The Bravado FIB (formerly named "FIB Buffalo") is a federal vehicle used by the Federal Investigation Bureau in Grand Theft Auto IV, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.
Design
Grand Theft Auto IV
Police siren set in GTA IV.
The FIB Buffalo is primarily based on the 2006-2010 Dodge Charger Police Package, while the front fascia has some subtle similarities to the 2005–2009 Ford Mustang.
The vehicle is depicted as a large and bulky sedan with a sturdy construction in comparison to most sedans. On the front, the car mounts a large bumper with a thin ridge near the bottom, an intake mesh on the center and a set of lights on the edges, consisting of non-functional circular fog lights and functional rectangular turn signals. Above the bumper, the car has a wide grille with three horizontal dividers finished in silver/chrome and a set of red/blue halogen police lights mounted on either side, while the outer sections house dual headlights; two large oval/elliptical lights that give the car an aggressive styling and two smaller circular lights. The hood area has slight impressed shapes where the grille is located and adopt a slight curvature before becoming parallel as they lead towards the windshield, while the Bravado emblem is seen on the front.
The sides of the car are made up of conventional shapes for the bodywork, with a smooth curvature/waist line starting from the front end and becoming seemingly flat throughout most of the greenhouse area, before transitioning into a more elevated shape from above the rear door handles and slightly descend towards the rear end. The wheelbase/skirting area have thin ridges similar to the front bumper, while the doors make use of painted horizontal handles. The greenhouse area is predominated by the plastic trim around the windows and the innermost pillars, in addition to small painted mirror shells near the A-pillars. The roof area has two plastic trim/lines separating the roof panel from the rest of the car, while the rearmost section has a slanted window with the same set of red/blue halogen police lights mou ted behind. The seams for the trunk lid are slightly angled towards the center of the car.
On the rear end, the trunk lid bears a dedicated section for the license plate and a silver/chrome detail above, while the Bravado emblem and the "BUFFALO SUPERCHARGED" badges can be seen above the license plate and on the driver side, respectively. The outer sections house numerous tail lights, each one consisting of upper turn signals, inner brake lights, outer main lights and lower reverse lights. The bumper has a similar ridge detail as the frontal one, while two exhaust pipes can be seen below.
The interior of the car is shared with both models of the Taxi and the other law enforcement sedans, albeit having the Bravado emblem on the horn cap and "BUFFALO" lettering on the door sills. As with most police vehicles in GTA IV, the FIB Buffalo's computer system has full access to the LCPD Database, allowing the player to use the car for the Most Wanted and Vigilante side-missions.
In both Grand Theft Auto IV and The Lost and Damned, it is the first Buffalo model featured in the Grand Theft Auto series, before The Ballad of Gay Tony introduced a civilian and a police version (despite billboards advertising a civilian model).As with any other public safety vehicle, the player cannot listen to civilian radio stations, take the vehicle to a Pay 'n' Spray or Car Wash, or complete missions which involve meeting with criminals.
The car is only available in a black color and uses the same wheel design as the Taxi (Vapid model), the Police/NOOSE Cruiser and Police Patrol.
Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online
Police siren set in the original version of GTA V.
FIB siren set in the enhanced version of GTA V.
In Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, the FIB Buffalo looks the same as in GTA IV, except that more interior emergency lights have been added to the front and rear of the car. As with the majority of police vehicles in the game, these lights are LED strips rather than halogen incandescent lamps. It also shares the same interior as the Taxi and other law enforcement sedans. The FIB has been replaced by the Granger-based FIB vehicle as the FIB main vehicle.
Again, the car is only available in a black color and retains the same wheel design as before, also shared with the Interceptor.
Current Design Gallery
Version History Gallery
Performance
Grand Theft Auto IV
The FIB Buffalo is a very well performing vehicle. Stylized as a sports muscle car, the vehicle can be said to have a high displacement engine, and the in-game engine model appears to be a rather basic 4-cylinder engine, laid longitudinally. The engine also emits a loud sound to denote its large displacement and strong power, also shared with the Schafter and the Intruder.
The car performs exceptionally well, as expected. It has a high rate of acceleration, which gives the car some amazing torque, and it also has acceptable traction, allowing this acceleration potential to be maximized. The top speed is one of the highest in the game, surpassing its civilian counterpart and equivalent LCPD vehicles, being on par with other high-performance police vehicles such as the NOOSE Cruiser and Police Stinger.
The car also features good armor, being invulnerable to high rates of gunfire, but not quite explosive-proof. The car, however, can be deformed with relative ease, which may be a disadvantage when involved in high-speed collisions. As the vehicle can take several good hits, it also improves on firearm attack.
GTA IV Overview
| Acceleration (0-60 mph in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh) |
Gears | Engines | Drivetrain (FWD / RWD / AWD) |
Mass (kg / lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 93 / 150 | 5 | N/A | RWD | 1550 / 3417 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | Supercharged (Badging) | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | 5 | FR DOHC Inline-4 (In-game model) | RWD | Cannot be observed |
Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online
The FIB Buffalo's smooth yet potent performance gives it a big-engined, supercharged feel. It sounds to have a flat-plane crank engine similar to the Jackal and the Interceptor, being significantly smoother than its GTA IV counterpart, yet the engine model remains as a 4-cylinder engine. The top speed is relatively high, too, however the 5-speed gearbox may at times feel like it limits this somewhat. The Buffalo provides superb protection from firearm attacks or crash damage making it much durable. Thanks to RWD, the Buffalo may oversteer in some cases; in others, particularly in high-speed corners, the car neither understeers nor oversteers, and gives a balanced feel that differs from most American muscle cars. This car also rides exceptionally smoothly; when on bumpy/hilly roads, the soft-feeling suspension keeps the car level and at times bounces ever so slightly. For this, it is one of the fastest law enforcement vehicles.
GTA V/GTA Online Overview
| Acceleration (0-60 mph in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh) |
Gears | Engine | Drivetrain (FWD / RWD / AWD) |
Mass (kg / lbs) |
Fuel Tank Size (litres) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 90 / 145 | 5 | N/A | RWD | 1650 / 3638 | 65 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | Supercharged (Badging) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 6.5 Seconds | 120 / 193 | 5 | FR DOHC Inline-4 (In-game model) | RWD | Cannot be observed | Cannot be observed |
 |
Speed | 77.799942% | ||||
| Acceleration | 70% | |||||
| Braking | 29.999998% | |||||
| Traction | 74.242424% | |||||
Image Gallery
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online
Prominent Appearances in Missions
While the vehicle appears in wanted levels, some missions has scripted appearances of it in GTA IV and episodes. Only in GTA V and GTA Online, its appearances are purely scripted.
Grand Theft Auto IV
The Lost And Damned
The Ballad Of Gay Tony
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto Online
Contact Missions
Heists
VIP Work
- Hostile Takeover (LSIA variant)
Survivals
- Project 4808A: Terminal
- Project 4808C: Grapeseed
- Project 4808D: Desert
- Project 4808E: Arena
- Project 4808F: Pillbox
Notable Owners
- In The Lost and Damned, the FIB Buffalo is the vehicle of choice for corrupt LCPD detectives Ed McCornish and Jimmy Matthews during Bad Cop Drop, which is odd for a federal vehicle is being used by members of a police department. With this in mind, It was most likely chosen as a stand-in for an unmarked police car.
- In the end cutscene of Lamar Down, Steve Haines can be seen driving off in an FIB Buffalo.
Locations
Grand Theft Auto IV
Similar to the FBI vehicles from previous games, the FIB Buffalo is somewhat difficult to obtain, as it has no designated spawning locations, and only appears in certain missions or when the player has at least a 4-star wanted level. This is further made harder by the chance of the NOOSE coming after the player instead of the FIB. Getting the FIB Buffalo requires specific conditions to be met, making it a notable challenge:
- Free hunt: The most straightforward but challenging method, however, available at any stage of the game progress. Obtain a 4 star wanted level via attacking the police in a rapid fashion, wait for an FIB Buffalo team to arrive, shoot down the agents inside and hijack the car. Using body armor and an automatic weapon will make this process much easier. FIB Agents will come with Carbine Rifles, SMGs, Pump Action Shotguns and rarely Pistols. In The Ballad of Gay Tony, they use Assault SMGs and they are the only NPCs besides NOOSE with the ability to fire the Assault SMG through a vehicle's window.
- Internet jailbait: Go to the www.littlelacysurprisepageant.com page on the Algonquin safehouse computer and then wait until the LCPD sends an FIB team. If they send a NOOSE team, reload the game and try again. When they send an FIB team, just exit the house, kill the FIB agents in it, and park it.
- Cheat Code: Dialing 227-555-0100 on the player's phone. This works in both GTA IV and its DLCs. There is no achievement penalty, but will increase the level of FIB agents appearing at higher wanted levels.
Note that just gaining a 4 star wanted level alone for trespassing a restricted location, such as the Francis International Airport's runway or Civilization Committee Headquarters, will not improve the chances for an FIB Buffalo to appear in pursuit. The probability for it to appear in pursuit seems to increase if the player is making a rapid getaway from police cars, shooting the drivers, going over bridges and changing vehicles often.
Grand Theft Auto V
Where to Find the FIB Unmarked Police cars- GTA 5!!!
Original version
- Can be found parked next to the satellites in Grand Senora Desert with FIB agents and scientists between 10:00 and 11:00 in the morning. Often two can spawn.
Grand Theft Auto Online
Enhanced version
- Spawns in the hangar during the LSIA Hostile Takeover VIP Work in Grand Theft Auto Online.
- Enemies may arrive in it during Contact Mission Time To Get Away.
- Spawns in the FIB variant of the Heist Prep: Hacking Device mission
- Spawns at the meet of IAA agents and the Los Santos Triads during Planning Work: Security Pass.
- Enemies arrive in it after the meeting is disrupted while shouting FIB. This could be possibly an oversight since the game just spawns regular FIB enemies in this car.
Rewards
- In GTA IV, the FIB Buffalo gives the player a Combat Shotgun upon entry.
- In GTA V, the FIB Buffalo gives the player a Carbine Rifle upon entry.
Trivia
Grand Theft Auto IV
- The FIB Buffalo has a unique horn. However, in The Ballad of Gay Tony multiplayer, it is shared with the Police Buffalo, making it no longer unique.
Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online
- During the movie Meltdown, a white FIB Buffalo is used by the main characters in the film's chase through Algonquin.
- In the GTA Online Capture Creator, the player can color both FIB vehicles to what they desire.
- The siren was altered for the enhanced version, where it sounds like a 90's police siren. The same siren is also used on the FIB Granger.
- The front emergencly lights are also activated in conjunction with the engine, similar to Daytime Running Lights.
- Evidence[1] from the Heists Update suggests the IAA uses this vehicle as well.
See Also
- Special Agent Car - Grand Theft Auto 2 equivalent.
- FBI Car - Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto Advance equivalents.
- FBI Washington - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories equivalents.
- FBI Cruiser - Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories equivalent.
- Buffalo and Buffalo-based Police Cruiser.
References
