Roman's Taxi

The Albany Roman's Taxi is a vehicle featured in Grand Theft Auto IV and The Lost and Damned.

Description
Roman's Taxi is a taxi variant of the Esperanto used by Roman Bellic's taxi company. Roman's taxis are only driven by Roman and his employees, though Niko can drive them in a side mission between Concrete Jungle and Roman's Sorrow.

Niko can call Roman to send a taxi to pick him up, after gaining his favor. The taxi driver is notoriously short-tempered, with the taxi rides peppered with insults hurled Niko's way for being a "freeloader". The cabs are unavailable between The Master and the Molotov and Blow Your Cover due to the events of Roman's Sorrow. After unlocking the Algonquin Safehouse (at which point Roman's business appears to have become highly successful), Roman's taxis are replaced by a fleet of gray Cavalcades, with the same disgruntled driver as before.

Unlike the Vapid and Declasse Taxis, as well as the Schyster Cabby, there are a few advantages to using Roman's taxi.


 * The ride, no matter where or how long, is free of charge.
 * The driver won't leave when the player attains a wanted level.
 * It is a good choice for a drive-by, having someone else drive.
 * The vehicle's doors are locked, so if the player accidentally tries to carjack the taxi, they will not gain a wanted level for vehicle theft. Because of this, the LCPD will not be able to arrest Niko if the player gains a wanted level while inside the taxi unless the window is smashed, letting the police unlock the door.

Grand Theft Auto IV
Much like the Esperanto, its styling inspiration appears to be a pastiche of common late-70s/early-80s American car styling. The bumpers, sides and bustle-back styling (a majority of the chassis) is based on the. The grille and headlights are similar to a (the shorter width of the grille makes it look like a, but the Albany signature on the grille and flatter headlights are more like the Malibu); and the taillights seem based on a /, the reverse lights could also suggest some other luxury cars. The combined look seems to emulate an early as it is commonly mistaken for one. In-game, the vehicle shares its interior with the Emperor.

The car is visually distinguishable from the Esperanto by its minor alterations; red or yellow taxi affixed to the front and back, taxi registration number on the trunk, advertising on the rear bumper and rear window, and a custom red interior.

By default, Roman's Taxi is black with a discolored dark gray driver's side front fender. It can be resprayed to other colors and may be randomly resprayed back to its default appearance, although the driver's side fender will remain discolored and be more brown in color. The taxi has a different horn to the regular Esperanto, and has only one exhaust pipe, as opposed to two on the regular Esperanto. Instead of the Esperanto's manufacturer names embossed on the car, Taxi stickers are placed.

Grand Theft Auto IV
Performance and handling-wise, the taxi is heavier than the Esperanto (1700 kg to the Esperanto's 1600 kg), and has inferior acceleration, but has a significantly greater top speed. It also has slightly stronger braking and softer suspension. The handling feels good and can go around a corner at low speeds without much trouble. It is slightly less prone to deformation than the Esperanto, and can better withstand collisions.

Grand Theft Auto IV
Roman's Taxi is the first vehicle that the player drives in Grand Theft Auto IV, and was prominently featured in pre-release materials, with the car initially painted with an all-black body color. It features as part of several early missions, including GTA IV 's taxi side-mission.

In Grand Theft Auto IV, in the mission, "The Cousins Bellic," Roman's taxi features an all-black body, To obtain the vehicle, park the vehicle in the parking space but do not head towards the mission marker, and commit suicide. The vehicle will be there when the player returns.

Notable Owners

 * Roman Bellic owned a fleet of Roman's Taxi, black Esperantos fitted with Taxi accessories.

Grand Theft Auto IV

 * It is featured in most Roman missions. Usually, after finishing these, Niko can be still in the car.
 * After completing a Taxi run for Roman (prior to the events of Roman's Sorrow), the player can take and store one.
 * Using the "Taxi" ability from Roman when having enough friendship with him. The car can be stolen by the player when it arrives after the player calls for one. After completing Hostile Negotiation, it will be replaced by Cavalcades.
 * May occasionally spawn in traffic, if already driving one.

The Lost and Damned

 * In The Lost and Damned, Roman's taxi may appear in the mission "Roman's Holiday." If Johnny Klebitz calls Roman (555-2222), Roman will arrive with his taxi shortly after the call. Soon after, Johnny and Malc will kidnap Roman and take him to the hardware store in Broker. Roman's taxi can be obtained if Malc is killed in this mission. If Roman is killed instead, Malc will drive off with it after the mission failure cutscene.

Grand Theft Auto IV

 * Once the player has completed all 30 of Stevie's Car Thefts, Niko can then sell the Taxi to him for $2,000.

General

 * "Albany" may actually have been the true beta name of this car. First, it had been seen on pre-release pictures a long time before Rockstar Games decided to incorporate Vehicle Brands to the game. And secondly, inside the file "american.gxt," the car's text entry is under the name "ALBANY."

Grand Theft Auto IV

 * When driving Roman's Taxi while being chased by the police, the Police Scanner will sometimes refer to the car as "Roman's Esperanto" (as opposed to a "Black Sedan"). This may have been another beta name for it, considering it is obviously based on the Esperanto.
 * Roman's Taxi driven during "The Cousins Bellic" features an all-black body, as opposed to other occasions when the car features a discolored quarter panel. It is also notable that Roman's Taxi in the cutscene sports wheels from the Marbelle, as more that this was the beta model of the car.
 * The default radio station in Roman's Taxi is Vladivostok FM.
 * Roman's Taxi features the door-ajar chime which can be heard easily in the first mission "The Cousins Bellic." Before moving the vehicle, switch the engine off and get out without closing the door. With a turned up volume, the player should be able to hear the chime.

The Lost and Damned

 * In Roman's Holiday, The color of the driver's side fender will be more brown in color as opposed to the normal dark gray.

Navigation
Romans Taxi (IV) Taxi de Roman Roman's Taxi