Stratum

"Don't miss this opportunity to snap up a Classic Stratum station wagon at a bargain price. A short-lived Zirconium model that was plagued with bad reviews... Or as we like to call it, Limited Edition!"

- Southernsanandreassuperautos.com description.

The Zirconium Stratum is a mid-sized 4-door station wagon seen in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto V. The Stratum has a more streamlined design than other station wagons in the series.

Design


The Stratum's design, performance, and its likely V6 engine suggest that it is derived from the fifth generation (1994–1997) Honda Accord wagon; however D-pillars have been added. The car's real-life counterpart fails to fit in the game's time setting (1992). It could also be based of the Saturn SL1 wagon because of the time period, styling and plastic body.

The car is one of the gang cars used by the San Fierro Triads.

Performance
Acceleration and speed are surprisingly good, considering the Stratum’s size. The engine is most likely a powerful V6 or inline-4 and the drivetrain is front-engine, rear-drive, making the Stratum a good selection as a drive-by vehicle. The body is weak, however, making the car susceptible to intense damage from high-speed impacts and heavy gunfire.

Events
The Stratum takes places in a part of the storyline in the mission Puncture Wounds, CJ is sent by Cesar Vialpando to take a Stratum to the garage using spikes.

Modifications

 * The Stratum is considered a tuner, and can be upgraded at Wheel Arch Angels in Ocean Flats, San Fierro.

Design
In GTA IV, the Zirconium Stratum 2.6GT still takes its primary inspiration from the 1998-2001 Citroën Xantia estate and the fifth generation Honda Accord station wagon or Saturn SL1 (with the same added pillars as the previous rendition), albeit with a front end derived from the R32 Nissan Skyline. The rear end loosely resembles the first generation Subaru Impreza station wagon (or even a Z30 Toyota Soarer/first generation Lexus SC, albeit in wagon form), and C-pillars which may be derived from the 1996-2001 Toyota Camry wagon. The game's Stratum may appear in two forms, the standard model or the "Twin Turbo" variant, which features an additional spoiler over the rear windscreen and a "Twin Turbo" badge in the rear. The GTA IV rendition also features an optional sunroof or luggage rails. The bodywork has a very large resemblence to the Ford EF Falcon Wagons or the Mk III Ford Sierra wagon (It is interesting to note that the Ford Sierra was semi-popular in motorsports because of it's bulkier structure mostly in the World Rally Championship starting in 1990 and ending in 1992 with the Mk III).

In GTA V, the Stratum's design remains unchanged except for an added all-wheel-drive.

Performance
The model appears to show an inline 4 with a single turbo. This is coupled to a 5 speed gearbox in a RWD configuration. Acceleration is rather decent, and its top speed (312 km/h, 194 mph) is pretty good for an average station wagon.

The Stratum's handling is quite good, though oversteer can be dramatic at times, and its suspension evens out bumps without being excessively soft. Braking is acceptable, and ABS is standard on all Stratum station wagons. Crash deformation is very good, with the Stratum keeping most of its shape in a collision; engine build quality, however, is less desirable, with the Stratum often left disabled after only a few impacts.

GTA San Andreas

 * Spawns in the Wang Cars showroom in San Fierro after completing Puncture Wounds.
 * Commonly spawns in and around San Fierro Triads territory in Chinatown and Calton Heights, San Fierro.
 * Spawns near the Four Dragons Casino in Las Venturas.
 * In the compound of a plastic factory during the mission You've Had Your Chips.

GTA IV

 * Spawns all around Broker, South Bohan as well as in Easton and The Triangle in Algonquin.
 * Spawns in traffic in multiplayer modes in GTA IV, but is unavailable in counterparts in The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.

GTA V

 * On Nowhere Road in Sandy Shores, Blaine County.

Trivia

 * The front of a Stratum is very similar to the front of a Solair. The two cars are so similar, that people who play the game infrequently often get the two cars confused.
 * In GTA San Andreas, it is one of the gang cars used by the San Fierro Triads, the other two being the Elegy and the Sultan; it heavily increases CJ's sex appeal.
 * In GTA IV, after completing Stevie's text message car thefts, the Stratum may be sold in his garage for $1,800.
 * The Stratum plays the following radio stations by default when entered:
 * GTA San Andreas: Bounce FM or SF-UR if you steal it from a Triad member.
 * GTA IV: Integrity 2.0, WKTT Radio or PLR.
 * Episodes from Liberty City: Integrity 2.0 or WKTT Radio.
 * GTA V: Lowdown FM or Space 103.2.
 * In the beta version of GTA San Andreas, the Stratum had an emblem on the hood.
 * The Stratum had a glitch that if you fit an X-Flow front bumper to it, it will show a mirrored license plate without the registration number.
 * In GTA Online, The Stratum makes a good car for people starting off, despite it being a wagon, it has a reasonable top speed, cheap to get back once destroyed and is controllable on all terrain due to its four wheel drive. Players do need to be mindful that the Stratum cannot have its bodywork modified in Los Santos Customs, unlike in San Andreas' Wheel Arch Angels.

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