Shanghai may have finally found the right kind of taxis to serve the city’s nouveau riche, (un)affectionately referred to as “Tuhao“. The fleet of 50 taxis are driven by chauffeurs adorned with crisp white shirts, black suits, and white gloves. And in case the photo isn’t clear, all of the taxis are painted gold.
Launched by the Geely Holding Group, the new TX4 Taxis as they are called, come with air purifiers, indispensable on those particularly smoggy days, and also offer WiFi, reports Chinaso.com.
Despite the tacky aesthetic and tailored features, Geely claims the taxis are primarily designed for senior citizens and the disabled. However, with a starting rate of RMB19, five bucks more expensive than the normal rate, few are buying into the idea that Geely are simply looking to help those with limited mobility.
One Weibo user 请叫我黑人刘 wrote, “special groups are always the ones that are less financially fortunate. If this is really for them, why are they charging more?”
Another called Howis said, “if this is targeted at high earners, do they really need to take a taxi? And if it targets low earners and those with limited mobility, why is the taxi golden?”
But perhaps, there is a middle ground. Weibo user, 爱上金鱼的大象, wrote, “this is really designed for crass rich people with disabilities.”
Photos: Xinhua; Chinaso.com