2003 FORD CROWN VICTORIA 'NYC TAXI'

Are you looking to stand out on the road? Then look no further than this 2003 Ford Crown Victoria that’s been converted to recreate the iconic New York taxi. A sure-fire head-turner, this ‘Crown Vic’ is equipped with a 4.6-litre SOHC V8 engine that starts and runs smoothly, powered through a four-speed automatic transmission. Showing just 115,000 miles from new, it is registered in the UK on an appropriate ‘NYC’ plate, and is described by the vendor as “a very clean example that drives extremely well”.

The current owner is Star Car Hire, a specialist in sourcing and supplying unique cars for special events. With a conversion like this in mind, they had a friend in the United States source the Crown Victoria — originally a US Police Interceptor — and imported it to Northern Ireland two years ago.

Given its first use as an Interceptor, it has an uprated engine so that it can operate at high rpm for an extended period of time, as well as ‘severe duty’ shock absorbers, a stainless steel dual exhaust system and modified rear anti-roll bars.

The mechanicals are unmolested, and this remains a left-hand drive example. The conversion from police livery to the famous New York City yellow taxi look involved a full respray in ‘School Bus Yellow’, the application of new decals, and fitting of an illuminated taxi sign on the roof.

The interior trim is original and is described as being in pristine condition. Its grey cloth upholstery, the door cards and dashboard are all in superb order for its age, with a minor tear in the driver’s seat being the only note.

The car was fully serviced just six months ago and its most recent MOT in Northern Ireland was in April 2019 at 114,819 miles, which resulted in a clean pass with no warnings or advisories. The chassis and suspension are still in great condition, and the black-painted steel Ford wheels and chrome hubcaps look good, with plenty of tread on all four tyres.

This 2003 Ford Crown Victoria is truly a unique car, and Star Car Hire has capitalised on this by hiring it out for weddings and even a recent production for Boost Energy drinks to promote its ‘Win a trip to New York’ advertising campaign. It has brought in up to £450 per day for these activities - making it an attractive proposition should the next owner wish to continue operating it for hire. For those looking for a taste of the Big Apple in the UK, this ‘Crown Vic’ NYC yellow cab is just the ticket.