Unic 12/14 hp Taxi History

The Unic 12/14 hp emerged from the earlier twin-cylinder cab and quickly became the defining French taxi of the Edwardian era. Introduced in four-cylinder monobloc form around 1907–1908, its robust 1944 cc engine and strong chassis made it a favourite with fleet operators on both sides of the Channel.

In London, the model was sold through dealers Mann and Overton from around 1907 and remained the most numerous cab on the city's streets by 1914. A Unic of this era was famously run by the National Motor Cab Company, which employed a young W. O. Bentley as an apprentice mechanic — one of his earliest contacts with the automobile trade.

Production of the taxi variant continued (with minor updates) for nearly twenty years, and surviving examples were still working London streets into the 1950s. No other Edwardian model sustained that commercial longevity, making the 12/14 Unic the marque's single most significant product.