One of the last TX4 taxi black cabs to be made in Coventry has been transformed into a mobile “art car” by Popbangcolour’s Ian Cook. The ‘Two Tone’ Taxi, a reference to the music scene that originated in the city, is the 10th ‘Art Car’ Cook has created, who paints using radio-controlled cars, tyres and wheels.
Revealed as part of Coventry’s bid to be UK City of Culture in 2021, the LTI taxi celebrates icons, locations and stories from the city selected by residents as a community project run by BBC Coventry and Warwickshire radio. Highlights include Coventry City’s FA Cup win, the Jaguar E-Type, “Peeping Tom” who famously spied on Lady Godiva and a “batch”, the local term for a bread roll.
The TX4 Taxi used is one of the last of the derivative to be built at the Coventry factory before it switches to producing an all-new electric version at a new facility on the outskirts of the city. Over 130,000 taxis were produced at the original Coventry site over the past 60 years.
“I’ve recently moved to Coventry and have set up my studio in a former car radiator factory,” says Cook. “It’s a city with a rich history and has been responsible for so many influences in all our lives. From phrases such as ‘Sent to Coventry’ or ‘Peeping Tom’ through to cultural and design icons, it has created a bigger impact than many realise. This taxi, another icon produced in the city, is a great way to celebrate that.”
