Lately I've been looking into the taxi cabs of Taipei, Taiwan. I'm
really starting to get into it now, I don't know why I'm so
intersted in this city's cabs paticularly, I just am. It's probably
because I like the color scheme so much. Taipei taxis are painted
yellow, which is nice. But even better some of them have
grey-colored bumpers, just like NYC used to have I think
it is also because I like the models that are used as taxis, which
gets me to the main point of this topic.

I was wondering if anyone could provide me with more
information, photos, or links about Taipei taxis. I am mainly
interested in the models of car used, and I'm trying to compile a
list of all the cars used as taxis, as there are some interesting
ones. My main source of info so far is jsut looking at pictures on
flickr, but I was wondering if anybody else had anything more
concrete? If anyone has ever been to Taipei, I would like to hear
about the taxis you saw there, or if you're planning on going
definitely take some pictures of taxis for me

Some of the models I've seen as taxis are known to me, but some
are not.
Many taxis are Toyota Corollas, and there are quite a few
Mitsubishi Lancers also (or whatever model name it is called
there) Another common one is Mazda Protege (although it is
badged as a Ford, I have yet to know the model name?) The
Toyota Camry is a common one too.
I've also seen a car that looks like a final generation Toyota
Tercel, and I checked wikipedia and appearantly it's called
Toyota "Soluna"? And there are some Nissan Maximas, I guess
they're called Nissan "Cefiro" there? But the one that perplexes
me the most is a car called Toyota "Corona". I know a Corona
was sold in the US before 1983, but I didn't know that they even
still made them after that.

Some other taxis I've seen are Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa,
Hyundai Sonata, Honda Accord, Mazda 6 and 626, and Honda Civic

Some pictures from flickr, please identify unknown cars if you know them:

I think the two identical taxis are Mazda 626? And a Toyota Tercal on the right?




A Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, and I guess Toyota Corona on the left?




Nissan Versa




Mitsubishi Lancer and Toyota Camry




I don't know what car this is. I think it's an Infinti/Nissan but I don't know what model




This is the Mazda badged as a Ford. Don't know the model name...




Toyota Camry




Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic




Toyota Corona




Not at all sure what this is. Any ideas?




Not sure what these two are either...




A Mazda 6 I guess?




Toyota Camry and some sort of minivan in the back




This one bothers me. I just can't figure it out, what is the car to the right of the man?




This one bothers me even more. What is the car in front? It strongly resembles a 1988-92 Corolla, but I don't know...




Ignore the Toyota in this one. The car on the right, the one where just the back door and trunk are visible, it shares its body with the 1991-96 US-spec Ford Escort. This gen of Escort was based on a Mazda Protege, but I don't know if this paticular car would be badged as a Mazda or a Ford?





Anyway if anyone has anymore info about this topic please do share it

The 5th picture is possibly a Nissan Fuga. That was the concept's name at lease. I also think that those Mazda 626s have been rebadged as Fords.

Yes, you are right. The Mazdas have the Ford logos on the grill, didn't see that

And yes, the Fuga. It is the car that replaced the Cedric a few years ago? Sold here as an Infiniti (Q45 maybe?)

That's a nice selection of pictures. Having been to Taipei myself, I can help you with a few identifications:



The two identical taxis are Ford Telstar GXs, which are based on the same platform as the 626 with a few exterior changes. Note that most Mazdas, with the exception of the most recent generations, were sold as Fords in Taiwan.





Toyota Camry (rather common), Honda Civic (somewhat rare, I never saw more than a dozen during a month there) and a Nissan Sentra on the left (a rebadged Nissan Bluebird Slyphy)





Nissan Teana, which was also called the Nissan Cefiro in certain markets



Ford Tierra, a rebadged version of the Mazda Protege. The Mazda Protege5 was also sold in Taiwan as the Ford Activa or the Mazda Isamu.




Toyota Corona Premio




This was the Corona Premio's predecessor, the Toyota Corona Excelsior (I believe this was called the Carina E in Europe)




Those two are both Nissan Sentras



An old Toyota Corona, one of the most common decade or older cars in Taiwan. This should be of the T170 generation (1987-92)



That appears to be a 1988-92 Corolla, not a very common sight as a taxi.



This would be badged as a Ford Laser (Fords are a very common car in Taiwan, since all models, including the Mondeo, Escape and others are manufactured locally)

Thanks a million badlymad!
You are so lucky to have been there, such a wide variety of beautifully painted taxis . You have made a mistake in identifying one car though. The one you say is a 88-92 Corolla, is actually an 1987-92 Corona:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Corona_T170.JPG

But yes from the front it bears a huge resemblance to the 88-92 Corolla, I noticed that too

Also, how old were the oldest taxis when you were there? I noticed in some of these pictures that early-90s cars were still being used in pictures that were taken in 2005 or 2006...

The oldest taxis I saw were some late 1980s Ford Lasers, although the vast majority of taxis were from about the last seven or eight years.

The most common taxis, from my memory:

Toyota Corolla Altis
Mitsubishi Lancer (locally built, they have a different trunk design)
Nissan Sentra (locally built by Yulon)
Nissan Teana
Toyota Camry
Toyota Corona Premio
Ford Tierra

These Taiwanese Fords are made by Ford Lio Ho, which is 70 per cent owned by Ford. They used to make a variant of the Mondeo called the Metrostar, blinged up as a luxury car with extra chrome, but I just checked the website and the new model is called the Mondeo.

Also, if you are interested in what type of cars are found in Taiwan, this guy has a lot of photos:
http://www.cardatabase.net/search/search.php?photographer=FlyingName

The Buick Regal taxi is something I haven't seen before.

Wow! That is STRANGE! We don't even have those as taxis here in America, let alone Taiwan!