Futo

The Karin Futo is a compact two-door vehicle in Grand Theft Auto IV.

Design
The Futo is based on the 1984-1987 AE86 Toyota Corolla Levin GT-Apex 2-door coupe. The writing on the side indicates that it is equipped with a 20-valve engine, akin to Toyota's 4A-GE 1.6L Black or Silvertop engine, in RWD configuration (this engine did not actually appear until 1991, however, it was a popular modification for the AE86) with a limited slip differential (possibly contributing to the car's excellent handling). The car is very well detailed, from the interior to the individual throttle bodies, and the "Watanabe" wheel option (likely in reference to the popular Watanabe RS wheels for the AE86 Corolla).

Performance
The Futo is powered by what appears to be a 1.6L I4, paired to a 5 speed gearbox in a RWD configuration. Acceleration is above average, and its top speed is staggeringly quick. The chassis is firm and taut, giving the Futo stability at high speeds, and the ability to be thrown around for a bit of flair. Its suspension is firm, keeping the Futo flat in the banked corners, and stable in the S curves. Braking is acceptable, and front wheel lockup is not a big issue compared to other vehicles, however ABS is not available. Crash deformation is also acceptable, though build quality is subpar, often leaving the Futo disabled after a few accidents. All in all the Futo is great fun to drive, and makes an excellent escape or pursuit vehicle. The only possible disadvantages during a pursuit or escape is that the vehicle is small, lacking the power to move other vehicles, and only has 2 doors, rather than 4.

Variants


A modified variant of the Futo is driven by the Albanian Mob, and, as a result, can be commonly found in Little Bay. This so-called "GT" variant features a GT front grille, racing seat on the drivers side, carbon fibre hood, front-mounted strut bar, a roll cage inside, rear boot lip spoiler and a small bodykit. "Futo GT" is a name coined by fans; the game still refers to the car simply as the Futo when the player enters it, and its performance is identical to the stock car. The Futo GT is only seen in red and black, but can be resprayed any color. Although these Futos are distinctive from typical models, all Futos have "Futo GT" written on the interior of the doors, presumably to save texture memory.

Locations

 * Spawn all around Bohan, but mostly in Little Bay
 * Spawn all around Dukes
 * Spawn around Hove Beach, Broker
 * Spawn around Chinatown, Algonquin
 * Spawn in traffic in Multiplayer

Trivia

 * After collecting all thirty cars for Stevie he agrees to purchase cars from Niko Bellic, with the Futo fetching $1,400.
 * The two default radio stations of the Futo are IF99 - International Funk and K109 The Studio.
 * The car is the love child of Mike Bush, an American vehicle designer for Rockstar UK, and an AE86 enthusiast.
 * The name "Futo" is a diminutive of the working file name during production, "Dorifuto"; dorifuto is a Japanese loanword for car drifting.