These Are The Cars Of Grand Theft Auto VI And The Real-Life Models That Inspired Them

Just like the cars in the game, the location is a fictional rendering inspired by the real world. Grand Theft Auto VI takes place in the state of Leonida, which is a thinly-veiled fake depiction of Florida. The game will revisit Vice City, which is based on Miami and Miami Beach. That’s where the trailer takes off.

There are lots of illegal things to do in the Grand Theft Auto series — it’s in the name. But some of the most egregious examples in the new game are twerking on a moving car, and riding precariously on the passenger seat of a convertible.

Just out of focus in the previous image, there’s a supercar that looks a lot like an Acura NSX. The Honda supercar that you can daily would not be out place in Vice City or Miami.

A vibrant cityscape needs detours, and not everything in the game tracks along the highway. There are side streets lifted straight out of a city with strong local car culture where colorful murals overlook the candy finish of custom cars.

These cars are obviously inspired by lowrider classics like the Chevy Monte Carlo (the hot pink car) and the Chevy Impala (the blue car.) There’s a Chevy Tahoe driving past and what looks like a green Chrysler 300 parked in front, but the focus remains on those sick lowriders.

The classics tucked into the city live alongside supercars and exotics that are characteristic of Florida’s (or Leonida’s) beaches. Neon signs light up the city while high end cars light up the boulevard.

The blue and white cars in the image above are undoubtedly inspired by the modern Porsche 911 Cabriolet and the ‘80s Ferrari Testarossa. The red car is one that featured in GTA V, the Grotti Carbonizzare, which takes inspiration from the Aston Martin V12 Zagato. Oh, and don’t overlook the Dodge Challenger off to the side.

True to its namesake of Florida, Leonida is sure to be full of colorful characters. The term “Florida man” has become shorthand for outlandish characters who are usually doing something illegal. GTA VI seems like it’ll be true to that spirit.

Is there any car that’s more ’80s than the Camaro? I don’t think so. Road rage and ill-behaved car owners transcend time, but we shouldn’t hold that against the Camaro.

A state like Leonida probably needs a pickup or two to feel real, what with all the retirees down there hauling their toys and RVs. The gas station in the image seems to be a knockoff combining Valero colors with Speedway graphics, and at the pump we see a heavy duty pickup truck, or dually.

The dually seems to be inspired by the Ram 3500, which adds two tires to the rear axle of the Ram. It’s unclear if the truck in the game is diesel-powered since it seems to be filling up at the regular gas pumps, rather than at separate diesel pumps. At least, that’s how most gas stations are arranged in Texas.

Social media posts will likely figure into the open-world game, which is why Instagram-like posts are featured. There are also social media groups that look inspired by car enthusiasts such as the fictional “High Rollerz.” It’s unclear if they’re a gang or unsavory lot, or just a car club. Whatever they are, they have impeccable taste. Just look at that single cab.

The bright green sedan in the image above is clearly a Chrysler 300, and the pickup is clearly a Chevy C/K (aka Silverado). What makes both of the game cars look especially real are the modifications and prominent stickers that show their affiliation. But the colors are outstanding, and the fact that Rockstar chose a single cab as the default cool pickup is fantastic.

One of the more unbelievable aspects of Grand Theft Auto VI is that Vice City police still use sedans for police cruisers. In most modern cities of the U.S., police departments have traded in their Crown Vics for Tahoes or Ford Explorers. But the game still feels authentic, as you can make out the SUV just behind the sedan there.

The Ford Crown Victoria has worn many hats. It’s been known as the Mercury Grand Marquis and the Lincoln Town Car, the Mercury Marauder and the Police Interceptor. The Panther platform endured for decades, and served as a platform for thousands of police cruisers. The Chevy Tahoe PPV seems to have taken up the mantle in recent years, so a copy of both made its way into the game.

We don’t know much about the game’s protagonists yet, but the duo seem to be close. As they are planning a big score, the partners extol the virtues of teamwork and trust. They’re then seen together drifting in a gnarly muscle car.

To round out the eclectic mix of new and old, there’s a car that throws in cues from classic muscle cars. The car in the screenshot above most resembles a Chevy Chevelle.

This image contains the fake Chevelle from above, with a pickup truck thrown in for good measure. It’s another single cab, which I find fascinating. Rockstar seems to be in on the single cab zeitgeist and I’m here for it.

Look, I’m a simple man. I see a single cab, stepside GMT400, I post it.