Cheetah

The Cheetah is a sport car that has appeared in Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. The Cheetah is also set to appear in Grand Theft Auto V.

3D Universe
In all its iterations the vehicle closely resembles a 1984-1996 Ferrari Testarossa, with each game's version following the design of the corresponding era:


 * In Grand Theft Auto III and GTA Liberty City Stories, it looks like a slightly genericized and modernized Ferrari F512 M.
 * In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Vice City Stories, it resembles a mid-80s Testarossa.
 * In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the Cheetah resembles a Ferrari 512 TR Testarossa, albeit without the hidden headlamps, and with the rear lights of an F512 M.

Looking at the shape of the car, its clear to see that it is mid-engine, however when the hood is removed, in Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City, the engine appears to be at the front, possibly due to programming limitations. This is in stark contrast to the design of the Testarossa in general, which has the engine placed behind the passenger compartment, just in front of the rear axle (mid-engine). However, in GTA San Andreas, the design is more faithful to the real-life counterpart, with the engine being evidently placed at the rear of the chassis, while the front is empty. The engine of the Cheetah sounds and looks like a V10.

During one point of game development of GTA III, the Cheetah was known as the Rocket.

Grand Theft Auto V
The Cheetah will be reintroduced in Grand Theft Auto V. Unlike in previous games, the Cheetah now resembles a Ferrari Enzo/FXX  in the front and sides and a Koenigsegg Agera/CCX in the rear end.

3D Universe
The Cheetah's acceleration is slightly inferior to other sports cars in the game, but handling, speed and braking are far superior to all others. Due to its low suspension, it hugs the road and is not prone to rolling over or spinning out of control when cornering at high speeds. However, GTA III's Cheetah has stiffer suspensions than those of the Banshee, Stinger and Infernus, making it incapable of handling bumps and curbs without compromising stability. For most of the 3D Universe it was made the fastest car, but its top speed was a bit lower in San Andreas.

Modifications (GTA San Andreas)
The Cheetah can be modified at TransFender:

Colors: Exhausts: Nitro: Spoilers: Side Skirts:
 * Car Color 1 ($150)
 * Twin Exhaust ($300)
 * Upswept Exhaust ($350)
 * 2x Nitrous ($200)
 * 5x Nitrous ($500)
 * 10x Nitrous ($1000)
 * Win ($550)
 * Fury ($350)
 * Alpha ($250)


 * Side skirts ($500)

Wheels: Hydraulics ($1500)
 * Import ($820)
 * Atomic ($770)
 * Ahab ($1000)
 * Virtual ($620)
 * Access ($1140)
 * Off Road Wheel ($1000)
 * Mega ($1030)
 * Grove ($1230)
 * Twist ($1200)
 * Wires ($1560)

The Transfender in Las Venturas has charges 20% more for each modification except colors.

Anachronism in GTA Vice City Stories
In GTA Vice City Stories, which is set in 1984, the Cheetah was based from the first generation Ferrari Testarossa, which started selling in 1984. The first "red head" didn't sell enough until late 1985. For the sake of having no irregularities about the comparison of the two cars, the developers of the game made the Cheetah scarce in Vice City Stories, spawning only in parking lots.

Variants

 * VCPD Cheetah: The police version of the normal Cheetah, meant to be a reference to the Ferrari Testarossa's appearance on the 1980s detective show Miami Vice. You can steal it from the two police officers after you get a 3 star wanted level.
 * During Grand Theft Auto in GTA III, the player can obtain a unique candy red Cheetah.

Trivia



 * The GTA Vice City Stories and GTA San Andreas renditions feature variations of wing mirrors, either featuring two on both sides, one on the driver's side or none. Unusually, for some Cheetahs without rear mirrors in GTA Vice City, a blacked-out dashboard strobe light used in the police&quot; Cheetah may be seen.


 * When first entered in GTA San Andreas, it may play SF-UR as its default radio station.
 * If the player bought it on Easter Basin Docks, it may have a vanity plate reading "IMY AK". This plate also appears on the Feltzer used in End of the Line.
 * The bus in Saint's Row, a GTA clone, is also named Cheetah.
 * The Cheetah shares a similar engine and horn sound with the Turismo in GTA San Andreas.
 * Among all other supercars and sports cars, the Cheetah owns the widest range of modifications in GTA San Andreas.
 * When respraying a Cheetah in Vice City Stories, the paintjobs will cycle through either of two sequences. The first one is dark blue -> dark gray -> dark red -> cherry red, and the other is green -> silver -> gold -> white. If you want, per example, a cherry-red Cheetah, don't bother respraying a white one. No matter how many times you respray it, it will never turn out to be red.

Special colors
In the GTA: Liberty City Stories race Wi-Cheetah Run, you race against three Cheetahs, two of which have special colors (brilliant red and sky blue), fireproofing and also tipproofing. They can be obtained using this trick: Start the race as usual, but remain in the starting line until the end of the race. Wait for the other racers to cross the finish line. Then blow it up using your car; you can't touch these vehicles or the car lose their unique traits. Then push that car with firetruck or tank into your garage.

Locations
GTA III
 * Cartel Mansion in Cedar Grove, Shoreside Vale, Liberty City.
 * In the Francis International Airport parking lot across the fire station.
 * Can be seen during the mission Chaperone.
 * Used as a trap for Claude in the mission Last Requests.
 * Used as the opponents' cars during the missions Turismo and Bling-bling Scramble.

GTA Vice City
 * Parking area near Colonel Cortez' yacht in Ocean Beach.
 * North of Ricardo Diaz' Mansion, Starfish Island.
 * One of the competitors for the Sunshine Autos races.

GTA San Andreas
 * Spawns in Rodeo, Los Santos.
 * Spawns in Market, Los Santos.
 * Spawns in The Strip, Las Venturas.
 * Spawns in Old Venturas Strip, Las Venturas.
 * Spawns sometimes in Doherty, and its surrounding areas.
 * Found parked in front of a house in Prickle Pine, Las Venturas (only when wanted for export).
 * Importable from Easter Basin, San Fierro after completing export lists. Import cost: $84,000 (Thursday only).

GTA Liberty City Stories
 * In the Francis International Airport parking lot across the fire station.
 * Cartel Mansion, Cedar Grove, Shoreside Vale (may not always spawn).

GTA Vice City Stories
 * Northernmost road on Starfish Island.
 * Diaz's Mansion on Starfish Island.
 * In front of Lance's hotel in Downtown.
 * In the parking lot behind the hospital in Downtown.


 * Grand Theft Auto V
 * TBA

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