Monstrosity



The Maibatsu Monstrosity, manufactured by Maibatsu Corporation (a parody of Mitsubishi and Zaibatsu conglomerates in general), is a massive SUV that is mentioned in Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto IV.

Description
The Monstrosity is touted to be a monster truck sized SUV with an extraordinarily low MPG rating. (GTA III ads claim it only gets 3 miles to the gallon).

It remains to be seen whether the Monstrosity will make an appearance in future GTA games. The Monster in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas presumably is the closest in size to the Monstrosity. The advertisement for the Monstrosity differed in the American and European handbooks; the American advertisement uses an image of the Landstalker from GTA III as the "Monstrosity", whereas the European advertisement depicts a monster truck based on a 1999-2004 Ford F-250 regular cab. The name "Monstrosity" could be a reference to the Mitsubishi Montero.

Interestingly, the SUV craze and the race to build the biggest vehicles was initiated by the Ford and GM, with the Ford Excursion and Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL, respectively. However, Japanese automakers such as Toyota and Nissan have also produced full-sized SUVs.The popularity of the Maibatsu Monstrosity, could be more likely based on success of the Toyota Land Cruiser.

Though it is not seen in any of the games, it is a focal point of radio ads, with many deriding it for its size, fuel consumption, the propensity for children to become lost in the back seat, and danger to pedestrians, as well as to the environment. For instance in GTA IV, a caller to the Conservative talk show The Richard Bastion Show on the radio station WKTT says that that America has a buffoon for a president, and that Americans drive incredibly large, polluting Maibatsu Monstrosities that destroy the environment, to which Bastion replies "I know! It's great!"

Ads
The following is transcribed from a radio ad from Grand Theft Auto III.

Man: "I'm a marketing manager who lives in the suburbs and commutes to work	on the highway. I live alone, so of course I needed a car that can	seat 12 and is equipped to drive across arctic tundra...it just 	makes me feel better!"

Female announcer: "The new Maibatsu Monstrosity...mine's bigger!"

Woman: "Phil and I just had another kid. So of course we need a bigger SUV.	Being a mom is hard, with soccer, football and lacrosse practice, 	so we bought the new Maibatsu Monstrosity. It's so big...we lost 	little Joey in the back and couldn't find him for and hour! When 	I'm rushing to the mall, or talking on my cell phone, I know me 	and my family are safe. The Maibatsu Monstrosity has 4- wheel 	drive, and in amphibious mode...it can cross rivers. So far I've 	only hit a few puddles, but it's good to know it's there. With the 	time I save taking shortcuts through the strip-mall parking lot I 	can focus on the important things. Like gazing longingly at the 	pool boy or...buying more exercise equipment off the TV. So what if 	it gets 3 miles to the gallon!? I'm a mom, not a conservationist!"

Female announcer: "The new Maibatsu Monstrosity...mine's bigger!!"