Think of Hong Kong, and you’re likely to conjure up images of skyscrapers rising out of the city’s verdant hilly terrain, junk boats gliding across Victoria Harbour, and cabs zipping around the buzzing metropolis. In fact, of the more than 18,000 taxis in Hong Kong, 15,250 of them are the vibrant red cabs that take passengers around Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. So when a trio of Hongkongers wanted a piece of the 852 in their new home in Auckland, they decided to bring one of those iconic Hong Kong urban taxis to New Zealand’s biggest city.
Inspiration for the project came from “a deep nostalgia for Hong Kong”, says Michael Choi, who, along with his friends Peter Saengdee and Bobby Chan, started looking out for the right car to remodel. Speaking to The HK HUB, Michael says the process was quite involved. “We started by sourcing a suitable vehicle — a Toyota Crown Comfort, the model used for taxis in Hong Kong — as well as the accessories like the roof light, the meter, stickers, and the seat cover,” says Michael, adding that his father, who works in the auto industry in Hong Kong, also helped them source parts from here.
Once they had everything they needed, the trio moved on to the next phase. “We then worked with a local garage in Auckland to modify the car to match the authentic look — from the paint job to the external details. In total, the project cost us around NZD 15,000 (about HK$70,474), including the car, modifications, and registration,” explains Michael. Would they consider cramming the dashboard with mobile phones to complete the look? “We aren’t running an actual taxi business, and don’t have so many phones to put on the dashboard,” he laughs.
In fact, ever since they got the cab ready in May 2023, Peter has been using it as his regular car — and because he’s in sales, he’s always commuting around Auckland. “The taxi has become a regular sight on the roads, and Peter loves the attention it gets! Sometimes, we all hang out together with the taxi and take photos and videos, which are the posts you see on our Instagram. It’s a fun way to share our adventures with everyone,” says Michael, adding that they get lots of DMs from people who love seeing a piece of Hong Kong in New Zealand.
When asked how they plan to use the taxi, Michael says, “We want to keep it as a symbol of our connection to Hong Kong and use it for special events and cultural festivals, or you can say, just for fun. Our Instagram followers often suggest getting a ride with the taxi, and some photographers have even proposed collaborations for photo shoots. We’re also planning a road trip from Auckland down to the South Island with the taxi, but we’re still saving up for the cost of the trip. It’s a big adventure we’re really looking forward to!”
Image credits: @hktaxi.nz via Instagram
