"RC Car" redirects here. For the remote controlled car in Grand Theft Auto, see Model Car.
The RC Bandit (also known simply as the RC, RC Car or RC Buggy in Grand Theft Auto III) is a small radio controlled car that is available for use in several missions in the 3D Universe.
Description[]
3D Universe[]
In all of its appearances, the RC Bandit is primarily used as either a controllable bomb or for racing. The race car-like design of the vehicle has virtually remained unchanged between Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but the Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories rendition of the RC Bandit is redesigned as a miniature pickup truck-based monster truck. While in GTA San Andreas, the RC Bandit uses miniature wheels, other renditions of the vehicle use scaled-down versions of either wheels of sports cars (GTA III & GTA Vice City) or wheels used on utility vehicles, possibly used on the Bobcat or the Landstalker (GTA Liberty City Stories).
The GTA III rendition originally features only one color scheme, while the other renditions support a wider range of colors, including blue, red, yellow and green. The GTA San Andreas rendition also lacks an external radio antenna, unlike the other renditions.
Performance[]
3D Universe[]
Performance of the vehicle is as expected; being small and light, the RC Bandit is highly nimble with excellent acceleration, but it has a low top speed. Because the RC Bandit in GTA III to GTA San Andreas features very still suspensions, the buggy is susceptible to rollovers on bumpy terrain. The GTA Liberty City Stories rendition, however, receives performance tweaks, including a slightly improved top speed and soft suspensions that allow it to traverse uneven terrain much better. Some renditions are electric, while others are powered by gasoline or methanol ("nitro" in RC terminology).
3D Universe Overview[]
| Acceleration (0-60 mph in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh) |
Gears | Engine | Drivetrain (FWD / RWD / AWD) |
Mass (kg / lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 47 / 75 (GTA III — GTA San Andreas)
48 / 78 (GTA Liberty City Stories) |
1 | Electric | AWD (GTA III — GTA San Andreas)
RWD (GTA Liberty City Stories) |
100 / 220 |
| N/A | N/A | 1 | Electric battery | AWD | Cannot be observed |
Gallery[]
Design[]
Version History[]
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
The RC Bandit is only restricted for missions or side missions only, therefore the player cannot use the car in free roam without Modifications or the use of certain exploits.
Grand Theft Auto III[]
- Entering a TOYZ van will trigger a side mission, in which the player must destroy as many gang vehicles as possible using RC Cars rigged with explosives. It is also used in Toyminator to blow up three armored Securicars.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City[]
- Entering the Top Fun van parked in Vice Point, will trigger a side mission, in which the player must race around a track using an RC Bandit.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- The final mission for Zero involves helping him move an RC Bandit across a model battlefield as Berkley tries to trap and destroy it. The car is controlled only by Zero, with the player controlling an RC Goblin as support. It was originally going to be used in the mission Tanked Up, which was cut from the game during development.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories[]
- There are three checkpoint races which involve the player compete using a RC Bandit against three others.
Trivia[]
General[]
- "RC Bandit" is a play on arse bandit, another sexual joke by Rockstar.
- In the RC Racing game Re-Volt, there is a RC car also named RC Bandit.
- The name may also come from the real life RC car Traxxas Bandit.
- If the player spawns the vehicle in GTA III and GTA Vice City and attempts to enter it, the game will crash as soon as the player opens the "door". In GTA San Andreas, however, if the player tries to enter it, nothing will happen. But, in GTA Liberty City Stories, the player can normally enter it and drive it around, however, on the PSP version the player has to teleport inside the RC car, otherwise the game will crash.
Grand Theft Auto III[]
- The RC Bandit in GTA III has alternate colors programmed in the game, however only one is used.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- In GTA San Andreas, the RC Bandit's engine noise is the same as the Faggio's.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories[]
- The RC Bandit in GTA Liberty City Stories bears a resemblance to "Hammerhead" in the game Twisted Metal: Small Brawl, with both vehicles being monster truck-type RC cars and bearing an almost identical blue-ish teal and yellow paint job.
- In the mobile version of GTA Liberty City Stories, the RC Bandit has a new sound, closer to its GTA III one.
- Also, in the PSP and PS2 versions it appears with a different color on the upper half than the lower half, but in the Mobile version, it is always a single color.
See also[]
- Model Car - Grand Theft Auto equivalent.
- Zero RC
- RC Bandito - Grand Theft Auto Online equivalent.