MCW Metrocab
Encyclopedia
The MCW Metrocab is a taxicab
that was manufactured between 1987 and 2000 and as the Metrocab TTT from 2000 to 2006. It was designed and originally produced by the British
vehicle manufacturing company Metro Cammell Weymann
(MCW), with ownership passing to Reliant
in 1989, Hooper
in 2000 and finally Kamkorp
.
Mk 2.
The taxicab manufacturing business was sold by MCW to Reliant
in 1989 and the vehicle remained in production with Metrocab
, the new company. In 1997 the Series II Metrocab was announced with many cosmetic changes, in particular a new grille, bumper and light design. The Metrocab featured a range of different badges, reflecting its varied ownership; originally with the MCW logo, it then featured a Reliant badge, before the full Metrocab name was displayed on the leading edge of the bonnet in a similar style to Land Rover as part of the Series II facelift.
Prince Philip
sometimes used a LPG equipped Metrocab around London.
2.5 litre diesel engine and incorporated many notable features for a taxi. The bodywork was constructed from fibreglass. It was the first Hackney carriage
model to have disc brakes as standard (from 1992), it also had a seven-passenger seat option, and wheelchair
access.
Many of the parts came from other car builders including headlights and front indicators from the Ford Granada Mk 2 (which had been out of production for two years by 1987), rear lights from the Escort Mk 4 Cabriolet and various switches and controls from the Austin Maestro
/Montego range were used. Due to the fibreglass construction and virtually bulletproof engine, many of these vehicles are still in daily use over 20 years later. Spare parts and workshop advice is available from a small number of specialist repairers.
and then on to Kamkorp. Production ceased in 2004 when the company went into administration, and was re-started in 2005 at a rate of one vehicle per week, but all production eventually ceased for good in April 2006.
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
that was manufactured between 1987 and 2000 and as the Metrocab TTT from 2000 to 2006. It was designed and originally produced by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
vehicle manufacturing company Metro Cammell Weymann
Metro Cammell Weymann
Metro Cammell Weymann was once a major player in transportation manufacturing in the UK and Europe. It was formed in 1932 by Weymann Motor Bodies Ltd and Metro Cammell's bus bodybuilding division to produce bus bodies....
(MCW), with ownership passing to Reliant
Reliant
Reliant was a British car manufacturer. The company was traditionally based at Tamworth in Staffordshire, England, but in 2001 it moved to nearby Cannock. It ceased manufacturing cars shortly afterwards.-History:...
in 1989, Hooper
Hooper (coachbuilder)
Hooper was a British coachbuilding company based in London.-Founding:The company was founded as Adams and Hooper in 1805 and held a royal warrant from 1830, building elegant horse drawn carriages, supplying them to King William IV, Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. The first royal car, a Hooper...
in 2000 and finally Kamkorp
KamKorp
Kamkorp is a British-Swiss holding company owned by UK-based Indian businessman Kamal Siddiqi.It owns Frazer-Nash Research, a UK-based company that develops electric and hybrid vehicle powertrain technologies...
.
History
The basic design of the vehicle dated back at least as far as 1970 when a prototype was caught in Westminster undergoing London trials. The overall profile of the vehicle closely matched that of the Metrocab as launched 17 years later, although the original front grill, taken from a 1970 Ford Cortina Mk II, was superseded by a more contemporary design by the time the vehicle entered production using headlamps and grille from the Ford GranadaFord Granada (Europe)
The March 1972 released Granada succeeded the British Ford Zephyr, and the German P7-series as Ford's European executive car offering. At first, lower models in the range were called the Ford Consul, but from 1975 on they were all called Granadas. The car soon became popular for taxi, fleet and...
Mk 2.
The taxicab manufacturing business was sold by MCW to Reliant
Reliant
Reliant was a British car manufacturer. The company was traditionally based at Tamworth in Staffordshire, England, but in 2001 it moved to nearby Cannock. It ceased manufacturing cars shortly afterwards.-History:...
in 1989 and the vehicle remained in production with Metrocab
Metrocab
Metrocab was a British manufacturer of taxicabs latterly based in Tamworth in operation under various owners from 1989 to 2006.-MCW:The company was created by Metro Cammell Weymann as a taxicab manufacturing enterprise producing the MCW Metrocab....
, the new company. In 1997 the Series II Metrocab was announced with many cosmetic changes, in particular a new grille, bumper and light design. The Metrocab featured a range of different badges, reflecting its varied ownership; originally with the MCW logo, it then featured a Reliant badge, before the full Metrocab name was displayed on the leading edge of the bonnet in a similar style to Land Rover as part of the Series II facelift.
Prince Philip
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
sometimes used a LPG equipped Metrocab around London.
Vehicle features
The vehicle had a Ford TransitFord Transit
The Ford Transit is a range of panel vans, minibuses, and pickup trucks, produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.The Transit has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle in Europe for 40 years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic term...
2.5 litre diesel engine and incorporated many notable features for a taxi. The bodywork was constructed from fibreglass. It was the first Hackney carriage
Hackney carriage
A hackney or hackney carriage is a carriage or automobile for hire...
model to have disc brakes as standard (from 1992), it also had a seven-passenger seat option, and wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
access.
Many of the parts came from other car builders including headlights and front indicators from the Ford Granada Mk 2 (which had been out of production for two years by 1987), rear lights from the Escort Mk 4 Cabriolet and various switches and controls from the Austin Maestro
Austin Maestro
The Austin Maestro is a compact-sized 5-door hatchback car that was produced from 1983 to 1994, initially by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British Leyland , and from 1988 onwards by its successor, Rover Group. The car was produced at the former Morris plant in Cowley, Oxford. It was initially...
/Montego range were used. Due to the fibreglass construction and virtually bulletproof engine, many of these vehicles are still in daily use over 20 years later. Spare parts and workshop advice is available from a small number of specialist repairers.
Metrocab TTT
In March 2000 a revised Metrocab was launched as the Metrocab TTT. The TTT was advertised to contain 700 improvements over the original Metrocab including new front design, new engine and the end of the fibreglass construction. Shortly after the launch of the new model, ownership of the Metrocab company passing from Reliant to HooperHooper (coachbuilder)
Hooper was a British coachbuilding company based in London.-Founding:The company was founded as Adams and Hooper in 1805 and held a royal warrant from 1830, building elegant horse drawn carriages, supplying them to King William IV, Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. The first royal car, a Hooper...
and then on to Kamkorp. Production ceased in 2004 when the company went into administration, and was re-started in 2005 at a rate of one vehicle per week, but all production eventually ceased for good in April 2006.