Ford To Provide Taxi Of Tomorrow For Limited Time

Ford had pushed hard to get its Transit Connect, which is growing in popularity as a utility vehicle for plumbers and flower deliverers, named as New York City's Taxi of Tomorrow -- and lost. Now the model will get a second chance, albeit briefly.

The Transit Connect, Ford Taurus, Nissan Altima, and Chevrolet Impala have all been added to the list by the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission for use by taxi operators. But they can only be bought until Nissan starts producing its NV200 van Taxi of Tomorrow. Nissan won the competition, but won't start making the vans until October 2013.

Ford is about to lose its lock on the taxi industry with the phaseout this year of the venerable Crown Victoria sedan, long the mainstay vehicle for New York's taxi fleet. The Transit Connect is an entirely new type of vehicle for the U.S. -- sporting the space of a truck but the driving characteristics of a car.

"For decades, Ford has been synonymous with New York City taxis, and we are pleased residents and tourists now will benefit from our next-generation vehicle," said Mark Fields, Ford President of The Americas.

Though they can stay in the taxi fleets for years, taxi operators will only be able to buy Transit Connects until the Nissan van hits the streets.