At the New York auto show the Ford Motor Company will debut a concept for a new taxi cab based on its Transit Connect van. The concept taxi illustrates the extent to which automakers are "thinking outside the box" in their designs for both consumer and commercial vehicles.

Capable of carrying three passengers in seats behind the driver, the Transit Connect Taxi has 75 cubic feet of space for cargo. The vehicle is powered by a 2.0 liter, four cylinder engine with an automatic transmission.

Inside, the taxi has an array of technology for the convenience of the passengers and for their entertainment. This includes a 13-inch touch screen that allows for video playback and has both music channels and the ability to follow the vehicle's route on an interactive map. News, weather, sports, and stock quotes scroll across the screen as well. Of special interest, however, is access to high speed Internet and compatibility with mobile phones that are Bluetooth enabled.

The van, designed and built by Ford of Europe, will be officially launched in the United States during the summer of 2009. Most probably the taxi will be seen first in New York where the Crown Victoria sedan has been the vehicle of choice for cabs for a number of years. The city is the leading purchaser of cabs in the United States followed by Chicago.