Imagine factory air-conditioning, one-touch electric windows and a stunning 60 mpg, all for the same price as a Skoda? Impossible? Not anymore, thanks to the revolutionary new “Taxi Saloon” and “Taxi Tourer”, from Renault and Cab Direct. Carl Davies reports.
It’s not often that an ageing motoring hack like me is taken by surprise – but this week it happened. Big time. Like football teams, certain vehicles just seem to get ahead of the pack. In the taxi industry, thousands of 406 drivers will know exactly what I mean. More recently, Peugeot’s new Station Wagon and the old-model Skoda Octavia have hit just the right spot in terms of bottom-line value for money. But now, it seems, there’s a new star player ready and willing to join the ranks. Like Henry, Viera and Zidane, it’s French born. And the star quality doesn’t end there.
Price Breakthrough
In a dramatic new initiative, Renault have a struck a new and exclusive partnership with Cab Direct to launch the remarkable Taxi Saloon” and the estate version Taxi Tourer”. Surprising enough for the current Formula 1 championship leaders. But here’s the real shock: prices from just £42.95 + VAT per week, with only £235 + VAT to find as deposit. Yes – you heard right – just FORTY-TWO NINETY-FIVE, on the road, including delivery anywhere in the UK.
Championship Form
If minimising capital outlay is your game, this really is championship form. Certainly you can get value on a Skoda for under £10,000. Yet the Taxi Tourer” not only manages to match the price bracket but blows you away with a host of added features. Power-assisted steering and ABS braking – OK, so much you might expect. Six-speaker CD player and heated door mirrors – nice to have. But body-coloured bumpers, one-touch electric windows, automatic wipers and factory-fitted air conditioning, all included in a rock-bottom, economy price taxi – simply amazing!
Bumper Boot
As we all know, punters seem to come with increasing amounts of baggage – but with the Taxi Saloon’s 520-litre boot, you can happily accommodate the kitchen sink as well. With the important matter of attractive residual re-sale values to look forward to as well, we really are looking at one serious case of value for money.
At this point, your correspondent doesn’t mind admitting to being ‘shaken, but not stirred.’ Surely there’s some catch? Cleverly I think to myself: “I know – they must have scrimped under the bonnet. Just let me behind the wheel – I bet it’s a classy shell with an elastic band for power.” Think again. I got the chance to drive the 106 dCi manual Taxi Saloon” (both Saloon” and Tourer” are also available in automatic).
60 mpg
Heading out through the busy city centre, the dCi common rail injection engine gives one of the smoothest and quietest diesel performances I’ve ever met. I cannot fail to be impressed by the responsiveness of the Euro IV compliant engine. Later I cruise down the motorway at more than legal speeds with the power plant purring pleasantly. All this in a motor that turns in a truly pocket-saving 60.1 miles per gallon in official combined driving conditions. As friends and family delight in pointing out, I’m a sceptical old hard-head. All the same, this new entrant to the ranks really is something out of the ordinary. If the writing contracts ever dry up I’ll happily start up Davies Taxis with a dozen of these beauties.