Londoners will no longer hail a cab, but ‘heil’ one instead…
Like the iconic Routemaster bus that was eventually phased out, London has now set its sights on swapping out its aging black cabs with new vehicles. The latest Mercedes Vito that has been officially announced as its replacement is not the first van to enter London service (or the first Mercedes Vito for that matter), but it is the most modern and advanced one.
“We know that the London taxi fraternity has been waiting in anticipation for us to bring the new Vito Taxi to market – our previous cab took the industry by storm and has sold in excess of 3,000 units since its launch in 2008,” said Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, adding that the new Vito Taxi is quite simply a game-changer in every sense of the word and I’m very proud that our black cab helps to keep businesses moving – both the businesses of the taxi drivers, and the businesses of their clients. I look forward to hearing the feedback of how it is improving the fuel-economy and comfort for our hard-working professional drivers.”
It features a 136 hp 2.1-liter diesel engine hooked up to a 7G-Tronic Plus transmission, all-wheel steering in order to comply with turning circle regulations imposed on London cabs, as well as stop-start, electrically-folding mirrors, electrically-operated sliding doors and a three-year unlimited-mile warranty from the manufacturer.