It's real! Camry joining taxi fleet here

[User12343]

ST 10/10/06

 

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TAXI commuters will soon be flagging down the Toyota Camry - arguably Singapore's most popular Japanese executive saloon.

Taxi companies here are stepping up their search for alternative vehicles so they do not run afoul of the stricter Euro IV emission standard for diesel vehicles, which kicked in last week.

 

The Toyota Crown and Nissan Cedric, which now make up 90 per cent of cabs here, fail to meet requirements.

 

Smart Automobiles has decided on the Camry and has put the first one on the road. It plans to roll out at least 19 more. Their petrol engines will converted to run on compressed natural gas (CNG). It costs about $40,000, one of the least costly cabs here.

 

Smart general manager William Chua said the first vehicle was registered under the Economic Development Board's scheme for innovative transport technologies, which means it gets a waiver of the Additional Registration Fee and Certificate of Entitlement. The other 19 may get a similar waiver.

 

The other taxi firms are also looking to use new and untested models to replace the ubiquitous Toyota Crown and Nissan Cedric.

 

The Straits Times understands that Japanese alternatives to these two workhorses will not be available until the second half of next year.

 

Meanwhile, Jardine Cycle & Carriage has brought in two units of the turbodiesel Kia Magentis for taxi operators.

 

Its chief executive (motor operations) Cheah Kim Teck noted that there seemed to be 'quite a bit of interest in the car', and that operators wanted to test it alongside the other Korean contender, the Hyundai Sonata.

 

Taxi giant ComfortDelGro has been testing a pair of Sonatas since late last year, as well as a couple of Volkswagen Touran MPVs, but it has not made up its mind.

[Nkps]

what's new? if you check on the previous thread, some brother here already posted the camry cab pix here....

[User12343]

for the benefit of those who dunno....

[Nine_eleven]

CNG is the perfect taxi fuel... less pollutants! and less power (they dun need all that power anyway!)

[Mzrmazda3]

Wonder if the taxi Camry are those of the latest Camry from BM?

[User12343]

walanz if that happens, all those who booked the new jepoonese camry will kpkb bangballs liao

[Mzrmazda3]

 

You are right Bro

[Law_ong]

Any chance of MZ3 or MZ6 as taxi???

[Speed_ong]

The pics is in a previous thread. Link is here.

http://www.mycarforum.com/forum/gforum.cgi...20taxi;#1509689

[Law_ong]

U showing me the pic cum answer to my qns...u are fast... can find myself in the thread too...

 

but mz6 can mah..legroom good enuf as taxi..

[Mzrmazda3]

 

Hmm... Maybe mata chia???

[Mzrmazda3]

walanz if that happens, all those who booked the new jepoonese camry will kpkb bangballs liao

 

With courtesy from Bro Speed Ong, the Camry taxi should be the Jap Made Camry Version

[Cyberet]

this means more stations with CNG pumps, woohoo! time to convert

[Law_ong]

cannot be mata chia de lar...cannot run they wan for wat? i rather they kept it unique currently....i just signed on dotted line for exchange of my protege to mz3 leh....

[Nine_eleven]

Wonder if the taxi Camry are those of the latest Camry from BM?

 

more likely from autralia where it is made and converted.

[Mzrmazda3]

Congrats Bro

 

Mazda 3 SP got the LED rear lights which is much chioer

[Mzrmazda3]

 

Thanks Bro

[Xefera]

I have a feeling that there will be more postings in the Complaints forum about cabbies performing "stunts" on our roads with these newer machines. Looks like the MB cabbies can no longer act like the kings liao.