2012 New York Auto Show - Highlights

What?

Nissan NV200 Taxi

Why is it important?

This is the vehicle that will slowly but surely replace the now-dead Ford Crown Victoria as the official taxi cab of New York City. Though it might be strange to see the Japanese vans roaming on the streets of Manhattan instead of the American sedans, the NV200 'Taxi of Tomorrow' is a safer, more advanced and a practical and modern solution that will ferry close to 600,000 passengers every day starting from 2013. Under the hood is a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with enhanced fuel efficiency and emission figures. The spacious cab can accommodate up to four passengers. 

Is it relevant to India?

While the Nissan NV200 will play the taxi game in the Big Apple city, in the Indian market the MPV will be rebadged and re-tweaked in terms of design and performance as the Nissan Evalia and will compete with the Toyota Innova. If you recall, the Nissan NV200 was showcased in India for the first time as the Nissan Evalia at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi. The display vehicle at the New Delhi's Pragati Maidan stood with a posh, metallic paint on the exterior, while the interiors were made up of materials that you find inside the top-end Micra and the Sunny. The premium people's carrier is expected to be priced between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.