New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission chairman David Yassky, who is overseeing the search for a new design, says the city hopes to replace the current fleet standard, the gas-guzzling Ford Crown Victory.
"It's done great work," he says. "But it's time for a new car. The Ford Crown Victoria gets 12 miles to a gallon. It's not the most comfortable ride in the back, and while it's a design that everyone associates with the New York City cab, it's time to freshen it up."
The finalists in the competition to design the next generation of yellow cabs include car manufacturers Nissan, Ford and Karsan of Turkey. The results will be announced in mid-January.
'No choice'
The competing designs are all roomier and more fuel-efficient than the current yellow taxis, which number about 13,000, and they all bear more than a passing resemblance to the most modern black cabs in London.
City officials are thinking of giving one manufacturer the contract to build all of New York's cabs - a change from the current situation where 16 different models of taxi are made by nine different manufacturers, although the majority are Ford's Crown Victoria.
The competing designs - including this Nissan - are all roomier and more fuel efficient than current cabs The potential move to one manufacturer is not popular with veteran taxi driver John Caines, who is devoted to his Crown Victoria.
"It's as New York as Broadway, as Manhattan as Times Square," he says. "It's my office, my production facility, my way of earning income."
Every morning, he gets up, washes his cab, and heads out to see what the day brings. Mr Caines does not want to part company with his current vehicle, and dislikes the idea of one manufacturer making all of the city's taxis.
"What about choice?" he asks. "Where's my freedom to choose? And what if that one manufacturer can't get you the parts when you need them? It's risky."
He also worries about how much the new cab might cost.
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