The Albany Roman's Taxi is a vehicle featured in Grand Theft Auto IV and The Lost and Damned.
Description[]
Roman's Taxi is a taxi variant of the Esperanto used by Roman Bellic's taxi company. Roman's taxis are only driven by Roman and his employees, though Niko can drive them in a side mission between Concrete Jungle and Roman's Sorrow.
Niko can call Roman to send a taxi to pick him up, after gaining his favor. The taxi driver is notoriously short-tempered, with the taxi rides peppered with insults hurled Niko's way for being a "freeloader". The cabs are unavailable between The Master and the Molotov and Blow Your Cover due to the events of Roman's Sorrow. After unlocking the Algonquin Safehouse (at which point Roman's business appears to have become highly successful), Roman's taxis are replaced by a fleet of gray Cavalcades, with the same disgruntled driver as before.
Unlike the Vapid and Declasse Taxis, as well as the Schyster Cabby, there are a few advantages to using Roman's taxi.
- The ride, no matter where or how long, is free of charge.
- The driver won't leave when the player attains a wanted level.
- It is a good choice for a drive-by, having someone else drive.
- The vehicle's doors are locked, so if the player accidentally tries to carjack the taxi, they will not gain a wanted level for vehicle theft. Because of this, the LCPD will not be able to arrest Niko if the player gains a wanted level while inside the taxi unless the window is smashed, letting the police unlock the door.
Design[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
Roman's Taxi is a unique variant of the Esperanto, featuring only minor alterations. It is equipped with red taxi emergency lights affixed to the grille and trunk, and taxi stickers applied to the rear bumper, rear window, and trunk, the latter of which replaces the Esperanto badge on the standard model. Roman's Taxi also features a unique red interior, with more plush front seats, a unique horn, and only one exhaust pipe on the right side, as opposed to two on the regular Esperanto.
By default, Roman's Taxi is black with a discolored dark gray driver's side front fender. It can be resprayed to other colors and may be randomly resprayed back to its default appearance, although the driver's side fender will remain a light pink color.
Current Design Gallery[]
Performance[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
Performance and handling-wise, the taxi is heavier than the Esperanto (1700 kg to the Esperanto's 1600 kg), and has inferior acceleration, but has a significantly greater top speed. It also has slightly stronger braking and softer suspension. The handling feels good and can go around a corner at low speeds without much trouble. It is slightly less prone to deformation than the Esperanto, and can better withstand collisions.
GTA IV Overview[]
| Acceleration (0-60 mph in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh) |
Gears | Engines | Drivetrain (FWD / RWD / AWD) |
Mass (kg / lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 87 / 140 | 5 | N/A | RWD | 1700 / 3748 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | 5 | FR SOHC V8 (In-game model) | RWD | Cannot be observed |
Gallery[]
Variants[]
Special Variants[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- In the mission, "The Cousins Bellic," Roman's taxi features an all-black body, To obtain the vehicle, park the vehicle in the parking space but do not head towards the mission marker, and commit suicide. The vehicle will be there when the player returns.
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
Roman's Taxi is the first vehicle that the player drives in Grand Theft Auto IV, and was prominently featured in pre-release materials, with the car initially painted with an all-black body color. It features as part of several early missions, including GTA IV's taxi side-mission.
- The Cousins Bellic - Niko needs to drive Roman in the taxi to Roman's place.
- It's Your Call - Niko drives Roman to the hardware store on Dillon Street in Schottler for gamble and takes Roman back to the cab depot while evading the Albanian loan sharks.
- Three's a Crowd - Niko picks Mallorie up from the Hove Beach Station and takes her and her friend Michelle, to Michelle's apartment.
- Bleed Out - Used by Niko to chase Dardan with Roman and takes Roman back to the cab depot
- Easy Fare - Niko needs to pick up Jermaine Andrews in a Roman's Taxi.
- Jamaican Heat - Provided as an optional vehicle to pick up Little Jacob on Oneida Avenue in Outlook.
- Uncle Vlad - Provided as an optional vehicle to take Roman to the Comrades Bar.
- Roman's Sorrow - Roman is hiding in the trunk of the car in the alleyway off Hooper Street in Dukes.
- Roman's Taxi Driver - Given to the player for taxi runs.
The Lost and Damned[]
- Roman's Holiday - Roman will arrive with his taxi if Johnny chooses to call Roman.
Notable Owners[]
- Roman Bellic owned a fleet of Roman's Taxis, black Esperantos fitted with Taxi accessories.
Locations[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- It is featured in most Roman missions. Usually, after finishing these, Niko can be still in the car.
- After completing a Taxi run for Roman (between the events of Jamaican Heat to Russian Revolution), the player can take and store one.
- Using the "Taxi" ability from Roman when having enough friendship with him and completing Bull in a China Shop. The car can be stolen by the player when it arrives after the player calls for one. The "Taxi" ability will temporarily unavailable between the events of Russian Revolution to Blow Your Cover and after completing Hostile Negotiation, it will be replaced by Cavalcades.
- May occasionally spawn in traffic, if already driving one.
The Lost and Damned[]
- In The Lost and Damned, Roman's taxi may appear in the mission "Roman's Holiday." If Johnny Klebitz calls Roman (555-2222), Roman will arrive with his taxi shortly after the call. Soon after, Johnny and Malc will kidnap Roman and take him to the abandoned warehouse in Bohan. Roman's taxi can be obtained if Malc is killed in this mission. If Roman is killed instead, Malc will drive off with it after the mission failure cutscene.
Rewards[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- Once the player has completed all 30 of Stevie's Car Thefts, Niko can then sell the Taxi to him for $2,000.
Trivia[]
General[]
- Game files suggest that Roman's Taxi was originally intended to be named "Albany." The vehicle's text label in
vehicles.ideisALBANY.[1]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- When driving Roman's Taxi while being chased by the police, the Police Scanner will sometimes refer to the car as "Roman's Esperanto" (as opposed to a "Black Sedan"). This may have been another beta name for it, considering it is obviously based on the Esperanto.
- In The Cousins Bellic, Roman's Taxi features an all-black body, as opposed to all other appearances where the car features a dark gray left fender.
- In the introductory cutscene, the car also features wheels taken from the Marbelle. This is likely an oversight.
- The default radio station in Roman's Taxi is Vladivostok FM.
- Roman's Taxi features a door-ajar chime.
The Lost and Damned[]
- In Roman's Holiday, the left fender will be a light pink color as opposed to its usual dark gray. This is likely an oversight.
See Also[]
- Esperanto - The base model of the car.
- Taxi - The equivalent of Roman's Taxi, appearing in all games.
- Cavalcade - The successor of Roman's Taxi, as a result of a huge replacement.
[]
- ↑ vehicles.ide:
rom, rom, car, ROMAN, ALBANY,