TechRadar

The real cars of Grand Theft Auto Five

If you hanker the rush of adrenaline that comes from driving high-end cars in real-world locales, Grand Theft Auto five is for you.

The upcoming game, available in September on major consoles, will put you in the seat of an Audi R8 Spyder, a Ferrari California, and even a Koenigsegg Agera R. (So we think, based on the latest trailers. Developer Rockstar Games declined to comment on specific cars in the game.)

When you do get your mitts on the game or even when you stare at the screenshots below, you’ll want to know more about the tech in these stunning, well-equipped luxury models.

So here for your delight are eight superb cars featured in GTA Five, accomplish with pictures from the game and the real world, plus their real-life technical details.

1. BMW 328i Cabrio

This well-regarded BMW has the tech features you’d expect from the German automobile maker. Bluetooth Audio is standard, of course – but on a BMW Three, the stream actually sounds palatable and consistent. (In the real car, your phone will sync quickly and stay synced.) Safety features include tail-lights that glow brighter when you press down hard (we’ll see if GTA mimics that design spec). Dynamic Cruise Control automatically adjusts speed around corners, providing extra convenience. Oh, and the car supports HD Radio.

Two. Chevrolet Corvette four hundred twenty seven Convertible

The distinctive tail of a Corvette shows up only shortly in the GTA five trailer. We hope it’s the re-introduced Corvette 427, which uses carbon fibre parts on the front spandex hood, fenders and floor panels. The rail is tech-laden as well: as you drive, magnetorheological fluids (MR fluids) in the shock absorbers can adjust the suspension 1,000 times per 2nd on corners.

Three. Audi R8 Spyder

This sporty convertible offers a pop-up HUD that shows your speed and even whether the adaptive cruise control is enabled. The seat belts have an embedded Bluetooth microphone so you can speed down a winding road and talk to your kids at the same time. Oh, and don’t leave behind this model has a four hundred sixty five watt Bang & Olufsen surround-sound stereo system.

Four. Maserati Quattroporte V

If you get a chance to drive the Quattroporte in the game, be sure to test out some of the high-end tech features. The car uses a unique ‘anti-squat’ and ‘anti-dive’ suspension that prevents the vehicle from lunging when you drive around corners. Just as significant, the car has a ‘convenience’ setting that automatically stabilises the car as you drive.

Five. Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

As with any high-end sports car, the Vantage Roadster has options like carbon fibre front splitters and rear diffusers. But the car is also enhanced by technology. As an option, the Vantage can auto-dim the rear-view mirror when you press the garage door button. An alarm upgrade senses if the car is being tilted too much in a theft. And the 1,000 watt stereo system – once again, it’s a Bang & Olufsen – makes day trips more entertaining.

6. Koenigsegg Agera R

We all know this sports car looks stunning. What might surprise you is how technically advanced it is. Koenigsegg designs not just the engine and styling, but all of the electrical components – which are very integrated. That means that if a front lamp is cracked or a roof lock is not secure, you’ll see an alert on the dash. Another perk is that the battery can sense when a control panel feature such as the parking brake is left on by mistake, and can cut power to save it from running down.

7. Porsche nine hundred eleven Carrera

Sure, this stunner is joy to drive. In latest years, Porsche has also began adding interesting tech perks. The latest model has a 7-inch touchscreen that’s very responsive. A fresh Aha Radio app for the nine hundred eleven means you can stream internet radio stations, podcasts and even audiobooks. Importantly, the interface runs on the dash itself but uses your smartphone.

8. Ferrari California

Yes, we saved the best for last. Sure, the game developers adjusted the look of the car – licensing the look of an actual Ferrari is most likely fairly expensive. The big tech advancement here is the way the car was designed to be lighter and nimbler. The car treats the same as previous generations, and is just as rigid, but now weighs a utter 30kg (66lbs) less.

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