Schafter

"Good-looking yet utilitarian, sexy yet asexual, slender yet terrifyingly powerful, the Schafter is German engineering at its very finest."

- Southernsanandreassuperautos.com description. The Benefactor Schafter is a luxury four-door sedan featured in Grand Theft Auto IV, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.

The Schafter has been redesigned in The Ballad of Gay Tony, nicknamed the "Second Generation," sporting a much more luxurious and modern look.

1st Generation
The first-generation Schafter is in a lot of ways similar in design to a Mercedes-Benz E-Class W211 but was altered to appear with a longer wheelbase, bulkier body, (in this case, it would be a W220 S-Class in particular) and less luxurious fascias. Its rear fascia seems to be derived from a Mercedes-Benz CL-Class C215, most likely the AMG variant. The front also bear resemblance to the Ssangyong Chairman H (which also based on a Mercedes E-Class platform) with the headlights from the Maybach 57 and Maybach 62.

2nd Generation
In The Ballad of Gay Tony, the second-generation Schafter is featured. It has a more modernized appearance, with a general design based on a Mercedes-Benz E-Class W212. Adding to the more modern appearance is the presence of LED strips below the two bi-xenon bulbs in the headlights, and LED taillights. the front heavily resembles the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class C216.

In Grand Theft Auto V, the Schafter always spawns as the prominent, new version from TBoGT. The standard or old version does not return in GTA V. It is now also has a coupe variant, the Schwartzer.

GTA IV
The Schafter in GTA IV is powered by a 6.5L supercharged V12 coupled to a 5-speed gearbox (possibly a nod to the Mercedes 5G-TRONIC transmission) in a RWD configuration. Although the large 6.5L supercharged V12 is quite powerful, the car feels slow because of its weight. Due to said weight, acceleration is below average, compared to other vehicles in its class, such as the Oracle and Presidente. Top speed is good at 153 mph (245 km/h. The car handling is above average, although a slight hint of oversteer is detectable, the Schafter's firm suspension makes it a pleasure in low-speed cornering. The suspension is a perfect balance of firm and soft, keeping the Schafter planted on the road in turns, while not jarring over bumps. Braking is fair, and ABS is available, though not standard. Crash deformation and engine build quality are excellent; the car is capable of sustaining multiple direct impacts, and can also take a fair amount of gunfire before the engine stalls or inflames. The "Russian Mafia" Schafter has a slightly higher top speed than it's unmodified counterpart at 160 mph (256 km/h).

GTA V
The Schafter in GTA V is powered by a V12 engine, but shares a similar engine sound with the Tailgater, Sentinel, Sentinel XS, Gresley, and Surano, which have lower power engines.

The performance has been improved, making it a competitive vehicle compared to the other sedans.

GTA IV
A tuned version of the Schafter (similar to either a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG or a Brabus E) are commonly found in Hove Beach, being driven by the Russian Mafia. It is black, has black wheels, lacks the chrome trim on the trunk lid and sports a body kit including a debadged blacke grille. The Russian Schafter can be resprayed to any color of the regular Schafter, this will also cause it to lose its unique wheel color unless painted a certain silver shade that is accompanied by black wheels. The custom grille however will always remain black.

The Ballad of Gay Tony
Similarly, the Second Generation Schafter is also available in a modified form, featuring a different grille, a body kit, dual exhaust, larger chrome wheels, and the possibility of appearing with monotone or two tone paint.

The Ballad of Gay Tony's Schafter also serves as the base for the Stretch E limousine.

GTA IV, The Lost and Damned + The Ballad of Gay Tony (1st gen)

 * Common in Hove Beach, where both the regular Schafter and the Russian Mafia Schafter can be found.
 * Down the street from the Broker Safehouse, towards Firefly Island.
 * Common in Cerveza Heights.
 * Common in Algonquin.
 * In The Lost and Damned Gang Wars, the Russian Mafia version very commonly appears when warring with Russians. (TLAD only)

The Ballad of Gay Tony (2nd Gen)

 * In a large majority of Tony's missions and the Club Management missions, Tony's Schafter will be available to be driven to your destination.
 * Spawns in Algonquin when already driving one.

GTA V

 * Occasionally seen driving around Rockford Hills.
 * Parked in the golf course parking lot.
 * One appears during a random event as a rental car of a businessman that you have to drive to the airport.

GTA Online

 * Can be found driven around Rockford Hills and Vinewood Hills, often when wanted by Simeon Yetarian.
 * Parked at the Golf Course if wanted by Simeon Yetarian.
 * Can be used in the introduction race after creating a character. After the race it can be kept.

Notable Owners

 * Mikhail Faustin can be seen riding in a unique all black Schafter during the mission The Master and the Molotov. It has black rims and a silver grille.
 * Jimmy Pegorino also owns a black Schafter, with black rims and a standard silver Schafter grille, featured and used in the mission Pegorino's Pride.
 * Gay Tony owns a black Second Generation Schafter, which serves a chauffeured vehicle courtesy of Maisonette 9. He also owns a pink First Generation Schafter, as his personal transport.
 * Packie McReary may own a Schafter, as a white one appears outside his house in Waste Not Want Knots.

General

 * The name Schafter may be a crude reference to the shaft of a penis or the act of shafting, slang for sexual intercourse.
 * The Schafter's strong build quality is likely a reference to its real life counterpart. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class are widely known to its durability and reliability.
 * Its V12 engine on the GTA IV rendition may be inspired by the Brabus E, a high-performance version of the Mercedes-Benz W211 E-Class, which is also powered by a V12.

GTA IV and Episodes

 * In the opening scene of Grand Theft Auto IV, some Algonquin Triads are seen loading heroin into a Russian Mafia Schafter. The same car is seen being lowered onto the dock while Niko is waiting for Roman in The Cousins Bellic.
 * In A Revenger's Tragedy, a rare Schafter can be found at the abandoned Alderney Casino. It is the Russian Mob variant, with black rims, but has a dark red fluorescent tint. No matter how many times the car is taken to a Pay 'n' Spray, it will remain the same color.
 * There is a particularly rare color variant of the Schafter with a silver body and black rims; Schafters of this color are only spawned while the player is already driving one.
 * In the loading sequence, the concept art shows Niko Bellic running from the police in a maroon Schafter.
 * The default radio station is Jazz Nation Radio 108.5 or Fusion FM.
 * In the EFLC the default for the 1st gen is Self-Actualization FM.
 * The default in the second gen is K109 The Studio or Vice City FM.

GTA V

 * The Schafter has a coupe variant known as the Schwartzer, which is seen in Grand Theft Auto V. The Schwartzer is also manufactured by Benefactor.
 * The GTA IV version of the Schafter does not appear in GTA V.
 * The slightly less luxurious version of the second generation Schafter can be recreated almost completely at Los Santos Customs, with the only differences being the lack of a Benefactor badge on the grille and notches not being present on the custom rims.
 * The default radio station is Non Stop Pop FM 100.7.

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