When I worked in London 20 some odd years ago, there was basically one kind of taxi - the black cab.

Unique and distinctive in its look, it had those funny backwards doors ("suicide doors"), room for 4 in the back and heaps of space for luggage in the front, next to the driver.  Some had little advertising billboards on them, but for the most part, they were plain and black.  And they were a classic icon of London.

That was then...this is now.

In addition to traditional black, you name it, they've got it - from bright colors [colours] to full color ads.  Below is a small sample of what came by in the couple of hours we hung out at Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard.