25 Best Vehicles From the Grand Theft Auto Series

The release of Grand Theft Auto V is nearly upon us. Thank you, Based God. On Tuesday we'll be able to say goodbye to our friends, family, and responsibilities to fully immerse ourselves in the updated San Andreas. We'll perform heists, hold up liquor stores, and blow up whatever we damn well please. And then there are the vehicles. Let's not forget about those.

Driving things we'd (well, you) never get to touch in real life—like supercars, deadly helicopters, and a hot dog van, because why not?—has been one of the highlights of every game in the series. The title refers to stealing cars, so how could we expect anything less. Before we get to see all the new whips in GTA V, ride that hot dog van down memory lane with The 25 Best Vehicles From the Grand Theft Auto Series. You might even see some of them revamped come Tuesday.

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Based On: Volkswagen Type 2 T1
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA San Andreas

Psychedelic. This trippy bus belongs to the Truth. No, not Paul Pierce; the hippie/conspiracy theorist. It serves as a slow but fun getaway vehicle after you engulf an entire field of weed in flames.

Based On: 1964 Chevrolet Impala
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA San Andreas

Hydraulics, baby. The Savanna won't get you anywhere too quickly, but wherever you go you can bounce along the way. In addition to being used in the hydraulic mini game, the Savanna also serves as a gang car for the Grove Street Families.

Based On: Dune Buggy
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Advance, GTA Liberty City Stories, GTA Vice City Stories

It's a shame we didn't get to hit the beach in one of these babies in GTA IV. What better vehicle to run over innocent beachgoers in?

Based On: Hovercraft
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA San Andreas

Dude, it's a hovercraft. Do we need to say more?

Based On: Mercury Eight
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA Vice City, GTA Vice City Stories

The Los Cabrones gang gets the flame treatment for Hermes, but that's not the only improvement. This version is also faster and has better acceleration.

Based On: Chrysler 300
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA IV

The name alone makes this car great. It's impossible to drive a Chrysler 300 without looking like a wannabe drug dealer or pimp.

Based On: Chevy Nova
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA III, GTA Advance, GTA Liberty City Stories

The Stallion has been a mainstay in GTA, but our favorite version debuted in GTA III. Originally, the Infernus was going to be the gang car for the Diablos. But Rockstar went with the Stallion instead, thinking the Infernus was too classy.

Based On: Pontiac Firebird
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Vice City Stories

That name leaves no confusion on what kind of car the Phoenix is supposed to be. Unless, of course, you could name another car named after a bird with flames.

Based On: Humvee
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Liberty City Stories, GTA Vice City Stories, GTA IV, GTA Chinatown Wars

Nothing gets in your way with this bad boy. The Patriot is for those who want to watch the world burn. Or burn it themselves, rather.

Based On: DeLorean DMC-12
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA Vice City, GTA Vice City Stories

Fun Fact: the Deluxo appears in the trip skip icon in San Andreas. This is likely a nod to the DeLorean time machine in Back to the Future.

Based On: Ford Model A
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA San Andreas

GTA has been full of sports cars, but not so much hot rods. It's also one of the hardest cars to find in San Andreas. The only spawn point is in front of the driving school in San Fierro.

Based On: Ford GT
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA San Andreas

The Bullet looks much more like the Ford GT introduced in 2002 than the original GT40, but we're not complaining. Any chance to drive a GT is great. Fuck historical accuracy.

Based On: Dodge Charger
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA IV, GTA Chinatown Wars

Sometimes there's nothing sweeter than some American muscle. GTA IV gave us the chance to drive an old American badass without having to do constant repairs.

Based On: MH-60L Black Hawk
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA IV

Mayhem. That's what you get with the Annihilator. On the way from A to B you can rain down on Liberty City with the two attached miniguns.

Based On: Tank
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Liberty City Stories, GTA Vice City Stories, GTA Chinatown Wars

Every car you touch in this bad boy goes up in flames. Unfortunately, the Rhino still isn't indestructible. After you destroy car after car it too will catch on fire.

Based On: Ferrari Testarossa
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Liberty City Stories, GTA Vice City Stories

The Cheetah is back! While it's been a regular in the series, the supercar was in hiatus for GTA IV. We're looking forward to the update for GTA V.

Based On: Ferrari 360
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA San Andreas, GTA IV, GTA Chinatown Wars

The second fastest car in GTA IV is also one of the easiest to find. So you won't feel bad when you turn a corner too fast and plow the side of your Turismo into a concrete wall.

Based On: Boeing AH-64 Apache
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Vice City Stories, GTA Liberty City Stories

The Hunter is even more destructive than the Annhilator. The helicopter from the older GTAs has a self-targeting machine gun and dual rocket launchers.

Based On: Jetpack
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA San Andreas

If you didn't shoot up the streets of San Andreas while flying around in the Jetpack, your childhood was wack. Flying it over Area 69 is a bad idea, however. You'll get blasted by missiles.

Based On: Ice Cream Truck
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Liberty City Stories, GTA Vice City Stories

Side missions were way better in the older GTAs. Case and point: the Mr Whoopee in Vice City. It's strangely fun to drive around peddling drugs in an ice cream truck.

Based On: British Harrier
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA San Andreas

"Vertical Bird," the mission in San Andreas where you steal the Hydra, is easily one of the best in the game. After you kill your way through the Naval Station, you're rewarded with a super fast, super deadly fighter jet.

Based On: Dodge Viper
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Advance, GTA Liberty City Stories, GTA Vice City Stories, GTA IV, GTA Chinatown Wars

The Banshee has made an appearance in every single GTA since the series became 3-D. We're not mad at that. The Banshee has been one of the most fun cars to drive, with its high speed and tight steering, a perfect combo for getaways.

Based On: Porsche 911
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Vice City Stories, GTA IV, GTA Chinatown Wars

Most cars from GTA closely resemble cars in real life, but the Comet is the most blatant knockoff. After all, the Porsche headlights are one of the most recognizable features in the car industry. It was also the fastest car in GTA IV. Back here in the real world, a Porsche hasn't been the fastest car in the world since 1986.

Based On: Porsche Boxster
Game(s) Appeared In: Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Advance, Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories

You can't think GTA III without thinking of this car. The paint job is so killer and makes it one of the best GTA cars to date.

Based On: Lamborghini Countach
Game(s) Appeared In: GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Liberty City Stories, GTA Vice City Stories, GTA IV, GTA Chinatown Wars

The inspiration has changed throughout the series, but our favorite iteration is in Vice City. Lance Vance's coke-white Infernus is the cleanest car in the game. Stealing it from him and stashing it in a garage was so necessary.