Taxi '07 at the Auto Show

Car makers are flocking to the city with the New York International Auto Show opening this weekend (media previews start tomorrow) at the Javits Convention Center, and there's one particularly NYC-focused exhibit: Taxi '07.

In honor of the taxi's 100th birthday, the Design Trust for Public Space has corralled many taxis "transformed" for the future to be displayed outdoors in an inner roadway at the Javits Center. There's “The World’s Fastest Taxi" (a hydrogen-powered Crown Vic that can go up to 200 mph), the “All Electric Taxi” (a PT Cruiser), and the "CNG-Fueled Taxi.”

The Taxi '07 exhibit opens on Friday, which is also the start of Taxi Week - the Empire State Building goes yellow while the IFC Center is showing taxi movies (Taxi Driver, Mona Lisa, Night on Earth, to name a few) during April weekends. The Daily News toured one of the taxis - a Kia Rondo with a "swiveling front passenger seat for easier handicapped access" and a built-in baby seat. However, drivers tell the News that the Rondo seemed to lack enough legroom for real passengers. [Related: Some tech features the Taxi & Limousine Commission wants to introduce in the future.]

Tickets for the Auto Show are $14 for adults and $4 for children. AMNY has a section on the Auto Show, as does the NY Times.