The
TX4 is a purpose built taxicab
hackney carriage||-||-||}A hackney or hackney carriage is a carriage or automobile for hire. A livery carriage superior to the hackney was called a remise....
manufactured by
LTI (London Taxis International)Manganese Bronze Holdings PLC is an engineering company based in Coventry, West Midlands, England. Since the sale of its components division in 2003 the company has only one operating division - London Taxis International Limited - which manufactures and retails London Black Taxis.LTI in turn is...
. It is the latest in a long line of purpose-built taxis manufactured by LTI (previously Carbodies). The design has evolved from the
Austin FX4The FX4 is the classic London Black Cab. While the majority are black there is in fact no requirement in London for them to be black. Over the years, the FX4 has been sold under a range of brands.-Design and launch:...
which was eventually known as a
Fairway. The TX4 takes most of its body styling from its predecessor the
TXIIThe TXII is a hackney carriage manufactured by LTI. It is the second model following the modernisation and re-design of the London taxi which began with the TX1...
(there is no TX3). It now features a new front
radiator grilleA grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-In powered vehicles:In automotive engineering, a grille covers an opening in the...
, a new interior design, updated front and rear bumpers and a different rear
number plateA vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database...
surround.
The
TX4 is a purpose built taxicab
hackney carriage||-||-||}A hackney or hackney carriage is a carriage or automobile for hire. A livery carriage superior to the hackney was called a remise....
manufactured by
LTI (London Taxis International)Manganese Bronze Holdings PLC is an engineering company based in Coventry, West Midlands, England. Since the sale of its components division in 2003 the company has only one operating division - London Taxis International Limited - which manufactures and retails London Black Taxis.LTI in turn is...
. It is the latest in a long line of purpose-built taxis manufactured by LTI (previously Carbodies). The design has evolved from the
Austin FX4The FX4 is the classic London Black Cab. While the majority are black there is in fact no requirement in London for them to be black. Over the years, the FX4 has been sold under a range of brands.-Design and launch:...
which was eventually known as a
Fairway. The TX4 takes most of its body styling from its predecessor the
TXIIThe TXII is a hackney carriage manufactured by LTI. It is the second model following the modernisation and re-design of the London taxi which began with the TX1...
(there is no TX3). It now features a new front
radiator grilleA grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-In powered vehicles:In automotive engineering, a grille covers an opening in the...
, a new interior design, updated front and rear bumpers and a different rear
number plateA vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database...
surround. There are now internal
headrestIn an automobile, the headrest or head restraint is a device attached to the top of the seat behind the occupant's head. Headrests started to appear as an option on American cars in the late 1960s...
s (as a result of safety regulations) with two fitted to the central partition for the rear-facing tip-up seats, plus many other revisions.
The TX4 offers a 2.5
VM MotoriVM Motori S.p.A. is a diesel engine manufacturing company in Cento, Italy, which is the heart of Emilia-Romagna and also home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Ducati.-History:...
diesel engineA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber during the final stage of compression...
mated electronically to a
GM ChryslerGeneral Motors Company, often known as simply GM, is a United States based automaker with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. GM was the world's 18th largest corporate entity and third largest automaker as ranked by 2008 revenues on the Fortune Global 500. Ranked by global unit sales for 2008, it...
automatic transmissionAn automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
(also used in the
Jeep CherokeeThe Jeep Liberty , or Jeep Cherokee outside North America, is a compact SUV produced by the Jeep marque of Chrysler. Introduced for the 2002 model year, the Liberty was priced between the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. It was the smallest of the 4-door Jeep SUVs up until the car based 4-door Compass...
). A
manual versionA manual transmission, or manual gearbox is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
is also available.
The engine and transmission are built on a fully-boxed
hydroformHydroforming is a cost-effective way of shaping malleable metals such as aluminum or brass into lightweight, structurally stiff and strong pieces....
frame and a separate body, due to the nature of its separate
chassisA chassis consists of a framework that supports an inanimate object, analogous to an animal's skeleton, for example in a motor vehicle or a firearm.- Examples of use :...
construction.
The front
suspensionSuspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose – contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
, as with its predecessors, is of the
coil springA Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces...
type while the rear suspension is no longer the old-fashioned
leaf springOriginally called laminated or carriage spring, a leaf spring is a simple form of spring, commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles. It is also one of the oldest forms of springing, dating back to medieval times....
type having been replaced with coil springs. The front suspension now has an anti-roll bar like a modern car.
Anecdotally the reason for there being no TX3 and the marque number going straight to 4 is because the engine is
Euro IVEuropean emission standards define the acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of new vehicles sold in EU member states. The emission standards are defined in a series of European Union directives staging the progressive introduction of increasingly stringent standards.Currently, emissions of...
compliant and also for the vehicle to have a connection with the famous
Austin FX4The FX4 is the classic London Black Cab. While the majority are black there is in fact no requirement in London for them to be black. Over the years, the FX4 has been sold under a range of brands.-Design and launch:...
.
China market
In January 2007, an
Extraordinary General MeetingAn Extraordinary General Meeting, commonly abbreviated as EGM, is a meeting of members of an organisation, shareholders of a company, or employees of an official body, which occurs at an irregular time...
of the LTI's shareholders approved a joint venture with
Geely AutomobileGeely Automobile is a Chinese automaker and is the first independent automobile manufacturer in the People's Republic of China. The parent company is Geely Holding Group .-Early years:...
to manufacture the TX4 in China.
Fire Issues
In September 2008, approximately 15 engine fires in a period of three months forced a partial recall of the TX4. A limited number of vehicles were affected and the Public Carriage Office required all models with a '56' registration plate to undergo safety checks otherwise drivers would lose their carriage licence.
The news of the fires hit the headlines after
Big George Webley"Big" George Webley, born 29 May 1957, is a British musician, composer, bandleader, and broadcaster.-Early life:Webley was born in Clapham, London. His aunt Vera was the fan club secretary for Frankie Laine, who attended Webley's baptism at Macaulay, in the Church of England, on 1 June 1957 as his...
, a presenter on
BBC London 94.9BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Digital Channel 0152 and also online. Previously known as BBC London Live, GLR and Radio London...
, received photos of a taxi that burst into flames outside Stringfellows on Upper St. Martin's Lane on the 12th of September 2008.
Even though initially there was recall of only the 56 registrations, every TX4 will have modifications of some type
Private Users
In April 2009,
Stephen FryStephen John Fry is a British actor, writer, comedian, author, television presenter and film director. With Hugh Laurie, as the comedy double act Fry and Laurie, he co-wrote and co-starred in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and the duo also played the title roles in Jeeves and Wooster...
(who habitually drives a black cab) announced that he had acquired a TX4 for personal use.
External links