The new trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 is now available, and it has once again put the franchise at the center of the Internet. The new production arrives 13 years after GTA 5, one of the most profitable titles in the gaming industry. The success of the series has many explanations: plots built with cinematographic language, cities open to exploration, social satire and freedom to transgress practically all the rules established by the game, or rather, by social life.
But, as its name implies, there is an element that has accompanied Grand Theft Auto since the beginning: the automobile. And it is precisely in this area that GTA 6 can bring one of the biggest changes in the history of the franchise. Leaks and information not officially confirmed by Rockstar Games indicate that cars may no longer be just disposable means of transport to take on a more persistent function within the game.
Motorized banditry
Since the first title, the car has been fundamental to the development of the campaign (Photo: Rockstar Games | Disclosure)
It all started almost 30 years ago, in 1997, with the first Grand Theft Auto. The player was free to steal vehicles and move around cities, still seen from above, in the system known as top view. Already at that time there was a variety of automobiles, but to avoid the costs and problems related to licensing, the then DMA Design Limited, now Rockstar North, created fictitious makes and models.
The virtual cars were inspired by well-known vehicles. Throughout the series, references to models such as the Dodge Viper, Volkswagen Beetle, Jeep Wrangler, Lamborghini Diablo and several others emerged. The use of its own brands, such as Bravado, Declasse, Vapid, Pfister, Grotti and Pegassi, allowed the franchise to create its own automotive universe, but easily recognizable by players.
The cars of GTA
GTA 3 revolutionized the franchise by putting the game in a third-person perspective, with improved gameplay and car driving (Photo: Rockstar Games | Disclosure)
The transformation came in 2001, with the publication of GTA 3. The shift from the top view to the third-person perspective revolutionized the series and transformed the relationship with the environment. If in the first games the main activity was to steal cars and escape through the city, the new format expanded the number of missions and situations available.
Murders, extortion, sabotage, pimping, gang wars, trafficking and different types of illegal activities have become part of the daily lives of the protagonists. And, of course, most of these actions took place aboard cars. The car is no longer just the central object of the original proposal to become a tool for displacement, pursuit, escape and execution of missions.
One of the characteristics of GTA has always been the coexistence between ordinary vehicles and high-performance cars. On the streets, the player can find sedans, family station wagons, slow vans, SUVs, pickup trucks and trucks, while models inspired by sports cars and super sports cars are available.
The Stallion is a muscle car inspired by the Oldsmobile Cutlass and has been featured since GTA 3 in the franchise (Photo: Rockstar Games | Disclosure)
Throughout the episodes, cars such as Cheetah appeared, inspired by Ferrari models; Infernus, associated with Lamborghini references; Stinger, with elements of the Corvette C3; Comet, inspired by the Porsche 911; and Banshee, one of the most traditional sports cars in the franchise, associated with the Dodge Viper since the first games. Many of these models have evolved visually over the course of the chapters, following changes in the references of the real automobile market.
Customization and performance
gainIn 2004’s GTA: San Andreas, automobiles gained a new layer of importance. The game now allows modifications with new wheels, paints, spoilers, exhausts and other components. The customization was not just visual and brought the franchise closer to automotive culture.
Customizing cars has become commonplace since San Andreas, where it was possible to improve even the performance of cars (Photo: Rockstar Games | Disclosure)
This system evolved in GTA 4 and, especially, in GTA 5. The workshops began to offer aesthetic and mechanical changes, allowing for improved acceleration, speed, suspension and other aspects. Bulletproof tires, for example, have come to have direct use during chases and escapes. The car chosen by the player could also be prepared for different situations.
GTA 5 also advanced the way vehicles were viewed. The game allowed for first-person driving, with the player being able to observe dashboards, seats, and other details of the interior. It wasn’t just a camera change. The feature reinforced the feeling of being inside the car and helped transform driving into an experience closer to a simulator, although the physics of the franchise remained focused on fun and not on the exact reproduction of a car’s behavior.
The cinematic camera gave a cinematic aspect to driving, even though it was impossible to control the car correctly, with different viewing angles. In addition, it is also possible to set up an exclusive garage. In online mode, it is possible to purchase real estate to store stolen cars and even insure them.
Car like in real life
Well-known models appeared in the first trailer for GTA 6 (Photo: Rockstar Games | Disclosure)
For GTA 6, Rockstar seems to be preparing a new evolution. Recent leaks point to systems that can increase realism and, above all, create more lasting consequences for the use of automobiles. One of the most talked about features is the possible fuel system. Indicators observed in materials associated with the game suggest that cars may need to be fueled.
If the functionality is in the final version, the fuel will add a variable that did not exist in previous chapters. A stolen car might not be useful just because it’s fast or resistant: it would also be necessary to consider the amount of gasoline available and the possibility of finding a station during a getaway.
Supply would not be a primacy of GTA 6. In Mafia, cars can break down and leave the character in the lurch. Another open-world title that also required paying attention to the marker is Mad Max. In the dystopian adventure, inspired by the film franchise, fuel is scarce and makes perfect sense in the game.
In Mad Max, the player must pay attention to the fuel level so as not to stay stuck in the Wasteland (Photo: WB Games | Disclosure)
Another change would be the way vehicles are stolen. There are indications that parked cars may require specific methods to be opened or turned on, including interactions related to keys and ignition systems. This would make stealing an automobile a more elaborate action than simply getting into the vehicle and driving away.
The leaks also point to an evolution of the police system. Traffic cameras and tracking capabilities could help police identify stolen vehicles. In this way, escaping would not depend only on leaving the area where the crime occurred. The car used could also turn into a track.
Action and reaction
Simply changing the color of the body, a feature used in previous games to reduce the level of demand, may no longer be enough. Unconfirmed information suggests that the player may need to modify or clone license plates to make identification difficult. If this system is confirmed, the car will carry a kind of identity within the world of GTA 6.
The expectation is that stolen cars can be monitored by security cameras, making life difficult for the player (Photo: Rockstar Games | Disclosure)
The trunk may also gain a practical function. Instead of being just a part of the body, the compartment can function as a space to store weapons and equipment. This would make the player have a more persistent relationship with certain vehicles, as abandoning a car could also mean leaving behind important items.
There are also indications that car owners will have more varied reactions during a robbery. Some NPCs will be able to resist carjacking, turning a common action in the franchise into a situation with different developments. Mechanical damage and the condition of the vehicle may also receive greater attention.
And it is precisely this type of detail that helps explain the expectation around GTA 6. Even with a theme around banditry, it is a franchise that in each episode seeks to resemble real life (and its consequences).
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