taxi

[Des]

A nice looking W116 taxi, I bet there is still some of these kicking around in the middle east or in some dusty town in Africa.

 

[s class]

.....with what looks like 15" bundts.

 

[Michel]

A nice looking W116 taxi, I bet there is still some of these kicking around in the middle east or in some dusty town in Africa.

Nice find Des.

Throughout my travels and from memory the S-Class was never used as a taxi in the Middle East.

I recall clearly from childhood that Pontons of the 4cyl variety were the ones and then that turned into 'newer' genrations of 4cyl and very small sixes into the late 70s.

The cabs of choice (if size and interior room was an issue) in the 60s and 70s were the American vehicles: Chevrolet, Plymouth and Ford (full size).

Eventually Japanese cars such as Camrys (the Taxi of choice in the Gulf region) took over.

 

[BenzBoy]

Des wrote - "A nice looking W116 taxi, I bet there is still some of these kicking around in the middle east or in some dusty town in Africa."
Your trusty correspondent here in the Gulf is checking it out for you Des but I think you might be disapponted. A whilrwind tour of Abu Dabai last night revealed lots of Toyota taxis and here in Muscat it looks the same....however, the sun is just rising over the mountains and the mosque that dominate the view from my window so let me don my kahkis/pith helmet and set forth in the quest for a W116 taxi...
Oh, it was reasuuring to note that the motors on the Airbus that flew your correspondent here had a solid R-R stamped on the cowling. Miss Olga would have felt quite comfortable knowing that the Empire stretches thus far.
Regards,
BenzBoy

 

[116Benz]

Des, that looks like someone has gone to the trouble of dressing that car up as a show car or a display car,

Should I post the pics of the 280S from Rheingold?

 

[BenzBoy]

Rheingold? Are into Wagner Steve?
Actually, Bahrain abounds in well-worn 108s, 116s and 126s. Last year I saw them stranded (or seemingky so) outside so many houses and parked in work parking areas. But, then, I aslo travelled in a Nissan Cedric as a Taxi....
Regards,
BenzBoy

 

[Des]

I have a few more pictures

Maybach taxi, looks like the middle east from the buildings



W126 taxi





note the manual cog swapper

 

[Des]

the famous greek taxi that has traveled over 4.6 million k's

 

[Des]

Mixture of W114/5's and W123's

 

[116Benz]

Rheingold? Are into Wagner Steve?
Actually, Bahrain abounds in well-worn 108s, 116s and 126s. Last year I saw them stranded (or seemingky so) outside so many houses and parked in work parking areas. But, then, I aslo travelled in a Nissan Cedric as a Taxi....
Regards,
BenzBoy

LOL Funny you say that, from time to time yes. and Die Götterdämmerung However, the other Rheingold was the train that ran in Germany courtesy of DB (Deutches Bundesbahn) the movie was based on love, betrayal, a woman with a thing for doing things on trains that didnt involve a mini-bar and scorned lover chasing them in a 280S taxi.

 

[Michel]

Nice to see Benz Boy is keeping up with us all the way from the Arabian shores.....

 

[BenzBoy]

Well actually Michel, it's been a hard day drinking and eating at The Lazy Lizard while just slipping into the water every few minutes to cool off....
You know I believe suffering is good for the soul? Well, indulgence is even better ...Oman certainly does food well!!
Regards,
BenzBoy

 

[Michel]

So glad you're suffering in that manner Benz Boy...

Hope you have a wonderful holiday...

 

[BenzBoy]

Michel says - So glad you're suffering in that manner Benz Boy...

Hope you have a wonderful holiday..."
Well part of this process here is to decide to I want to hock my bod for a Derby.... to the bod but to the Derby.
Regards,
BenzBoy

 

[Styria]

There is not a great deal that I can add to this taxi debate and BenzBoy's suffering, except to express my condolences to him for 'doing it hard' and to Des for the pics.

I was also greatly interested in seeing a Maybach being being thrust into service as a Taxi. I have to ask myself what the flag fall would be if they have such a thing over in the Middle East. My "Gleaming Beauty' had its humble beginnings in Kenya, presumably as a Hire Car or Taxi as its original colour was 'Elfenbein' or, in simpler terms, Taxi white.

I was never able to obtain any history on her despite spending a fortune in phone calls to Kenya at a time when Telecom (as Telstra was then known) had a monopoly on the telephone services and the charges levied thereon. Regards Styria

 

[s class]

That 4.6 million kilometer car genuinely looks like it has covered that distance.

 

[BenzBoy]

From your intrepid reporter in the fields......
Well Des et al, I can tell you now that the favoured car of status here in Oman is an E Class or a very well-kept 126!!!!!In fact, the 126 seems to have a real value here - gleaming and parked outside important establishments such as the Ministry For Defence!! By accident tonight we drove back to the hotel via a graving yard - about 20 126s all lined up in a row. No 116 though. Maybe they are in the Muscat Museum?
Regards,
BenzBoy

 

[116Benz]

Now that IS interesting, 126 or a new E? I would have picked the new 221 S Class or the just gone 220. Maybe they are onto something, the 126 was last of the old school Benzes, very interesting. Miss Olga didnt make the journey with you did she? I'm guessing no.

 

[Michel]

Amazing to see the gap between 126s andnew E-Class...

I guess you will soon be reporting from Easter Europe Benz Boy?

 

[BenzBoy]

Gentlemen, Miss Olga did not make the journey; preferring as she did, to take a short break by the sea at Huskisson. There are more 126s here than I have seen in a lifetime in Australia. And all the cars are clean. I understand that cars must be washed regularly and that it is an offence to drive a dirty car. Off to Nizwa today to check on the state of the camels and the date farms.
Regards,
BenzBoy