Tailgater

"Luxury German Sedan. Better than a BF, but not quite a Benefactor. Fast and practical with a classy look, this is just the car to over-leverage on."

- Southern San Andreas Super Autos description.

"Look at this car and ask yourself what price would you place on style, status and sophistication? Then forget that price because I offer flexible payment schedules to suit any budget. Don’t let society and banks tell you what you can and can’t afford. No credit? No problem! You’re approved! I want everyone to live the American dream just like me."

- Simeon Yetarian

The Obey Tailgater is a four-door, mid-size executive saloon/sedan in Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.

Design
This car features styling elements that have been inspired by the Audi A6 (C6) for the overall body design, and the Audi A8 (D4) for the headlamp units, grille, lower body bulge and ten-spoke wheels. However, the quarter panel bulges appeared to have been inspired by the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, and The rear end of the vehicle mostly draws its inspiration from the Audi A4 (B7). The taillight units are inspired by the Ford Falcon FG.

The front end of the car features a dominant grille which decreases in width as it gets closer to the lower edge of the bumper. Unlike Audi models, this grille only occupies the upper half of the front face, and features rounded chrome edges with two horizontal chrome strips. Directly below the grille there are two ducts which have circular fog-lamps.

The main body area features a variety of curves. Close to the base of the body there is a large bulge that spans almost the entire wheelbase. Above that, at around mid-body height, a straight line connects the front quarter bulge to the rear quarter bulge. The greenhouse features very thin ‎B and C pillars, which appear to be covered by a polymer. The D pillars of the car are very long, with the intention of creating an elegant appearance.

Grand Theft Auto V
Surprising for a sedan, the Tailgater has performance that is on par with most sports cars. Acceleration and top speed are both above average, able to hold ground against sportier vehicles such as the Exemplar or F620. It has decent grip at low to moderate speeds, but can understandably begin to understeer without use of the brakes. It is fairly durable, even in regard to deformation damage. It takes several hard blows to the engine to begin drawing smoke, and can take numerous hits before any wheels become stuck.

Notable Owners

 * Michael De Santa owns a black Tailgater throughout most of the game. However, following a series of incidents culminating with him being drugged, Michael's family leaves him, and Jimmy takes his car with him. Michael then takes up driving a red Premier, which was most likely a rental car. It is returned to Michael later in the game by Jimmy customized with dollar wheels, a musical horn 5, upgraded transmission, engine, brakes, xenon lights, rear bumpers, side skirts, and dark smoke windows. Like all of the cars assigned to the three protagonists, the player can customize Michael's car and it will retain these modifications whenever it respawns.
 * Devin Weston most likely owns two Tailgaters, one black and the other grey, as seen in the mission Eye In The Sky.

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Parked in front of the De Santa Residence in Rockford Hills as this is Michael's own vehicle (unavailable between Did Somebody Say Yoga? and Monkey Business mission, as Michael was drugged and Jimmy takes the car). Michael's Tailgater will be parked nearby every time the player switches to Michael, too.
 * It is not directly available after Fresh Meat but if the player drives away from Michael's house and back then it will spawn again.
 * At the end of Eye in the Sky, two Tailgaters will be left in the hangar, Franklin is instructed to take any of them, to drive away from the airport.
 * Franklin, may be seen driving a red Tailgater after The Big Score is completed. (Obvious)
 * After completing the mission Complications, the player can take one of the Tailgaters parked in the Premium Deluxe Motorsport shop and drive it.
 * In the Strangers and Freaks mission Unknowing the Truth, there's a unique Tailgater painted on the Epsilon Program baby blue color and with the custom plates K1FFLOM. It is obtainable after completing the mission, if the player chooses not to deliver the money.
 * Found at Sandy Shores Airfield between Bury the Hatchet and Fresh Meat (unless it is moved).
 * Appears in the towing side missions as a car to be towed after purchasing the LSPD Auto Impound. Can be obtained by entering the car and performing the character switch trick.

​Grand Theft Auto Online

 * Offered as a choice of starting car.
 * Can appear on Simeon's SMS list for export which will result in it spawning (commonly at the Golf Club or Observatory) and it will be able to be stored in the player's garage as a personal vehicle.
 * May be a High Priority Car for Simeon Yetarian's Import/Export Garage but cannot be stored in player's garages.
 * Rarely spawns in the Los Santos Golf Club's parking lot.
 * Rarely spawns parked in Galileo Observatory.
 * Rarely spawns parked in the upper U-shaped road in Los Santos International Airport.
 * Can be bought from Southern San Andreas Super Autos for $55,000 in the I'm Not a Hipster Update, thus no longer making it a rare vehicle.
 * Spawns behind the tennis courts at Vespucci Beach when wanted by Simeon.
 * After patch 1.14 it will no longer spawn. It, however, spawns in La Puerta, most likely in the marina parking lot.

Trivia

 * The Tailgater is one of many cars in GTA V that has the "Door ajar chime".
 * In addition to this, the player can hear a unlocking noise when first entering the vehicle, similar to Franklin's Buffalo S. This would suggest that the vehicle is unlocked with a remote control, like many modern cars.
 * This is the third vehicle in the entire Grand Theft Auto series to be inspired by Audi automobiles, after the 9F (which also appears in GTA V) and the Sindacco Argento.
 * The name Tailgater is a reference to tailgating, a British word for the practice of aggressively driving too close to the rear end (or Tailgate) of the car in front. This could be a reference to the stereotype that Audi owners are impatient, pretentious people.
 * The GPS in the middle of the console shows a map of Liberty City. This is because the interior model has been reused and modified from GTA IV.
 * If the player modifies Michael's Tailgater, it will respawn still modified. This happens with Franklin's Buffalo S and Bagger, Trevor's Bodhi, Tracey's Issi, and Amanda's Sentinel.
 * The default radio stations for the Tailgater are: Los Santos Rock Radio, Vinewood Boulevard Radio or Radio Mirror Park.
 * Although Jimmy modifies the transmission, engine and brakes on Michael's Tailgater before he returns it to Michael after Monkey Business, he does not give it the maximum upgrades possible. He adds a EMS upgrade level 3, race transmission, and race brakes. He also adds a chrome grille, lip spoiler and Dollar wheels.
 * It is important to note that the car will always have these modifications when Jimmy returns it to Michael, and only these modifications. In other words, any alternative/additional modifications purchased by the player prior to Did Somebody Say Yoga? will be removed and will reappear in Los Santos Customs as though they were never purchased. Once the car is returned to Michael, these modifications will have to be purchased again.
 * The Tailgater shares its engine sound with the Sentinel, Gresley, Surano and Schafter.
 * Even though the car lacks B pillars, its passenger seatbelt anchors will appear mounted on the space between the doors.
 * As seen in the second GTA V trailer, Michael's Tailgater was originally a metallic dark grey colour, rather than the gloss black seen in the final version.
 * Two variants of the Tailgater appears in the handling files, both appearing as "TAILGATE" and featuring almost identical handling lines. One Tailgater is the stock version at the beginning of the game, and the second is Michael's Tailgater with Jimmy's modifications.