The Albany Emperor is a four-door sedan appearing in Grand Theft Auto IV, Episodes from Liberty City, Grand Theft Auto V and Online, and due to appear in Grand Theft Auto VI.
The car returns from the 3D Universe where it also assumed the design of a four-door sedan.
Description[]
Grand Theft Auto VI[]
The Emperor appeared in the September 2022 GTA VI leaks, across two clips. In one, two instances of the vehicle can be seen in traffic near Hank's Waffles in Port Gellhorn.[1] In another, a red one is briefly visible driving northbound past the Gas Stop location in Port Gellhorn.[2]
The Emperor can then be seen multiple times throughout the game's second trailer and official screenshots, now featuring updated badging and a new interior.
Influence[]
The Emperor is primarily based on the 1977–1980 fifth generation Cadillac Sedan de Ville and the 1986–1990 Cadillac Brougham. The headlights might have been inspired by the 1976–1977 Pontiac LeMans. The interior in GTA IV is shared with the Esperanto, being based on that of a 1982 Pontiac Bonneville.
Design[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
In GTA IV, the Albany Emperor takes the design of a boxy 1980s American luxury sedan. It is more traditional and luxurious in design, having a small grille with four square headlamps on the front, with a large and bulky bumper featuring a small grille beneath and a license plate. Chrome lettering can be seen above the grille, displaying its name. The sides make use of chrome lines passing through the doors and going towards the rear end, while the greenhouse area is predominated by chrome trims around the windows and chrome door handles, as well as square rear-view mirrors. The rear is slightly larger than its previous iteration and part of the rear wheels are covered by its bodywork. The Emperor shares its interior with the Esperanto.
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
The Emperor returns to GTA V and GTA Online with an identical overall profile and design, but with slight deviations, such as a black "eggcrate" grille replacing the chrome mesh, a wider bottom grille, more pronounced detailing, different windshield wipers, a black finish on the side mirrors, and the removal of white-wall tires, giving the Emperor a somewhat less luxurious appearance than its previous iteration.
Color distribution is the same as in GTA IV for both variants, as well as retaining the same wheel design.
Performance[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
GTA IV's Emperor is powered by a high-displacement, but low-output V8 engine, mated to a 4 speed gearbox in a RWD configuration. Due to its weight and low-power engine, the Emperor is quite slow off the line, its top speed leaves much to be desired. The car feels very heavy around corners and loses much speed around them. Its soft suspension often results in its rear swinging out of control and subtle fishtailing. Braking is very poor. Crash deformation is below average, and build quality is surprisingly low, as the Emperor cannot sustain much damage before failing or catching fire.
The base model, alongside the rusted variant, share the same engine sound as the Stanier-based sedans, being the Taxi, the Police Cruiser and the NOOSE Cruiser.
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
The handling system introduced in GTA V has led to some marked improvements to the Emperor compared to its appearance in GTA IV. The Emperor again seems to be powered by a high displacement but low-revving V8 engine. The engine offers low power and only decent torque. Because of this, the Emperor's acceleration and overall top speed is unspectacular.
The handling of the Emperor is decent, especially when a more performance oriented suspension is added to the car. However, due to the car's low ride height, this does cause the car to scrape against the ground in areas where the terrain is more dynamic and road clearance is necessary. This low ride height will also sometimes cause the Emperor to become stuck in areas where smaller and "shorter" cars can escape from. At speed, the handling of the Emperor can become inconsistent and is prone to fishtailing due to the overall design of the car. Nevertheless, the long wheelbase of the car does aid the driver in these situations, as the driver can countersteer out of the slide and regain control of the car.
The normal Emperor can take multiple impacts to the engine, chassis, suspension, and tires without taking significant damage that will disable the car, and it is considered one of the most underestimated and under-rated cars in terms of overall durability. The engine, as stated before, is unspectacular, but does have decent torque, which allows the large and bulky car to accelerate very quickly and also enables it to take on off-road courses that some other cars in the same class may have issues with (such as climbing Mount Chiliad). The car is fairly large and has one of the largest trunks in the game. It seats four occupants. The car's torque, combined with its weight, durability, and apparent body on frame design allows it to obtain an impressive amount of momentum at full speed, and the Emperor is easily capable of barreling through Police Roadblocks, and is also rarely affected by other cars slamming into it or ramming it. It is one of the most durable cars in the game.
Overall, the Emperor is a solid, heavy car, with handling that isn't proportional to its straight line speed. For the price and availability of the car, it should be considered by anyone looking for a beginner's sedan that can haul a small group around, especially in areas where a durable and capable sedan is needed.
Unlike in GTA IV, all variants of the Emperor in GTA V perform identically, as they share the same handling files, and share an engine sound with the Buccaneer.
Variants[]
| Image | Vehicle | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 A rusted Emperor in Grand Theft Auto V and Online. |
Emperor (rusted) | Beater variant of the Emperor, with rusted and damaged bodywork, with the possibility of damaged headlights in Grand Theft Auto IV. | |
  A snowed Emperor in Grand Theft Auto V and Online. |
Emperor (snowed) | Snowed variant of the Emperor appearing exclusively during Bury the Hatchet in Grand Theft Auto V. | Only appears in Ludendorff in Grand Theft Auto V, appearing during both the Prologue and Bury the Hatchet. |
| Special variants | |||
| Dust Off variant | A black Emperor with a unique red pearlescent color spawns beside a building at Francis International Airport after completing Dust Off in Grand Theft Auto IV. | ||
Modifications[]
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
| Category | Modification | Cost (GTA V) | Cost (GTA Online) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor | No Armor | $100 | $200 | |
| Armor Upgrade 20% | $500 | $4,500 | ||
| Armor Upgrade 40% | $1,250 | $7,500 | ||
| Armor Upgrade 60% | $2,000 | $12,000 | ||
| Armor Upgrade 80% | $3,500 | $21,000 | ||
| Armor Upgrade 100% | $5,000 | $30,000 | ||
| Brakes | Stock Brakes | $100 | $200 | |
| Street Brakes | $2,000 | $4,000 | ||
| Sport Brakes | $2,700 | $5,400 | ||
| Race Brakes | $3,500 | $7,000 | ||
| Engine | EMS Upgrade, Level 1 | $900 | $1,800 | |
| EMS Upgrade, Level 2 | $1,250 | $2,500 | ||
| EMS Upgrade, Level 3 | $1,800 | $3,600 | ||
| EMS Upgrade, Level 4 | $3,350 | $6,700 | ||
| Explosives | Ignition Bomb | N/A | $5,000 | |
| Remote Bomb | N/A | $7,500 | ||
| Horns | Main article: Vehicle Customization in GTA V/Horns | - | - | |
| Lights | Headlights | Stock Lights | $100 | $200 |
| Xenon Lights | $300 | $3,000 | ||
| Neon Kits | Main article: Vehicle Customization in GTA V/Lights | - | - | |
| Loss/Theft Prevention | Tracker | N/A | $2,000 | |
| Full Coverage | N/A | $1,000 | ||
| Plates | Blue on White 1 | $50 | $200 | |
| Blue on White 2 | $50 | $200 | ||
| Blue on White 3 | $50 | $200 | ||
| Yellow on Blue | $75 | $300 | ||
| Yellow on Black | $150 | $600 | ||
| Respray | Main article: Vehicle Customization in GTA V/Respray Colors | - | - | |
| Sell | Sell Vehicle | N/A | $500 | |
| Suspension | Stock Suspension | $100 | $200 | |
| Lowered Suspension | $500 | $1,000 | ||
| Street Suspension | $1,000 | $2,000 | ||
| Sport Suspension | $1,700 | $3,400 | ||
| Competition Suspension | $2,200 | $4,400 | ||
| Transmission | Stock Transmission | $100 | $200 | |
| Street Transmission | $2,950 | $5,900 | ||
| Sports Transmission | $3,250 | $6,500 | ||
| Race Transmission | $4,000 | $8,000 | ||
| Turbo | None | $500 | $1,000 | |
| Turbo Tuning | $2,500 | $30,000 | ||
| Wheels | Main article: Vehicle Customization in GTA V/Wheels | - | - | |
| Windows | None | $100 | $500 | |
| Light Smoke | $200 | $1,500 | ||
| Dark Smoke | $450 | $3,500 | ||
| Limo | $700 | $5,000 | ||
Gallery[]
Design[]
Images[]
Emperor in the original version of Grand Theft Auto V and Online. (Rear quarter view)
A comparison between the standard Emperor (foreground), the rusted variant, and the snowed variant in GTA V.
Trailer Screenshots[]
Trailer 2
A partially covered Emperor parked in La Perle.
Front side of an Emperor parked at the Starlet Motel.
Official Screenshots[]
-GTAV-front.jpg){kind=link}
Boobie Ike stood in front of an Emperor in an official screenshot.
Locations[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- Commonly found around the Dukes area.
- Spawns commonly when driving an Esperanto.
- Spawns near Mikhail Faustin's mansion in Beachgate.
- Occasionally spawns parked on Munsee Avenue in Downtown, Broker. Commonly found near where the Pony spawns.
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- Can be kept after completing a Drunk Driver Random Event in Sandy Shores.
- Spawns most commonly in Downtown Los Santos, Vinewood, East Vinewood and Rockford Hills.
- Also spawns more commonly when the player is driving a muscle car.
- Parked in the parking lot to the side of the Vanilla Unicorn.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
- Can be found throughout South Los Santos.
- Sometimes spawns in Vinewood Hills.
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- The Puerto Rican Connection – The Spanish Lords targets own an Emperor, which they board after getting off the Schottler Station.
- Dust Off – Spawns next to a building at the airport after completing this mission. It is featured with one of 13 possible lusters.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
- Pier Pressure
- Used by attacking enemies in the Project 4808A: Terminal, Project 4808B: Ranch, Project 4808C: Grapeseed, Project 4808D: Desert, Project 4808E: Arena, and Project 4808F: Pillbox survivals.
- The Marabunta Grande variant appears during Last Play - Bad Companies.
- The Vagos variant appears during rescue missions for the Nightclub’s resident DJ.
- Short Trip - Seed Capital – Lamar's personal vehicle
- Short Trip - Fire It Up – Lamar's personal vehicle
- Tow Truck Service – This vehicle may be randomly selected to be stolen and delivered to the player's Salvage Yard to be disassembled for parts.
The Criminal Enterprises
- Steal Nightclub Goods [vaguevagueThe information near this tag is too vague, and requires clarification.]
Notable Owners[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- Lamar Davis owns an Emperor that has changed colors and plates multiple times:
- GTA Online in 2013: Painted black, "LAMAR G" plates
- GTA V: Painted blue, "07KZF345" plates
- GTA Online, mid-2021: painted black, "LAMAR G" plates
- GTA Online, late 2021: painted green, "LAMAR G" plates, supposed Benny's Original Motor Works performance modifications
- Maude Eccles
- Freddy Paparo
- Drunk Couple
- Preston Pecinovsky
- Taliana Martinez used an Emperor as a getaway car during a robbery, before she was involved in a high-speed crash and flipped the car over into a ditch near Braddock Pass.
- The Truth
- Marabunta Grande
- Los Santos Vagos
Lamar's Emperor, painted black in Mall or Nothing and Lowriders missions in 2013 (Rear view)
Lamar's Emperor, painted blue in The Long Stretch in 2013 (Rear view)
Lamar's Emperor, painted black inside the LS Car Meet in mid-2021 (Rear view)
Lamar's Emperor, painted green during Short Trips in late 2021 (Rear view)
Rewards[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- The Emperor can be sold at S&M Auto Sales for a maximum of $2,500 (in perfect condition) after completion of Stevie's Car Thefts.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
- Sells for $800 at Los Santos Customs.
Rockstar Games Social Club[]
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
Oversights[]
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
Enhanced version
- The reverse and brake lights appear to be missing their emissive texture when reversing and braking, despite the light elements illuminating.
Radio Stations[]
- In Grand Theft Auto IV, the default radio stations are grouped by genre. The Emperor uses the "Reggae" group which can play:
- In Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, the default radio stations are grouped by genre. The Emperor uses the "Reggae" group which plays RamJam FM.
- In Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition, the default radio stations are grouped by genre. The Emperor uses the "Reggae" group which can play:
- In Grand Theft Auto V and Online, the default radio stations are grouped by genre. The Emperor uses the "Rap" group which can play:
- West Coast Classics
- Radio Los Santos
- The Lab
- Blonded Los Santos 97.8 FM (May not play due to a three station limit within the group)
- IFruit Radio (May not play due to a three station limit within the group)
Specifications[]
Model[]
| Model name | Texture name | Handling name | Text label name | In-game name | Swankness | Flags | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA IV | emperor
|
emperor
|
EMPEROR
|
EMPEROR
|
Emperor | 1
|
|
| GTA V and Online | emperor
|
emperor
|
EMPEROR
|
EMPEROR
|
Emperor | 1
|
|
Population[]
| Groups | Scenario sets | Frequency (%) | Driver model | License plates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA IV |
|
N/A | 100 | N/A | N/A |
| GTA V and Online |
|
None | 100 | None |
|
Handling[]
| Max velocity (kmh / mph) | Gears | Engine type | Drivetrain | Mass (kg / lbs) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA IV | 130 / 80.6 | 4 | N/A | RWD | 2100 / 4620 |
| GTA V and Online | 120 / 74.4 | 5 | N/A | RWD | 1900 / 4180 |
Audio[]
| Horns | Engine | Police scanner | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Model | Category | Color | |||
| GTA IV | |
|
N/A | |||
| GTA V and Online | horn_list_old
|
musclecar_4_us_v8
|
Albany | Emperor |
|
None |
Language[]
| English | Chinese (Traditional) | Chinese (Simplified) | French | German | Italian | Japanese | Korean | MexicanMexicanNahuatl/Aztec/Mexicano | Polish | Portuguese | Russian | Spanish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA V and Online | Emperor | 皇霸天 | 皇霸天 | Emperor | Emperor | Emperor | エンペラー | 엠페러 | Emperor | Emperor | Emperor | Emperor | Emperor |
Traffic Default Colors[]
| GTA IV | PrimaryPrimaryPrimary color (1) | SecondarySecondarySecondary color (2) | PearlescentPearlescentPearlescent color (3) | TertiaryTertiaryTertiary color (4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Black Poly | 0 Black | 3 Pewter Gray Poly | 0 Black | |
| 0 Black | 0 Black | 3 Pewter Gray Poly | 0 Black | |
| 7 Shadow Silver Poly | 0 Black | 7 Shadow Silver Poly | 0 Black | |
| 10 Gray Poly | 0 Black | 10 Gray Poly | 0 Black | |
| 11 Anthracite Gray Poly | 1 Black Poly | 11 Anthracite Gray Poly | 0 Black | |
| 16 Dark Titanium Poly | 1 Black Poly | 16 Dark Titanium Poly | 0 Black | |
| 21 Steel Gray Poly | 2 Concord Blue Poly | 21 Steel Gray Poly | 0 Black | |
| 31 Graceful Red Mica | 31 Graceful Red Mica | 31 Graceful Red Mica | 0 Black | |
| 48 Alabaster Red Solid | 38 Burnt Currant Red Poly | 48 Alabaster Red Solid | 0 Black | |
| 55 Hoods | 1 Black Poly | 55 Hoods | 0 Black | |
| 57 Dark Green Poly | 10 Gray Poly | 57 Dark Green Poly | 0 Black | |
| 61 Pastel Alabaster Poly | 16 Dark Titanium Poly | 61 Pastel Alabaster Poly | 0 Black | |
| 68 Diamond Blue Poly | 102 Biston Brown Poly | 68 Diamond Blue Poly | 0 Black | |
| 78 Steel Blue Poly | 108 Sandalwood Frost Poly | 79 Light Sapphire Blue Poly | 0 Black | |
| 95 Pueblo Beige | 102 Biston Brown Poly | 95 Pueblo Beige | 0 Black |
| GTA V and Online | PrimaryPrimaryPrimary color (1) | SecondarySecondarySecondary color (2) | PearlescentPearlescentPearlescent color (3) | WheelsWheelsWheel/tertiary color (4) | TrimTrimTrim/quaternary color (5) | AccentAccentAccent/quinary color (6) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Metallic Black Steel (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 2 Metallic Black Steel (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 3 Metallic Dark Silver (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 7 Metallic Shadow Silver (Metallic) | 2 Metallic Black Steel (Metallic) | 111 Metallic White (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 4 Metallic Silver (Metallic) | 9 Metallic Midnight Silver (Metallic) | 111 Metallic White (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 19 Util Gun Metal (Utility) | 1 Metallic Graphite Black (Metallic) | 19 Util Gun Metal (Utility) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 6 Metallic Steel Gray (Metallic) | 1 Metallic Graphite Black (Metallic) | 111 Metallic White (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 33 Metallic Desert Red (Metallic) | 2 Metallic Black Steel (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 31 Metallic Grace Red (Metallic) | 31 Metallic Grace Red (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 34 Metallic Cabernet Red (Metallic) | 106 Metallic Sun Bleeched Sand (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 54 Metallic Gasoline Blue Green (Metallic) | 8 Metallic Stone Silver (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 56 Util Dark Green (Utility) | 1 Metallic Graphite Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 52 Metallic Olive Green (Metallic) | 2 Metallic Black Steel (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 67 Metallic Diamond Blue (Metallic) | 101 Metallic Biston Brown (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 77 Util Blue (Utility) | 95 Metallic Dark Ivory (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | |
| 94 Metallic Pueblo Beige (Metallic) | 94 Metallic Pueblo Beige (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 156 Default Alloy Color (Classic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) | 0 Metallic Black (Metallic) |
Beta Content[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
An Emperor is advertised on a billboard in Star Junction, with what looks to be possible front end design differences.
Emperor advertised at Star Junction in Grand Theft Auto IV.
Texture file for the Emperor advertisement at Star Junction.
Trivia[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- The Emperor uses the same horn sound from GTA San Andreas.
- The rear facade of an Emperor is attached to a building at the northern end of Star Junction.
References[]
- ↑ Timestamp00:02:55 (behind a blue Youga Classic)
00:03:00 (red, behind another Youga Classic)Americas 2021-07-12 12-19-51.mp4 - ↑ Timestamp00:00:04
Americas 2022-05-03 11-20-11.mp4