Perennial

The Dinka Perennial is a station wagon and minivan featured in the following games:


 * Grand Theft Auto III
 * Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
 * Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
 * Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
 * Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
 * Grand Theft Auto IV
 * Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

The styling of the car has changed slightly throughout the games, but the performance has remained unchanged, until GTA IV.

GTA III — GTA Vice City Stories
In GTA III, GTA Vice City, and GTA San Andreas, the car´s design resembles a slightly modified and smaller 1962-69 Chevrolet Chevy II Wagon with a simpler side panel design, taller tail lights and a different grille, but it mostly resembles 1970-86 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. The GTA Vice City and GTA San Andreas renditions of the Perennial come in two variations: with or without roof rack. While the GTA Vice City rendition features only solid body colours, the GTA San Andreas rendition commonly features a two tone colour scheme, but sometimes it comes with a totally dark blue paintjob. The roof colour cannot be changed at TransFender but visiting Pay 'n' Spray changes it. GTA San Andreas's Perennial has chromed side moldings in its upper body and apart from its tail lights, it looks more like its real-life counterpart when compared to the GTA III or GTA Vice City renditions of the vehicle.

In GTA Liberty City Stories and GTA Vice City Stories, the car assumes a slightly newer and leaner model that resembles a Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, based on the position of the side panels and grille, but retains elements of previous iterations of the car in the rear. The rendition of the car in these games also features two tone body colors and in GTA Vice City Stories, it can come with few one-color paintjobs.GTA Liberty City Stories´Hearse resembles the Perennial.

According to the Capital Autos website, the Perennial in GTA III was known as the "Maurice" early during development of the game.

GTA IV — GTA Chinatown Wars
In GTA IV, likely as a joke given the Perennial's rustic station wagon appearance throughout the GTA III Era, the Perennial is now based on a more streamlined and futuristic-looking MPV. The closest identification is that it's a mix of the 2007-2011 Honda CR-V and the Honda Stream. The rear of the sides and rear window are also similar to those Mercedes-Benz R-Class and Audi A4 B8 Avant. It is the only vehicle in GTA IV which has fully glassed roof, which is very reminiscent of the ill-fated Renault Avantime, though it was a coupe and not an MPV. The Perennial also appears similar to the Citroen Xsara Picasso. The taillights seem invented but loosely resemble a 2003-2005 (US) Accord. The interior seating is part leather and part cloth.

After several conclusions on what the original model of this parody is based on in GTA IV, the closest identification to be given to the Perennial (Parody) would be the 2nd Generation Honda Stream. Before the CR-V/Stream combo was identified, many thought that it has been a parody of the Toyota Wish, JDM Honda Odyssey, which look somewhat like the design of the Perennial in GTA IV.

GTA IV's Perennial is also available as an airport shuttle vehicle, bearing FlyUS liveries and a strobe light, lacking a glass roof, and spawning at the Francis International Airport.

The GTA Chinatown Wars Nintendo DS and iOS rendition appears to revert to an older design, sporting a lean 1970s appearance more alike early renditions of the Regina. For the PSP and iOS renditions however, the Perennial resembles a cross between the GTA IV version and the American Honda Odyssey so it appears to have rear sliding doors, even though the doors don't slide.

GTA III — GTA Vice City Stories
The underpowered, front-wheel drive Perennial is quite sluggish. Acceleration is highly lacking, as is speed, but the handling is responsive, but quite heavy, and is prone to oversteer and rolling. It is, however, quite sturdy, and can withstand significant damage before bursting into flames and exploding. The Perennial is also easy to ram off roads, especially with large, fast vehicles such as the Fire Truck and the Barracks OL.

GTA IV — GTA Chinatown Wars
The Dinka Perennial "MPV AW" returns to the GTA lineup with a significant makeover, both in looks and performance. Gone is the horrendous FWD layout, ditched in favor of a Rear Wheel Drive layout. The Perennial is more than likely powered by a mid-range V6, and is coupled to a 5 speed gearbox. Acceleration is now average, with a reasonable top speed of 161 mph. Handling is also upgraded significantly, as the Perennial no longer flops about on the road, but keeps steady. The suspension is quite firm for a vehicle of this size, and aides high-speed cornering. Braking is average, and the optional (but rare) ABS definitely helps (Note: ABS seems to be standard on the FlyUS variant). Crash deformation is below average, and as such the Perennial cannot sustain much damage before being un-drivable. However in a head on crash, minimal damage is suffered in the interior.

Variants

 * In GTA San Andreas, Big Smoke is originally depicted during "Big Smoke" to own an all-black Perennial at the very beginning of the game, only to watch it blown up during a drive-by an enemy gang. Smoke subsequently replaces it with a Glendale. There are two ways to obtain this Perennial.

Method 1
After the cutscene of the Ballas destroying Smoke's car, kill them with a weapon and push the Perennial to a garage.

Method 2
Enter the blow up all cars cheat during the cutscene where Carl and Smoke are about to enter the Perennial. You'll fail the mission for destroying Smoke's car, and he will walk off. Then push it to the garage next to you.

Trivia

 * The roof-mounted light on the FlyUS variant of the Perennial in GTA IV does not light up when the engine is running, unlike the FlyUS Feroci.
 * When dating Carl Johnson, Michelle Cannes will sometimes mention that her first car was a Perennial.
 * Within GTA IV multiplayer races, it is only possible to select the FlyUS version of the Perennial, rather than the civilian version, whereas the Feroci is available as civilian only.
 * The Perennial plays the following radio stations by default when entered:
 * K-JAH West in GTA San Andreas.
 * Fresh FM in GTA Vice City Stories.
 * Jazz Nation Radio 108.5 or Fusion FM in GTA IV.
 * In GTA IV, the police radio refers to the Perennial as an "MPV".
 * In GTA Vice City Stories, during the mission Truck Stop, a fireproof Perennial is available.
 * When dating in GTA IV with Kiki Jenkins, she will compliment Niko for his choice of vehicle if a Perennial is driven.
 * When you take the FlyUS Perennial to the Pay'N'Spray, it does not change the color for it, only repairing it.
 * It is quite possible it is called a Perennial because it is one of the older cars in the series and is still commonly found in good condition. It may also be because it has made an appearance in almost every GTA game

Locations
GTA III
 * Portland Harbor, Portland
 * Alley beside XXX Mags, Red Light District, Portland

GTA San Andreas
 * Spawns alot around the poorer areas of Los Santos
 * Can also be found in any of the metropolitan areas of the state
 * Importable from Easter Basin, San Fierro after you unlock importing/exporting. Import cost: $8,000 (Tuesday and Thursday only)

GTA Liberty City Stories
 * Capital Autos parking area, Harwood, Portland
 * The construction site in Hepburn Heights, Portland
 * The flophouse in Pike Creek, Shoreside Vale in where Donald Love lived after being bankrupt
 * At the Harwood Autocrusher and Junkyard

GTA Vice City Stories
 * By Phil Cassidy's depot in Viceport.
 * Northeast of the hospital in Little Havana, across from a basketball court.
 * Parked in front of Sunshine Autos along with the Blista Compact and the Admiral.

GTA IV
 * In the whole city, but mostly in Algonquin.
 * The FlyUS version is only available in Francis International Airport.
 * A Perennial can be seen blocking the road in the ending of the chase between Ivan and Niko in the mission Ivan The Not So Terrible. It has no driver, so the player is able to easily take it.

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