Everyone knows that the main automobile role in the film “Taxi” was played by white sedan Peugeot 406, which had a hidden body kit that appeared from under the bodywork at the driver’s command. But besides this car, more than 100 different cars were involved in the film, and only 39% of them were French. Now let's take a look cult movie Luc Besson and let's see what other cars took part in the filming.
American cars
The film was filmed in the second largest city in France - Marseille. Despite the fact that they are not at all common in this country American cars, the first car that is clearly visible in the frame is Jeep Cherokee Manufactured in 1988 (it was brought from Austria for filming).
In total, products of the American automobile industry appeared in the footage of “Taxi” five times. At the end of the film, when the Germans in Mercedes were chasing Daniel, a yellow Corvette could be seen on the wide street. Two classic American Mercury cars The Montclair (1964) and the Cadillac DeVille Convertible (1967) were shown on the TV that police officer Emilien was watching. He got the idea of "tag" from a movie he watched. German Mercedes sensor and monitor them. A few minutes earlier, in the garage where the criminals' cars were being serviced, one could see Chevrolet Blazer 1983 release. 
Japanese cars
Cars from the Land of the Rising Sun are not much more common in Taxi than American ones. In the middle and end of the film you can notice two different Honda Accord(both 1988 release). At the 15th minute, when a man got into Daniel’s car and asked to urgently take him to the airport, a Mazda MX-5 drove along the road. In addition, a Nissan 100NX and two Toyotas took part in the filming ( Land Cruiser and Carina E).
But in the first part “Taxi” were actively used japanese motorcycles and motor scooters. Even the Marseille police went to Honda motorcycles XL 600 V Transalp 1993. The yellow pizza delivery mopeds where the main character of the film originally worked are also made by Honda. Other two-wheelers include several Suzukis and Yamahas. 
Italian cars
Every seventh car used by the filmmakers is Italian. You can often see in the footage Fiat models. Uno, Punto, Panda, Tipo, Croma, Cinquecento took part in the filming. Also seen in the scenes were four Lancias (two Dedra, a Thema and a Y10), one Iveco truck and several Italian motorcycles and scooters (mainly Piaggio and Ducati).
German cars
German cars were used in the filming of Taxi not much less than French ones. Audi 100, 80, 90 appeared in the film. Appeared twice Audi Coupe GT yellow. One tore down the door police car, when Emilien came out of it at the 26th minute of the film. Another Coupe GT (same color but different year) fell off a lift during the shootout in Krueger's garage.
One was broken in the film BMW car(1982 5-Series). In addition, the police also had motorcycles from a Bavarian manufacturer at their disposal. The two employees who drove up to Daniel's farewell party at the beginning of the film were in a BMW K75. 
During the chase, the film's heroes overtook several Ford models(Fiesta, Sierra, Escort). Once a hatchback appeared in the frame Opel Corsa. In "Taxi" they were widely used Volkswagen models: Golf III, old 1200, Passat, Polo, Transporter, etc. 
As many probably remember, the criminals in the film moved on Mercedes cars(which were later repainted). Those were enough expensive versions 500 E in the back of W124. Sedans from 1992 took part in the filming. In addition, during one of the chases, Mercedes C-Class and Sprinter. 
French cars
The key role in the film is played by French cars. Of the 105 cars that were present on the sets, 39 were French-made. Main character In the film, taxi driver Daniel also drove a domestic sedan - a deeply modified Peugeot 406 V6.
Almost all the lineup Citroens were used in the filming (including an old 2CV which was wrecked in the first half of the film). 11 different Renaults starred in Taxi. These are mainly the old 21 Nevada, 25, 5, 19, Trafic and Espace. 
The police mostly drove Peugeot models. A total of 15 people took part in the filming different cars with a lion on the radiator grille. Two Peugeot scooters were also seen in the Taxi. 
Among the interesting examples is the rare Peugeot 106 Rallye, which two guys were going to steal at the 23rd minute of the film. At the end, when the police switched the traffic light where the bomb was supposedly planted to a red light, the criminals' Mercedes hit a “charged” Peugeot 205 GTI. During the shootout at the 26th minute, you can see a classic Peugeot 505 overturning in the background (a 1979 model took part in the filming). 
At the 26th minute, a parked Talbot Matra Murena 1981 is visible against the backdrop of a colorful drift of a red Mercedes. Quite a rare French coupe today. The police truck, disguised as an ice cream van, is also French-made - a 1968 Sovam VSU. Several British and Swedish cars took part in the filming. 
Interesting Facts- Daniel’s joke towards the Germans (“Well, Bavarians, do you drive tractors?”) cost the filmmakers $2 million. That’s how much they sued Mercedes company for insulting the brand. - Formula 1 cameramen were involved in filming dynamic scenes and chases. - At the 52nd minute of the film, the police stop a Mercedes with German license plates and inspect the trunk. The filming of this scene did not take place on the road, but in a pedestrian area near the port, where cars do not drive. - In the film, 38 cars were crashed in front of the audience. There is no exact data on how many cars were damaged during filming. - Motorists in Marseille complain that tourists coming to the city behave very aggressively on the roads and blame the film for this. The local residents themselves (including taxi drivers) rarely break the rules and are very polite on the roads. - In Marseille there are excursions to the filming location of the film “Taxi”. Most of the scenes were filmed near the port. Everyone knows that the main car role in the film “Taxi” was played by a white Peugeot 406 sedan, which had a hidden body kit that appeared from under the body trim at the driver’s command. But besides this car, more than 100 different cars were involved in the film, and only 39% of them were French. Now let's look at the cult film by Luc Besson and see what other cars were involved in the filming.
American cars
The film was filmed in the second largest city in France - Marseille. Despite the fact that American cars are not common in this country, the first car that is clearly visible in the frame is a 1988 Jeep Cherokee (it was delivered from Austria for filming).
In total, products of the American automobile industry appeared in the footage of “Taxi” five times. At the end of the film, when the Germans in Mercedes were chasing Daniel, a yellow Corvette could be seen on the wide street. Two classic American cars, a Mercury Montclair (1964) and a Cadillac DeVille Convertible (1967), were shown on the television that police officer Emilien was watching. From the movie he watched, he got the idea to “tag” German Mercedes with a sensor and monitor them. A few minutes earlier, a 1983 Chevrolet Blazer could be seen in the garage where the criminals' cars were serviced.
Japanese cars
Cars from the Land of the Rising Sun are not much more common in Taxi than American ones. In the middle and end of the film, two different Honda Accords (both 1988) can be seen. At the 15th minute, when a man got into Daniel’s car and asked to urgently take him to the airport, a Mazda MX-5 drove along the road. In addition, a Nissan 100NX and two Toyotas (Land Cruiser and Carina E) took part in the filming.
But in the first part of “Taxi” Japanese motorcycles and scooters were actively used. Even the Marseille police rode 1993 Honda XL 600 V Transalp motorcycles. The yellow pizza delivery mopeds where the main character of the film originally worked are also made by Honda. Other two-wheelers include several Suzukis and Yamahas.
Italian cars
Every seventh car used by the filmmakers is Italian. Fiat models can often be seen in the footage. Uno, Punto, Panda, Tipo, Croma, Cinquecento took part in the filming. Also seen in the scenes were four Lancias (two Dedra, a Thema and a Y10), one Iveco truck and several Italian motorcycles and scooters (mainly Piaggio and Ducati).
German cars
German cars were used in the filming of Taxi not much less than French ones. The Audi 100, 80, 90 appeared in the film. The yellow Audi Coupe GT appeared twice. One blew off the door of a police car when Emilien was getting out of it 26 minutes into the film. Another Coupe GT (same color but different year) fell off a lift during the shootout in Krueger's garage.
In the film, one BMW car (5-Series 1982) was crashed. In addition, the police also had motorcycles from a Bavarian manufacturer at their disposal. The two employees who drove up to Daniel's farewell party at the beginning of the film were in a BMW K75.
During the chase, the film's heroes overtook several Ford models (Fiesta, Sierra, Escort). One day an Opel Corsa hatchback appeared in the frame. Volkswagen models were widely used in “Taxi”: Golf III, old 1200, Passat, Polo, Transporter, etc.
As many probably remember, the criminals in the film drove Mercedes cars (which were later repainted). These were quite expensive versions of the 500 E in the W124 body. Sedans from 1992 took part in the filming. In addition, during one of the chases, a Mercedes C-Class and a Sprinter appeared in the frame.
French cars
French cars play a key role in the film. Of the 105 cars that were present on the sets, 39 were French-made. The main character of the film, taxi driver Daniel, also drove a domestic sedan - a deeply modified Peugeot 406 V6.
Almost all model Citroen series was involved in the filming (including an old 2CV that was destroyed in the first half of the film). 11 different Renaults starred in Taxi. These are mainly the old 21 Nevada, 25, 5, 19, Trafic and Espace.
The police mostly drove Peugeot models. In total, 15 different cars with a lion on the radiator grill took part in the filming. Two Peugeot scooters were also seen in the Taxi.
Interesting Facts
Daniel’s joke towards the Germans (“Well, Bavarians, do you still drive tractors?”) cost the filmmakers $2 million. That’s how much Mercedes was sued for insulting the brand.
Formula 1 cameramen were involved in filming dynamic scenes and chases.
At the 52nd minute of the film, the police stop a Mercedes with German license plates and inspect the trunk. The filming of this scene did not take place on the road, but in a pedestrian area near the port, where cars do not drive.
In the film, 38 cars were crashed in front of the audience. There is no exact data on how many cars were damaged during filming.
Motorists in Marseille complain that tourists coming to the city behave very aggressively on the roads and blame the film for this. The local residents themselves (including taxi drivers) rarely break the rules and are very polite on the roads.
In Marseille, there are tours of the filming location of the film Taxi. Most of the scenes were filmed near the port.
Hello, dear readers of our auto magazine! A new section has opened - Cars in movies. It will be led by us new editor(welcome and clap for everyone!), I think you will find it interesting and informative to learn some details about the “star” cars from your favorite films. The “Cars in Cinema” section opens with the well-worn and beloved film “Taxi”.
The most famous film about the Peugeot 406 was “Taxi” by Luc Besson. It would seem that a standard car model, equipped with a conventional 3.0-liter engine with a power of 207 hp, manual transmission gears and capable of reaching maximum speed at 240 mph, she can’t possibly be the main character of the film. However, after the release of Taxi, it became obvious that this was not an ordinary car.
Peugeot 406 from the movie "Taxi"
The car of Daniel, the main character of the film, as if by magic, turns from regular car to the present racing car, possessing sports characteristics and enormous power. At the press of a treasured button, spoilers, wings, and body kits come out of nowhere. In subsequent films, the Marseille Peugeot evolved more and more - at the press of a button, wings grew, and wheels changed to tracks, and jet engines appeared.
In the third part of “Taxi” the car got caterpillars
The opponents of Daniel and his policeman friend named Emilien were driving around Marseille in a provocative red E36AMG. The engine of this car has a volume of 3.6 liters and develops a power of 276 hp. A gang of Germans used quick-drying paint, which helped them hide from the police.
"Gangster" Mercedes-Benz E36 AMG
"Taxi-2"
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo lution 6 in pursuit of "Taxi"
In this part of the action comedy, criminals use Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution sixth generation. Externally, it differs from the standard Lancer in its bumper, hood, spoiler and extended fenders. Equipped with a more powerful turbocharged engine, a more rigid body and all-wheel drive.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6
The original Lancer Evolution was created specifically for World racing Rally Championship. It was equipped with a turbocharged two-liter “four” and four-wheel drive from Mitsubish Galant VR-4. Lancer engine Evo has 247 horsepower Horse power and can accelerate the car to 228 km/h.
"Stock" Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6
Evolution VI received new body, in particular, changes affected the front bumper: the large “fog lights” became smaller, and, to improve aerodynamic characteristics, were moved to the corners.
"Taxi-4"
Successor to the 406 - Peugeot 407
Starred in previous films Peugeot car 406 retired. So the continuation of the popular movie featured its successor, the Peugeot 407. This car, in the guise of an extreme taxi, turned out to be much more aggressive. The car has extended wheel arches, stylish air intakes in the front wings and spectacular aerodynamic body kit body
Externally, the car has become more sleek, but this only helps it to be easily recognizable and well remembered. There is a rather large emblem on the hood, the “powerful” radiator grille inspires aggression, and the headlight units extend far onto the hood. Thanks to these details, the 407 became a beautiful and expressive car, recognizable from afar.
Peugeot 407 from the movie "Taxi 4"
Peugeot 407 in sedan and coupe bodies received the highest safety score - 5 stars (EuroNCAP). The 407th model was produced until 2011, after which it was replaced new model- Peugeot 508.
I suggest you watch one of the classic “catch-up” games from the movie “Taxi”
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GRODNO, June 9 —Sputnik, Valeria Solovyova. For almost a week he has been driving through the streets of Vaukavysk exact copy the most famous taxi in the world - the white Peugeot 406 from the film by Luc Besson. The tuning was done by an ordinary taxi driver, and now he is going to carry his passengers in it.
Inspired by a YouTube video
The car is an almost exact copy of a Marseille taxi. Everything about it is like in a movie. Front bumper, air intakes on the roof, a spoiler, even a sticker with the inscription Taxis de Marseille.
The owner of the car is a resident of Volkovysk, Igor Syrovatko, who is engaged in private transportation.
The idea to make the same car was prompted by one video where they showed that Luc Besson’s taxi was seen on the Minsk ring road.
“In fact, the similarity turned out to be small. Yes, it was a white Peugeot 406, but the shapes and elements of the body kit turned out to be completely different from the original. But if you look from afar, it seemed like it was a car from the movie “Taxi,” said the creator of the replica of the famous car.
That day the guy saw how people admired this model in this body kit. Therefore, I decided that I would make the most accurate copy possible.
Spent $3200
The idea appeared at the end of October last year. The very next day he began looking for a car of the desired model on the Internet. I was interested in the Peugeot 406, specifically with a gasoline engine, in white color, so as not to repaint the entire car.
“I took the car from a young guy from Slonim. It was in a little tired condition. I had to tint and fake some elements of the body,” added Syrovatko.
“I spent 2.5 thousand dollars on the car, about 650 dollars on tuning materials. All the work was done together with my brother in the evenings in an ordinary garage,” said the agency’s interlocutor.
© Sputnik Maxim Zakharov
The guy admitted that he was ready to buy a ready-made bumper for a thousand dollars, but a body kit of this shape was not found in Belarus. And making it custom would be too expensive. So we decided to do everything ourselves. This took approximately four months.
© Sputnik Maxim Zakharov
They didn’t tell anyone about their project. Only my closest friends knew. We came to the garage and saw the masterpieces that the guys were making. Everything remained secret until the first departure.
Surprised the city
“I went to the city center, where there were a lot of people. Honestly, people were pleasantly surprised, they came up to take pictures, took business cards, and thanked me for giving such a car to our city,” said the owner of the unusual taxi.
© Sputnik Maxim Zakharov
The long-term production of all the elements tired the guy a little. He decided to leave, despite minor deficiencies. “It was necessary to get positive emotions in order to recharge, gain strength and finish this project. Working in a taxi takes up almost all the time. We did tuning at night,” added Syrovatko.
© Sputnik Maxim Zakharov
Marseille taxi will carry passengers
The guy says what to sell unique car not going to. Moreover, the car will not gather dust in the garage to be used occasionally as a show car.
For pleasure trips or when going to an exhibition, he will remove all the details that were not in the picture. Syrovatko’s immediate plans include making it in his Peugeot leather interior, like in a movie. And when it goes to the auto show, replace the regular number with the same one that was in the French original.
In Russia, the Peugeot 406 began to rapidly gain popularity in the late 90s, when it began official sales. "Peugeot 406" has become one of the most popular primarily because favorable price. But they chose the “French woman” not only out of calculation, but also out of love - for its stylish, fast-paced design, spacious salon, silence and excellent handling. Today dealers are selling off the last copies, but this model will be in demand for many years to come. secondary market. A four- to five-year-old Peugeot 406 costs 10–12 thousand dollars in Moscow.
HISTORY OF CHANGES PEUGEOT 406:
1995 Debut of the Peugeot 406 sedan. Engines – four-cylinder in-line, petrol, XU series: 8-valve 1.6 l, 65 kW/88 l. With.; 16-valve 1.8 l, 66 kW/90 l. With. (for Russia 70 kW/97 hp), 81 kW/110 hp. With. and 2.0 l, 97 kW/132 l. With. (for Russia 90 kW/125 hp); diesel turbocharged XUD series: 1.9 l, 66 kW/90 l. With. and 2.1 l, 80 kW/110 l. With. Gearboxes – M5, front-wheel drive.
1996 Premiere of station wagon and coupe. Automatic transmission transmission Gasoline engines: P4 turbocharged 2.0 l, 108 kW/150 l. With. and V6 ES series 2.9 l, 140 kW/194 l. With.
1998 Turbodiesel with direct injection DW series: 2.0 l, 80 kW/109 l. With.; Gas engine EW series: 2.0 l, 99 kW/135 l. With.
1999 Restyling: bumpers, radiator grille, headlights have changed, a horizontal stripe has appeared in the center rear lights, 15-inch wheels on all vehicles. The list has expanded additional equipment. Modification of the V6 engine 2.9 l, 152 kW/207 l. With.
year 2000. New EW series engines: 1.8 l, 85 kW/116 l. With. and 2.2 l, 116 kW/158 hp.
year 2001. EW engine with direct injection 2.0 l, 103 kW/140 l. With. (not supplied to Russia), turbodiesel DW 2.2 l, 98 kW/133 l. With.
2003 Changed appearance: chrome trims and inserts on the moldings appeared. The list of standard equipment has expanded (folding mirrors, pillows, etc.).
Over the course of nine years, the “fawn” acquired a whole range of engines. The market of third countries (the French include Russia among them) has made its contribution to their diversity: since 1997, “four hundred and sixth”, designed for “92” gasoline, including leaded, have been supplied here. The engine model is easy to determine - it is indicated in VIN positions six to eight. If the middle character of the three-digit code is F, this is a motor for Western Europe, if 6 – for Russia. Resistance to leaded fuel is no longer important, but the absence of a lambda probe and converter on the eight-valve 1.8 l (L6A) is a trump card, especially for Russian outback: how simpler car, all the better.
The most controversial choice is the 1.6 liter engine, inherited from the 405 model. Although he is capable of overclocking heavy car up to 175 km/h, overtaking will have to be done at the pace of the Zhiguli. The engine is not very attractive in terms of economy - fuel consumption is only 0.3–0.4 liters less than 1.8 liters. In addition, the latter can be found under “92” gasoline, and the 1.6 liter was produced only in the European version. Optimal choice– 1.8 or 2.0 l. The first will please you with its efficiency, the second with its dynamics. The relatively new 2.2 liter proved itself very well, but it was installed only with a manual transmission. Adherents of the “automatic” are better off choosing an engine from two liters and above, but the most powerful - a three-liter V6 also implies expensive equipment, and hefty gasoline costs - in the city he drinks 16 liters per hundred. “Sixes” after 1999 are a little more economical and noticeably more powerful, but there are relatively few of them in Russia.
ADVANTAGES OF THE CAR:
One of the highlights of the Peugeot 406 is the steering rear suspension. For the first two years, the lower wishbones ended in ball joints, which mechanics nicknamed “acorns.” After a year or two, the “acorns” began to knock - play appeared in the hinges. Since 1997, they were replaced by more durable silent blocks. As a rule, after 50–80 thousand km you have to deal with the “adjusting” (responsible for toe-in) rod and anti-roll bar struts.
The stabilizer struts of the front suspension also underwent changes: since 1997, instead of the short-lived L-shaped ones, in which the “straight” hinge worked to break away, Z-shaped ones began to be installed. In Russia they are enough for 50–60 thousand km. Ball joints here they are unified with the heavier models 605 and 607 and operate over 100 thousand km.
Peugeot produces its own shock absorbers - reliable, durable and, moreover, not too expensive for the original. Before restyling they were oil-filled, after - with gas pressure. Both will last more than 100 thousand km. And here support bearing the rack rusts and wears out from moisture and dirt getting into it. Knocking, play and noticeable rolling of balls appear after four to five years of operation.
Before restyling on rear axle"Peugeot 406" with 1.6 and 1.8 liter engines stood drum brakes, which were enough for 150 thousand km. Disc ones, naturally, are more sensitive to dirt and salt, but with intact anthers, the guides rarely turn sour.
For the first four years, cars rolled off the assembly line with a French power steering with a separate hydraulic cylinder, then they were replaced by a ZF product. The “French” sometimes suffered from a leak from the distributor (spool) and a knocking sound in the gearing, but it was repairable and omnivorous: it even digested “roadside” ATF. In case of problems, the ZF amplifier is replaced as an assembly, but usually neither one nor the other unit causes any trouble.
We have already described the main operations for servicing and repairing suspension and brakes (ZR, 2002, No. 12, p. 184). Just don’t spare money on a branded wheel alignment: after all, all four wheels are adjusted here using special technology.
ALSO about the FILM "Taxi" which gave PEUGEOT 406 popularity all over the world
The French film Taxi was truly a breakthrough. This film grossed $200 million worldwide, which is extremely rare for films in this country. The film spawned a bunch of sequels and remakes. And of course, the heroes of the film “Taxi” were remembered by everyone.
First of all, it is itself taxi Peugeot 406. The car became incredibly popular after its appearance in cinema. Presentable White color, French elegance, and also the ability to change.
Peugeot from the movie "Taxi" was transformed into a sports car and increased its speed even faster regular cars and helped the police punish criminals. Ideal transport, what can you say.
It is noteworthy that in the first film one car was shot, and in the sequels a slightly different model. The fact is that Peugeot model 406 was released in 1995, and was restyled in 2000. The film wedged itself into this gap.
TAXI 2: TRAILER
TAXI 3: TRAILER
