Manganese Bronze is one of my favourite company names because it is not only odd but gives no indication of what the company does, which is to make and service London taxi cabs.

I hope that it never succumbs to the temptation to rename itself something more relevant to its actual business. That would be like Shell, another of my favourite corporate names, giving itself a name related to oil.

Manganese Bronze comes from from the fact that it used to make engineering components including manganese bronze bearings.

Anyway, the FT records this morning that Manganese Bronze, which has a joint venture with Geely of China to make cabs, is planning to diversify by selling 500 of the vehicles around the world.

Being British in the city of yellow taxis, I have some nostalgia for black cabs, although a London taxi ride always seems fearsomely expensive when I return there, bearing my weak dollar. I would like to see them in other places.

Only yesterday, I was reminded of the homeliness of London cabs by Very Short List, the daily email recommendation, which forwarded a link of various bands, including the very fine Raveonettes, busking in the back of cabs.

But this is probably a metonym. I am really nostalgic not for the cabs themselves but the way they are driven. A London cabbie is an expensive luxury but he or she drives well and knows the route. A New York cab ride is cheap but can be a nauseating (literally) experience.

April 17th, 2008 in Autos | Permalink