No #FakeTaxi Vibes In This Tuned London Cab By Kahn Design!

As far as taxis of the world go, it’s safe to say that the ‘London Black Cab’ stands as a recognisable icon of British culture and heritage. The modern day iteration of which, produced by Geely-owned London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), knows this well enough, thus explaining why its TX5 ‘Farelady’ (also known as the LEVC TX) still embodies the unmistakable design of its predecessors.

Though this iconic design has lasted for nearly a century, British tuning house Kahn Design has shown that the famed London Black Cab can be made even better. What you see here is a specially built TX5 Kahn VIP special edition that the firm showed off this week following its collaboration with the LEVC. Surely, rides in this cab won’t be cheap indeed.

That’s because Kahn Design have given the TX5’s cabin a complete rework, turning it into an ultra-luxurious space akin to what you’d normally see in luxury saloons made by the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Much of this stems from the rich use of classy hand-stitched and soft-touch leather upholstery, as well as wood veneer trims present in the door cards.

The luxury redux also sees the base TX5’s rear three-seat bench swapped out for a more luxurious two-seat layout, whilst the rear-facing drop-down second-row bench is retained but given a luxurious twist too. Other novel features present include classy LED ambient lighting and ‘starlight’ roofline illumination, the addition of multiple USB charge ports plus what appears to be a wireless charging pad.

As for the exterior, Kahn Design have also endowed the TX5 Kahn VIP with a sportier stance thanks to the switch to 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels, a new and distinct front grille finished in black, plus a rather subtle aerokit too comprised of front and rear lips with matching side skirts. All this are also presented with a subtle two-tone green-black paintjob, whilst the ‘Taxi’ signage has been replaced with a ‘VIP’ one too.

No details about the performance ‘upgrades’ Kahn Design endowed in the TX5 Kahn VIP, but we reckon that’s probably for the best given that the base car’s already renowned for its comfortable ride with respectable pep to match. Of course, this luxurious makeover doesn’t come cheap, with credible sources online reporting the cost of which to start from £99,000 (approx. RM 534,484) onwards.

Well, did you expect anything less from a tuning house founded by a man once described by Autocar UK as “the king of car customisation”? Simply put, you won’t be getting any #FakeTaxi vibes if you hail this cab for a ride. Just make sure you’ve got enough to cover the fare…