lol. can you belive this? I found this pic, LS460 Taxi in Japan. wonder if there will be any LS600h taxi.

http://photoimg.enjoyjapan.naver.com/view/enjoybbs/viewphoto/pcar/56000/20071013119227233538575500.jpg

also found this too.
NISSAN 「FUGA」a.k.a Infiniti M35/45
http://photoimg.enjoyjapan.naver.com/view/enjoybbs/viewphoto/pcar/56000/20071013119227234514831200.jpg

Ballin'

It's no different than a livery service car. Except livery cars usually aren't marked up with Taxi lights, etc.

I'm not suprised. I've seen been in everything from a V70R, boosted Crown Athelete, Mercedes, and I saw a LS460 @ Roppongi too. But is that a LS600h or a LS460?

I'm not suprised. I've seen been in everything from a V70R, boosted Crown Athelete, Mercedes, and I saw a LS460 @ Roppongi too. But is that a LS600h or a LS460?

LS460 the headlights aren't the h/hL lights.

It a nice tax write-off... :rolleyes:

I wouldn't mind that for a taxi

that's what you get there :) i think they have s class as taxi in europe too :)

LS cabs here in America, while unusual, are not necessarily rare. I've seen a few LS400s and 430s.........but no 460s yet.

Can't tell for sure, either, because we can't see the logo on the grille clearly, but, in Japan, it is possible that that "Lexus" cab in the picture was actually built and sold as a Toyota....with some decontenting to it. I would be very surprised if it had all the features on it that the American-market LS460 does.

(Of course, on the other hand, maybe the driver wanted the self-park feature...taxis are forever pulling in and out, parking next to curbs)

LS cabs here in America, while unusual, are not necessarily rare. I've seen a few LS400s and 430s.........but no 460s yet.

Can't tell for sure, either, because we can't see the logo on the grille clearly, but, in Japan, it is possible that that "Lexus" cab in the picture was actually built and sold as a Toyota....with some decontenting to it.
They are selling the LS460 as a Lexus only in Japan I think . . .

there's no toyota ls460 in japan, it's only under lexus.... it might be close to base model, but it's still better than any cabs here (at least in cali)

ls400 and ls430 cabs in the US? that's first for me.

The new LS460 is Lexus in Japan too. Exclusively.

when my uncle did taxi driving for a little while, he had a s430 and use that as a cab. Private company

i woudnt mind having that as a cab

Here in NY, mostly in Manhattan I see a lot of S550 and 750LI as taxis(private companies)

Is there something sticking up out of the front right light area? A flagpole?

Not too suprising considering that I have seen an S class taxi in Germany.

Is there something sticking up out of the front right light area? A flagpole?

Those are corner markers. They're used to judge the far corner of the car when pulling into the curb (hence the left corner since it's RHD)

Ah, thx! Not just using Park Assist sensors I guess. :D

ls400 and ls430 cabs in the US? that's first for me.

Maybe not in CA where you are. I've seen a few here in the DC area, but like I said, VERY few. They are not exactly as numerous as silver Camrys.

Not too suprising considering that I have seen an S class taxi in Germany.

From what I understand, much cheaper, decontented S-Class models are available in Europe...Mercedes will not sell them here.

Ah, thx! Not just using Park Assist sensors I guess. :D
well parking sensors don't help with curbs since it's much higher than the curb right?

Also, they have both fixed "antenna" and retractable types. The one pictured in the LS looks like the retractable type.

True, they don't work with curbs.

I wonder if other countries laugh at us because we use the Crown Vic as our people movers?

I wonder if other countries laugh at us because we use the Crown Vic as our people movers?
what do you mean?

http://www.nysun.com/pics/47923_main_large.jpg
New Lexus Taxicabs Spark Envy

When Samuel Pekoh pulls up to a red light, he always turns heads.

From the windows of their Ford Crown Victorias, cab drivers peer enviously at his Lexus taxicab, "Samantha," as if a supermodel had suddenly entered their homely midst. Pedestrians stop to offer a thumbs-up. "Looking good!" they whistle and catcall.

Eight months ago, Mr. Pekoh, a taxi owner and driver originally from Ghana, and his colleague Clifford Hammon-Adler made a trip to a Lexus dealership on Lexington Avenue and came away with a brand-new pair of hybrid RX400hs, costing them each $52,000 and change. "It's a beautiful drive," Mr. Hammon-Adler said.

"I don't smoke, I don't drink, and when I drove for a company, I didn't like getting complaints about the smell of the car," Mr. Pekoh said. Now, the back seat of "Samantha," which he named after his daughter, smells like new leather.

The Taxi & Limousine Commission approved 10 hybrid-electric car models for use as taxicabs 15 months ago, but the new hybrid cars are only catching on now. "This is the point at which people start seeing numbers," a spokesman for the Taxi & Limousine Commission, Alan Fromberg, said.

what do you mean?

Their cabs are, for the most part, are luxurys cars. We use, for the majority, basic stripped down fleet cars.

Their cabs are, for the most part, are luxurys cars. We use, for the majority, basic stripped down fleet cars.

we (I'm Japanese) mainly use cab specific cars. It's called a Crown or Cedric/Gloria but it's nothing like its counterpart. They're not nice at all... BUT, Toyota released a TRD version of this with a supercharger (RWD) 3pedals.

I dunno about anywhere else b/c I grew up in Kobe and Tokyo, but especially in Tokyo, there are a lot of nice taxis. Celsior, Aristo, Majesta, Crown, Alphard, Mercedes, Volvo, etc. Then again, we have cheap 'one-coin' taxi (1coin = 500 yen/$5USD) that uses smaller 5 number plated cars too.

The poles actually are really helpful in Tokyo. If you thought driving in LA was tough, try driving in Tokyo...it's a friggin nightmare.

Yup, hybrids as taxis...save gas while idling for the next customers...

I wonder if other countries laugh at us because we use the Crown Vic as our people movers?

Well, there's a reason why we use so many Crown Vic taxis. They are built not only with the durable, truck-type, ladder-frame that all Crown Vics get, but also, in many cases, with the heavy-duty police suspension, brakes, and cooling systems (the police-spec package is not available in ordinary dealer sales.......you have to be ordering the car for taxi or law-enforcement purposes). This package is popular with cab drivers because they they are constantly running the wheels and suspension into curbs, pounding over rough city streets like in D.C and Manhattan, and spend endless hours idling in traffic. The body-on-frame and police-grade suspension is far more resistant to damage from rough roads and curb impacts than what you will find on an ordinary, FWD, unibody car.....one reason why police and taxi firms have been so slow to give the car up.

Their cabs are, for the most part, are luxurys cars. We use, for the majority, basic stripped down fleet cars.

True. I remember in Singapore, they were using E-Class as taxis for a new company called "Presidio" with fancy digital scrolling "TAXI" signs. It's not a limo company or anything, just a regular cab service I believe. To make matters worse, they painted their cabs white. Most MBs in Singapore are white.

But the cabs that replaced the Crown Vics in my city now are more or less stock from the factory. I.e. no special heavy-duty suspension or vinyl seats. If the Camry they bought had fabric, that's what they have (unless they add aftermarket leather). If they bought a Corolla LE with factory leather, then that's what you get to sit on. As you can see, most of our "new" cabs are Toyotas :p

we (I'm Japanese) mainly use cab specific cars. It's called a Crown or Cedric/Gloria but it's nothing like its counterpart. They're not nice at all... BUT, Toyota released a TRD version of this with a supercharger (RWD) 3pedals.

I dunno about anywhere else b/c I grew up in Kobe and Tokyo, but especially in Tokyo, there are a lot of nice taxis. Celsior, Aristo, Majesta, Crown, Alphard, Mercedes, Volvo, etc. Then again, we have cheap 'one-coin' taxi (1coin = 500 yen/$5USD) that uses smaller 5 number plated cars too.

The poles actually are really helpful in Tokyo. If you thought driving in LA was tough, try driving in Tokyo...it's a friggin nightmare.

Yeah, they have cab versions of the Cedric and Crown and for the most part look different too right?

Yup, hybrids as taxis...save gas while idling for the next customers...

heh. Come up to here. You'll see plenty of Prius cabs and TCH cabs. If not a hybrid, it'll be a regular Corollas (no idea why since it's still small for rear passengers) and Camrys as replacements for the Crown Vics and Luminas and Centurys.. oh and the Malibus too.

Haven't been up to Vancouver in years but I'd love too, beautiful city. Good to hear that they are doing more environmentally friendly taxis too.

Im sure there is a liability with cabs as expensive as those; unlike in NEw York, all of the crown Vics get beat to hell.

Im sure there is a liability with cabs as expensive as those; unlike in NEw York, all of the crown Vics get beat to hell.
been to both places, people in japan drives a lot nicer (manner) than ny

Not to mention the Japanese taxi drivers wear white gloves!

and Japan has better roads. I think I've never seen any pot holes in Japan.

For many years already, in Poland theyve been running 7-class BMW's and S-class MB's as taxis. Not many but you spot them time to time.

Haven't been up to Vancouver in years but I'd love too, beautiful city. Good to hear that they are doing more environmentally friendly taxis too.
heh. and I'm coming down to Cali soon lol.

I think Victoria has more hybrid cabs than Vancouver (my guess being the capital and all)

i love japanese taxis, wait for the white ones with the shell lights, those are privately owned and are usually nicer cars like the new toyota crowns and celsiors. 90% of cabs in japan are regular toyota crowns and nissan cedrics though, only a handful are benzes and high end toyotas.

alot of private limo companies use the new s500 and s65 amgs from benz, but the staple of all taxis and company cars is the 2002-2007 toyota celsior, aka lexus ls430. they are literally EVERYWHERE in tokyo, all black, all with drivers and white cloth seat covers...