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NYC says taxi drivers can choose hybrids over Nissan ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’

Filed under: Nissan, Legislation and Policy

Right about now, Nissan must be wishing it had a baked-in a shorter development time for its NV200 hybrid. Nissan started production on the taxi version of the NV200 about a year ago and has previously stated it will offer a hybrid version out by 2015.

But that’s late enough that the Japanese automaker’s foothold on future New York City taxi sales is looser than it otherwise would have been. Last week, New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission voted to allow cab drivers to buy their own hybrids as an alternative to the NV200 minivan cab, the New York Daily News reports. Two years ago, the gas-powered NV200 was named by the city government as NYC’s “Taxi of Tomorrow” because of features including available features like a glass roof and on-board cell-phone rechargers, not to mention its roominess and relative fuel efficiency.

The city was set to start pushing for the taxi-fleet switchover in October but has faced legal opposition in recent months from the state’s Supreme Court, which now says the city’s mandate is unenforceable, in part because it doesn’t offer fleet owners a hybrid alternative.

NYC says taxi drivers can choose hybrids over Nissan ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’ originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 27 Jun 2013 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: Live pics of 2014 Mazda3 from NYC, sedan on its way

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Mazda

2014 Mazda3

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen, straight from the memory cards of our own cameras. As you can see, the only version of the 2014 Mazda3 that the automaker is showing off at the moment is the hatchback, but we’ve gotten confirmation from Mazda that the sedan version will be shown sometime within the next five weeks.

So far, Mazda isn’t commenting on whether or not we can expect a higher-performance Mazdaspeed3 version of the car, but we’ve got our fingers crossed. In any case, we’re quite drawn to the appearance of this new hatchback from Mazda, with its flowing lines and character creases setting it apart from the rest of the compact segment in which it competes.

We also appreciate the sound engineering that went into the new 3. Despite boasting a wheelbase that’s longer than the car it replaces, we’re pleased to see that Mazda has kept its exterior size in check – it’s actually shorter overall than the last-gen model – while also reducing weight by about 200 pounds. That’s bound to be good for the new 3’s dynamic properties.

Have a good look at our live image gallery above, click here to read about the car’s new specs, and let us know what you think of Mazda’s latest compact hatchback in the Comments.

Live pics of 2014 Mazda3 from NYC, sedan on its way originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Jun 2013 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Varvatos brings Attitude to the 2011 Chrysler 300 and the streets of NYC

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Chrysler

John Varvatos and the 2011 Chrysler 300

John Varvatos pilots a 2011 Chrysler 300 through NYC – Click above to watch video after the jump

Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit” advertising campaign continues to march on. It all started with Eminem hyping up both his city and the new Chrysler 200. Now, the focus is squarely on the (much more worthy) 2011 Chrysler 300, and a new face joins the party. We’ve seen Detroit Lion Ndamukong Suh take the 300 on a trip back to his Portland, Oregon roots. In a new spot called “Attitude,” Detroit-born fashion designer John Varvatos reflects on the inspiration for his clothing.

Growing up in Detroit gave Varvatos an appreciation for all sorts of musical stylings. Moving to New York, he began to intersect his fashion sense with his love for R&B, Rock and Roll and music in general.

John Varvatos and Ndamukong Suh, along with Chrysler, are just two-thirds of the team advertising the new 300. Joining this group later this summer will be Dr. Dre, who will take the 2012 Chrysler 300 S and hit the streets of Los Angeles. For now, click past the jump to check out John Varvatos and the Chrysler 300 in “Attitude.”

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John Varvatos brings Attitude to the 2011 Chrysler 300 and the streets of NYC originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 May 2011 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Supreme Court strikes down Bloomberg’s hybrid taxi plan for NYC

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

New York City hybrid taxi

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has fought long and hard to uphold a local law requiring all city cab companies to replace their gas-guzzling Ford Crown Victoria sedans with more efficient livery vehicles. A noble goal, no doubt, but the Supreme Court is having none of it.

The New York Post reports that the highest court in the land refused to hear the case after four years of battles in the lower courts, giving the victory to the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade. The court ruled that federal agencies have the sole right to regulate emissions and efficiency, not the mayor of one town – even if it is the City That Never Sleeps.

When the Supreme Court swings its gavel, there usually isn’t another shot, but that likely won’t stop Mayor Bloomberg from lobbying Congress to change the rules. The mayor said that local governments are the ones dealing with climate change and energy policy, adding “the federal government seems unable to address those issues.”

While the city of New York appears to have lost the efficiency war, the Big Apple can still feel good about the fact that some 4,400 of the 13,237 cabs on its streets are hybrids. And if gas prices continue to jump, we’re thinking many of the other 8,000 cabs will follow suit.

[Source: New York Post | Image: Chris Hondros/Getty]

Supreme Court strikes down Bloomberg’s hybrid taxi plan for NYC originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: How not to clean up from the NYC snow storm

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Etc., Videos, Work

Tow truck and loader vs. parked Ford Explorer – Click above to watch the video after the jump

First, we’d like to go on the record as saying that we appreciate the people who keep our streets clean as much as the next guy. But let’s face it: working for a sanitation department doesn’t always require a finely honed intellect. Still, the incident caught in this video footage sinks to new lows.

With storms ravaging New York City and its surrounding areas, one rather large front-end loader somehow managed to get stuck in the snow and had to be pulled out by a tow truck, so city workers got to it. Just one problem: it was on a city street in between parked cars. But as you can see from the video, that didn’t seem to concern the sanitation department personnel on the scene, to the unfortunate destruction of one snow-covered Ford Explorer parked adjacent. Follow the jump to watch the cringe-inducing footage for yourself, just be mindful of the explicit language. Thanks for the tip, Stan!

[Source: YouTube]

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Video: How not to clean up from the NYC snow storm originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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