Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

These were a purpose built 6 or 7 seat taxi that was the only serious rival to the ubiquitous Fx4, the iconic London black taxi. The Metrocab featured a full fibreglass body bolted onto a steel frame with a separate galvanised chassis, so it did not suffer from the ravages of rust that plagued the Fx4.

The running gear used the unbreakable 2.5 OHV diesel engine, gearbox and back axle from the Ford Transit that ensured dogged reliability and good parts availability.

These taxis regularly did a million miles in 10-12 years with regular maintenance that was assured by the stringent yearly licensing test they were subjected to as public service vehicles.

Built using a mishmash of parts from Ford and British Leyland /Austin Rover, they were a British vehicle that really earned its corn, which was a rarity in itself, given that British vehicles in the 80s and 90s were generally woeful.

The Metrocab was more economical than the Fx4, had more space for the driver (though could still be better), better visibility and had wheelchair access from the start.

A rare vehicle that will surely achieve classic status in the not too distant future.

One of the requirements for London taxis is the 25 feet turning radius they have to have, which uses Ackerman geometry to accomplish. This gives amazing manoeuvrability for such a large vehicle.