London Taxi 3D model

Every day, thousands of London's residents and visitors hail a licensed taxi, a unique vehicle that is as much a symbol of London as Big Ben and the double-decker bus. The operators of these taxis are legendary for their encyclopedic knowledge of the British capital but the fascinating history of the vehicles they drive is less apparent to the casual observer.

The first motorized London taxi, the 1897 Bersey, was electrically powered and was called the Hummingbird because of its sound. Its limited range led to the introduction of gasoline-powered taxis in 1903 and the French-built Prunel was the first example. In the ensuing decades, many domestic and foreign manufacturers including Vauxhall, Unic, Rational and Renault would offer vehicles built to conform to the Conditions of Fitness. Since 1930, London's licensed taxis have been British-built by various manufacturers including Morris, Beardmore, Winchester and Austin. The most familiar of these are the Austin FX3 and FX4.

The FX4 replaced the FX3 in 1959. Its body design was updated dramatically and, with minor modifications, would remain unchanged for decades. Unlike the FX3, all FX4s had a fourth door enclosing the luggage compartment. The FX4 continued the rear-hinged passenger doors but the FX3's hydraulic jacks could not be incorporated into the new design. Fully hydraulic brakes and improved instrumentation were among the FX4's innovations and early models can be identified by bunny ears turn indicators on the roof. The spacious passenger compartment incorporated a bench seat for two or three passengers, fold-down jump seats for two additional riders and separate heater and lighting controls. The FX4 adhered to the requirements of the Conditions of Fitness, including an amazing turning circle of only 25 feet. The new vehicle was initially powered by the FX3's 2.2 liter diesel engine and a Borg Warner automatic transmission but a gasoline engine and manual gearbox were offered as production continued.

A London taxi must undergo rigorous periodic inspections and is retired after 10 to 12 years and hundreds of thousands of miles of service. After retirement, many taxis migrate to other U.K. cities with less stringent taxi regulations where they continue in daily service.

Product Features:

The product contains one resolution of the model, which is rigged for animation. The model is highly detailed and textured.

This model is a 3DMax model, saved in version 8 as a MAX file, and requires 3DMax. It does not include any other formats to allow it to be opened in any other software. The model is rigged where appropriate, and mapped and textured.