The MV-1 Is Back In Business
It’s not the flashiest or most handsome vehicle out there. In fact, it’s probably the only car on the market that makes the old Honda Element look good. But for the disabled, the VPG MV-1 is very attractive indeed, because it, alone in the industry, allows a wheelchair user to ride in the “front seat” next to the driver.
As more municipalities consider following New York’s lead and mandating handicap accessibility in a certain percentage of taxi fleets, AM General is poised to take pretty much all of that market. And at between fifty and sixty thousand dollars for a vehicle with relatively prosaic specifications, it should be profitable; it just hasn’t been so far.
The MV-1 has been a dream come true for some buyers. One buyer, a man who has had cerebral palsy since birth, was a guest at the official restart of production. He talked about how the MV-1 has changed his life by letting him sit next to his wife for the first time. No, it’s not a Aventador, but the MV-1 is clearly a dream car.
More by Jack Baruth
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The basic shape is needed for the function of the vehicle, but couldn't the maker have designed in some details that don't look totally cheap? Body color trim and mirrors, lights (all around) that don't look like Pep Boys parts, a nicer grille, and decent wheels and tires would all help.
I see a ton of these in Baltimore - the Maryland MVA has a bunch for their "Mobility" program, and some taxi drivers and private handicapped transport places have them. The first time I saw one, I had no idea what it was - it looked like the offspring of a Scion xB and a london cab.
Jack, are you running surveillance on me? Not having ever heard of or seen one of these before, literally yesterday I saw one on the far side of a divided road and wondered "wtf is THAT" out loud. And I log in today and lo, here is my answer...
I'm all for the MV-1 and was kind of sad when production stopped last year. I actually saw one near my parent's house in rural Alabama. These were actually made available to handicapped people to drive as well and have performance that doesn't completely suck as their previous options had...that being Toyota Siennas and Dodge Caravans which both have chassis-compromising cuts in order to fit the ramp.