New York City to get Nissan minivans as taxis

Big Yellow Taxi for Big Apple

Mayor Bloomberg has done a deal with Nissan to make a whole "new generation" of taxis for New Yorkers and all the visitors to the city. Big Apple gets Big Yellow Taxi! The vehicles look a bit like school runners for soccer moms. However, they are comfy inside. I wonder if the steel grill is in there or will it be an open plan driving experience, chatting merrily with the driver. With satellite navigation for cabbies without the knowledge, there will be an extra voice on board. A Japanese geisha girl giving helpful hints on how to avoid one-way streets maybe.

I'm not against innovation. I'm in favour of gradual change rather than a rapid gearshift. What Mayor Bloomberg has done is bring on a new purpose-built vehicle whilst keeping the iconic yellow of the cabs. Tradition meets modernity. That's good. And yellow is a good attractive colour for the Japanese. The chrysanthemum plays an important part in their imperial dynasty.

So this is the car that Danny deVito would be well chuffed with dispatching around town. And giving a "little on the job training" in gears and gadgets. I'm sure it will be a winner, and, who knows, quite a lot could become the transport of choice for many, especially investment bankers.