original image: autos.aol.com
With Checker Day yesterday, a comment by jpcavanaugh showing a current-gen xB taxi made me realize that they remind me quite a bit of a mini Checker. All it needs is a trunk. So I had to add one!
Here’s Paul’s xB for comparison. Aside from the obvious addition of the trunk, I also lengthened the wheelbase, moved the rear wheel back a bit, and enlarged the front bumper for better protection in the big city.
Here we have the original Marathon and the “new” one. Well, they’re both boxy! But there was also a long wheelbase limo version. What would a new version of that model would look like? Let’s lower the roofline and stretch it out…
Despite the stretch, I don’t know if the traditional Checker jump seats would fit. If nothing else, Toyota could make a really nice xB Brougham!
D pillar location isn’t working. Needs to come down closer to the rear wheel center. Works better on the “limo-stretch” version.
Can you pop the trunk, lay the seats down, and stuff in a 4X8 piece of plywood. Might have a winner here.
Couldn’t agree more. I like the current crop of “box-mobiles” (xB, Cube, Soul), but I might just make a beeline for the first manufacturer who makes a stretch version that will accommodate a 4×8 sheet of plywood.
But then, I’d have no excuse for owning my big, old, plain F150… 🙂
Howabout the new Nissan NV van. I wonder – does NV stand for Nissan Van? Sort of like an Xb done at 150%.
Too big, too tall, too thirsty, and too truck-y.
I don’t want everything to be larger, just the cargo area.
Some cab companies in Boston use xB’s. They wear even faster than ex-cop Crown Vics. I think the one company has taken on a few full-size Outback wagons, which seem to be a pretty great option for our potholes. (The huge cargo area and relatively efficient CVT seem useful, too.). Not sure how they’re holding up in practice.
The gen1 Xb makes a perfect taxi as is, except for the luggage space being a bit too small. Roof rack?
The rear seat in the Xb, and its egress, is almost impossible to beat from a taxi rider’s point of view. And its short over-all length would be a boon in traffic. If I was designing the future taxi for NYC, it would have been the starting point.
But instead……
Do like the UK Black cabs and delete the front passenger seat for luggage space
The addition of a trunk makes me think of the xB’s Japanese cousing, the BB Open Deck, surely the most useless ute design ever. A few years ago I sold a queen size bed that I owned, and this chinese dude showed up with his Open Deck to pick it up……. needless to say I chucked it into my work van and drove it to his place for him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_bB
Have you seen a Suzuki Mighty Boy? (it was on here earlier this year as I spotted one at a classic car show)
Haha, yes, true, that would probably take the crown as most useless ute ever!
Haha, one of the import dealers nearby has a yellow BB Open Deck as their promo car. It’s certainly very noticeable driving around!
Tom why do you need a trunk, why not extend the entire hatch area? With a luggage restraint you can then stack a lot more – up to the roof for an airport trip.
I wouldn’t choose the xB to base such a vehicle on, I’d want to start with a commercial vehicle. Something like a Ford Transit Connect. Yes they have normal passenger car drivetrains but again you choose robust versions, and with electronics it is easy to protect against abuse these days.
Actually there are a substantial number of Prius’ used as taxis these days, and they seem to hold up well. Given the injection pressure that common rail diesels run these days and the subsequent cost of the pumps and injectors, I would wonder if they would be more expensive to run than a hybrid.
Hyundai Diesel Sonatas are quite popular here and Govt approved as taxis.
Looks like someone tried to turn a diamond into a zircon.