versions here

yeah, but even a 4 cylinder uses gas at idle. hybrids dont.

this is a great idea. isnt the transit basically a fleet van to begin with? which means it wont kill the imageof a car. nice job ford.

[JonathanRohr]

Originally Posted by TheWraith

that reminds me inside and out of the Johnny Cab from the movie total recall.

5,000,000 bonus points to you sir!

Johnny Cab: "Hello.. you're in a jonny cab..."
Ahnuld: "S--T! S--T!!!!!!!"
Johnny Cab: "Im sorry, could you please repeat the address, street and number?"

[atomicshark]

Originally Posted by t-rex

I think Ford's really on to something!

Transit Connect = the Checker of the 21st century!

Those huge side rear windows are just begging for those new advertising graphics (the see-thru from the inside type that I see on all the new city busses here).

And I don't see why the Escape's hybrid powerpack wouldn't slide right into this puppy...

I totally agree. This looks to be the perfect cab for NYC.

I expect to see this guy driving it:

[NoNameDenton]

Originally Posted by chakis24

yeah, but even a 4 cylinder uses gas at idle. hybrids dont.

this is a great idea. isnt the transit basically a fleet van to begin with? which means it wont kill the imageof a car. nice job ford.

Ford has a 2 liter 4 cylinder gas engine that is PZEV (partial zero emissions vehicle) compliant, so they can use that instead, but I would still prefer a diesel

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted by Buick61

This is DOA unless they put the hybrid powertrain in there.

You might be right. More and more cities are considering a push for hybrid taxi's. It definitely needs it as an option.

[ohmywrd8]

Perfect for a taxi! A little TV and everything. Now just throw in the Escape hybrid tech and this is the best taxi ever!

[stevecmh]

i think it looks pretty cool.. its not too big and has lots of storage.. nice rims too

[bone]

I believe this type of vehicle,Hybrid or PZEV, represents the future for taxi fleets in large urban centres.

[member12]

I just thought of a drawback:

This car is 6' tall...it's going to block some views, and likely will be made into a billboard.


In any case, this is the future and I think Ford would be a good corporate citizen by offering a hybrid version to taxi companies.

[escapen]

Originally Posted by BORG

This may not replace the Crown Vic Taxi cab as much as it may supplement the Escape hybrid taxi. Unlike Police Cruisers, Taxi cabs are not public assets therefore the company running them tends to burn them into the ground to maximize profits (the same goes for all contractor vehicles). Crown Vic was ideal for that because salvage parts where everywhere from the mothballed units. Police cruisers are replaced every 40k miles so as long as they can last a punishing but brief life, any vehicle will work. I've always thought the Explorer would make an Excellent police cruiser but I think the cost is too high.

And when you think about it, Manhattan is only 13 miles long, so thse cabs go roughly 20-35 miles a day?

[escapen]

Unfortunatly, i see Prius Taxis everywhere in denver, also alot of siennas.

[johnny smallblock]

Originally Posted by escapen

And when you think about it, Manhattan is only 13 miles long, so thse cabs go roughly 20-35 miles a day?

What do you mean? NYC cabs usually drive 400+ miles a day.

The Crown Vic is the favorite of taxi owners (since Chevy discontinued the Caprice) because they can take a beating. Cabs usually run 24 hours a day. Oil is changed once a week. New tires are put on once a month.

CV's are cheap to buy and maintain. Cab companies are required to replace their cars after about 3 or 4 years, at which point most have been on the road for about 500K miles - with parts constantly swapped in from other cabs. Hybrids are coming, but they won't last as long.

[Caleb02]

i love my crown vic's and this concept seems real ugly for America. In europe it seems to fit in as they have stranger cars there.

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by ohmywrd8

Perfect for a taxi! A little TV and everything.

That could never see production. Average taxi passengers aren't near respectful enough for something like that... it'd be busted and scratched and destroyed right away. As it is try to find a cab that doesn't have cut seats or damaged bits in the back seat. If I were a taxi company I'd go for the simple hose-out-able plastic and rubber lined interior with the fewest options and doodads possible.

I'd say save the goodies for airline taxis... they typically seem to be in better shape and are used by people that don't carve their names into seatbacks and stick gum everywhere and spit and burn and otherwise act like hooligans.