Grand Theft Auto 3D Era: Complete Vehicles & Weapons Database
Dominating the criminal underworld of Liberty City (2001) and Vice City (1986) requires mastery over mechanical horsepower and firepower. From high-revving mid-engine supercars and heavy armored military tanks to military-grade rotary miniguns, this verified database delivers complete performance statistics, hidden weapon locations, Sunshine Autos showroom unlocks, and package collection rewards.
1. Fastest Cars in GTA: Vice City & GTA III
Vehicle handling in the RenderWare 3D era is governed by dedicated parameters inside handling.cfg,
defining drive bias (FWD, RWD, AWD), weight distribution, suspension stiffness, and braking deceleration. Below
is the verified performance hierarchy of the top-performing production and race vehicles:
| Vehicle Name | Real-Life Inspiration | Class & Top Speed | Handling Profile | Guaranteed Spawn Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infernus | Lamborghini Countach / Diablo | Supercar 240 km/h (Rank 1) |
AWD grip; snappy acceleration; prone to sudden high-speed spinouts on bumps. | GTA III: Ground floor of Francis Intl. Airport parking garage (Shoreside
Vale). VC: Left of Vercetti Estate entrance stairs (Starfish Island). |
| Cheetah | Ferrari Testarossa / 512 TR | Supercar 230 km/h |
RWD; exceptional downforce and road grip; best cornering recovery of any supercar. | GTA III: Driveway of modern villa in Cedar Grove (Shoreside
Vale). VC: Driveway of waterfront mansion in Ocean Beach (near Lance's home). |
| Hotring Racer | NASCAR Stock Car | Racing Spec 240 km/h |
Blistering acceleration; lightweight body that crumples under repeated collision impacts. | Vice City: Delivered to Sunshine Autos showroom floor after completing Car List 4. |
| Banshee | Dodge Viper RT/10 | Sports Car 200 km/h |
Extreme torque and acceleration; pronounced RWD oversteer requiring feathered throttle. | GTA III: Inside Capital Autos showroom in Harwood, Portland (smash
glass). VC: Driveway in Starfish Island & Ocean Beach. |
| Sabre Turbo | Oldsmobile 442 / Buick GSX | Muscle Car 200 km/h |
High straight-line speed; loose tail, heavy body weight, and wide drift arcs. | Vice City: Sunshine Autos showroom after completing Car Import List 2. |
| Phoenix | Pontiac Firebird Trans Am | Muscle Car 200 km/h |
Aggressive supercharger whine; balanced muscle handling; rare street spawn. | Vice City: Available during Colonel Cortez's mission "Two Bit Hit" or street racing. |
| Stinger / Yakuza Stinger | Porsche Boxster / Alfa Romeo Spider | Sports Car 190 km/h |
Predictable weight transfer; high stability in city traffic; accessible early. | GTA III: Parked outside Asuka Kasen's condo in Newport (Yakuza
variant). VC: Residential driveways on Starfish Island. |
| Rhino Tank | M1A1 Abrams MBT | Heavy Armor Slow / Invulnerable |
Destroys any civilian vehicle on contact; 360-degree explosive cannon; bulletproof & fireproof. | GTA III: Phil Cassidy's Army Surplus (Rockford) post-story. VC: Fort Baxter Air Base (requires 90 packages or cop uniform). |
2. Motorcycles & Two-Wheeler Mechanics (Vice City)
While technical and collision limitations excluded two-wheelers from GTA III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City revolutionized open-world gameplay by introducing distinct motorcycles with physics-driven rider mechanics:
- PCJ-600 (Superbike): The undisputed king of street velocity. Modeled after the Suzuki
GSX600F, leaning forward (pressing
UPor pushing the analog stick forward) tucks Tommy into an aerodynamic stance, bypassing the default velocity limiter and enabling massive stunt jumps across the rooftops of Downtown and Washington Beach. - Sanchez (Dual-Sport Dirt Bike): Boasts the highest suspension travel and off-road traction in the game. Ideal for climbing the mountainous grass mounds in Downtown and mastering the dirt track course in northeast Vice Point.
- Faggio (50cc Motor Scooter): Very low straight-line top speed, but possesses an ultra-tight turning radius and allows Tommy to execute continuous low-speed wheelies without losing control.
- Freeway & Angel (Heavy Cruisers): Harley-Davidson styled road cruisers. Ridden by Mitch Baker's biker syndicate. They feature high forward inertia, resisting spinouts during PIT maneuvers from police cruisers, but possess wide turn radiuses.
- Pizza Boy (Commercial Scooter): Distinct red scooter with delivery boxes. Driving one triggers the "Pizza Boy" side mission. Completing all 10 consecutive delivery levels permanently increases Tommy's Maximum Health from 100 to 150.
3. Aviation & Nautical Fleets (Planes, Helis, Boats)
Fixed-Wing Planes & Helicopters
Airspace access marked a major leap between the two installments:
- Dodo (GTA III): The solitary aircraft in Liberty City. Featuring clipped wings, the Dodo cannot maintain steady linear flight like traditional planes. Flying it requires pitch pumping—letting the nose drop to build airspeed, tapping gently upward to glide, and repeating the cycle to sustain flight across Staunton Island and Shoreside Vale.
- Hunter (Vice City): Modeled after the AH-64 Apache gunship. Features twin weapon systems: an auto-aiming 30mm explosive autocannon and unguided rocket pods. Spawns at Fort Baxter Air Base and Lance Vance's Ocean Beach helipad upon collecting 100 Hidden Packages or finishing the storyline mission "Keep Your Friends Close...". Entering unlocks the lucrative "Brown Thunder" vigilante mission.
- Sea Sparrow (Vice City): Amphibious reconnaissance helicopter equipped with floatation pontoons and a nose-mounted machine gun. Unlocked at the rear dock of the Vercetti Estate upon collecting 80 Hidden Packages.
- Maverick, Police Maverick & VCN Maverick (Vice City): Stable multi-passenger transport helicopters found on helipads across Downtown, the VCPD headquarters roof, and the Vice City News building.
- Skimmer (Vice City): The only flyable fixed-wing airplane in Vice City. A pontoon dodo seaplane docked behind the InterGlobal Film Studios in Prawn Island after completing the asset mission "Dildo Dodo".
Nautical Speedboats & Patrol Vessels
- Squalo & Jetmax: High-performance cigarette offshore racing boats. The Squalo is the fastest sea vessel in Vice City, essential for completing checkpoint boat challenges at the Ocean Bay Marina.
- Predator (Police Gunboat): Utilized by the VCPD and LCPD. Features mounted twin machine guns operated from the helm that shred civilian hulls and wanted targets.
- Speeder (GTA III & VC): Balanced sport runabout featuring exceptional turning stability in rough waters.
- Reefer: Heavy, slow-moving industrial trawler characterized by sluggish acceleration and wide turning arcs.
4. Gang Rides, Emergency Vehicle Perks & Sunshine Autos
Gang Custom Vehicles
Territorial gangs in both cities patrol in custom-tuned variants of street cars with unique paint jobs and handling setups:
- Diablo Stallion (GTA III): Muscle car with custom flame livery and aggressive engine roar in Hepburn Heights.
- Mafia Sentinel (GTA III): High-acceleration, dark-tinted executive sedan driven by the Leone Family in Saint Mark's.
- Yardie Lobo (GTA III): Equipped with manual hydraulic suspension that allows players to hop individual axles.
- Cuban Hermes (Vice City): Custom 1950s lead-sled featuring dual flame decals and side-pipe exhaust that shoots flames on backfire.
- Haitian Voodoo (Vice City): Classic lowrider featuring fully operable hydraulic pumps, ubiquitous across Little Haiti.
Emergency Vehicle R3 Side Mission Buffs
Completing vehicle-specific side missions rewards Tommy Vercetti and Claude with permanent character attribute upgrades:
- Paramedic (Ambulance - Level 12): Grants Infinite Sprint (stamina bar never depletes).
- Firefighter (Fire Truck - Level 12): Grants total Fireproof Immunity (Tommy and Claude can never take fire or Molotov damage).
- Vigilante (Police Cruiser / Enforcer / Tank - Level 12): In Vice City, boosts maximum Body Armor capacity from 100 to 150. In GTA III, grants six Police Bribes at each safehouse.
- Taxi Driver (Taxi / Cabbie - 100 Fares): All standard taxis gain hydraulic jump boosters (press the Horn key to leap over traffic).
Sunshine Autos Import/Export Showroom Unlocks (Vice City)
Purchasing Sunshine Autos ($50,000) unlocks an underground four-stage vehicle delivery board. Delivering each set spawns a permanent, high-performance car on the showroom floor:
| List # | Required Vehicles | Reward Showroom Car | Asset Revenue Generated |
|---|---|---|---|
| List 1: Street Cars | Landstalker, Idaho, Esperanto, Stallion, Rancher, Blista Compact | Deluxo (High acceleration gull-wing sports coupe) | $1,500 / day |
| List 2: High-End | Sabre, Virgo, Sentinel, Stretch, Washington, Admiral | Sabre Turbo (Drift-tuned muscle car) | $4,000 / day |
| List 3: Sports Vehicles | Cheetah, Infernus, Banshee, Phoenix, Comet, Stinger | Sandking (Rally trophy truck with massive off-road suspension) | $6,500 / day |
| List 4: Utility & Vans | Voodoo, Cuban Hermes, Caddy, Pizza Boy, Baggage Handler, Mr. Whoopee | Hotring Racer (240 km/h stock racing car) | $9,000 / day |
5. Complete Weapons Arsenal & Tier Systems
The weapon inventory architecture differs fundamentally between the two titles. In GTA III, Claude carries every weapon class simultaneously, with weapon pickups within the same class (such as the AK-47 and M16) overwriting one another.
In Vice City, Tommy Vercetti possesses 10 dedicated weapon slots (Unarmed, Melee, Thrown, Handgun, Shotgun, Submachine Gun, Assault Rifle, Heavy Weapon, Sniper Rifle, Detonator). Weapons are grouped into three distinct cheat/loadout tiers:
| Weapon Category | GTA III Weapon Loadout | Vice City Tier 1: "Thug Tools" | Vice City Tier 2: "Professional Tools" | Vice City Tier 3: "Nutter Tools" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot 1: Melee | Baseball Bat | Brass Knuckles | Katana (Sword) | Chainsaw |
| Slot 2: Thrown | Grenade / Molotov Cocktail | Molotov Cocktail | Remote Detonation Grenades | Frag Grenades |
| Slot 3: Handgun | Pistol (Colt .45) | Colt .45 | .357 Colt Python (Instant 1-hit kill) | .357 Colt Python |
| Slot 4: Shotgun | Shotgun (Remington 870) | Chrome Shotgun | Stubby Shotgun | S.P.A.S. 12 (Fast Combat Shotgun) |
| Slot 5: SMG | Micro-Uzi | Tec-9 | Ingram Mac-10 | H&K MP5 |
| Slot 6: Assault Rifle | AK-47 / Colt M16 | Kruger (Ruger Mini-14) | Colt M4 Assault Rifle | Colt M4 Assault Rifle |
| Slot 7: Heavy Artillery | Rocket Launcher / Flamethrower | Flamethrower | Rocket Launcher (RPG) | M134 Minigun (Rotary Cannon) |
| Slot 8: Sniper Rifle | Sniper Rifle (Remington 700) | Sniper Rifle | PSG-1 (.308 Laser Scope Sniper) | PSG-1 (.308 Laser Scope Sniper) |
Exclusive Unlisted Weapon: The heavy Colt M60 Machine Gun cannot be acquired through any cheat code. It must be purchased directly from Phil Cassidy's compound in Little Haiti after finishing the mission "Boomshine Saigon" or found at the Escobar military guard towers.
6. Hidden Package Milestones & Weapon Depots
Collecting rotating Hidden Packages scattered across the maps creates a free, respawning armory directly outside your safehouse hideouts:
| Packages Collected | GTA III Safehouse Reward (Portland, Staunton, Shoreside) | Vice City Safehouse & World Reward (Ocean View, Vercetti Estate, Hyman) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Packages | Pistol | Body Armor |
| 20 Packages | Micro-Uzi | Chainsaw |
| 30 Packages | Grenades | .357 Colt Python |
| 40 Packages | Shotgun | Flamethrower |
| 50 Packages | Body Armor | PSG-1 (.308 Laser Sniper) |
| 60 Packages | Molotov Cocktails | M134 Minigun |
| 70 Packages | AK-47 | Rocket Launcher (RPG) |
| 80 Packages | Sniper Rifle | Sea Sparrow (Spawns at Vercetti Estate rear helipad) |
| 90 Packages | M16 Assault Rifle | Rhino Tank (Spawns inside Fort Baxter Air Base) |
| 100 Packages | Rocket Launcher + $1,000,000 cash bonus | Hunter Apache Helicopter + $100,000 cash bonus |
7. Free Secret Weapon Spawns Across the Map
Skip paying Ammu-Nation fees by collecting high-tier firearms planted permanently across open-world secret spots:
Grand Theft Auto III Spawns
- Portland Elevated Rail Sniper Rifle: Climb the stairs at the Portland El-Train station, run south along the tracks, and drop onto the roof of the Sweeney General Hospital / AM Petroleum building to grab a free Sniper Rifle.
- Shoreside Vale Cochrane Dam Rocket Launcher: Located down on the lower generators of the Cochrane Dam near the shoreline base. Another Rocket Launcher sits behind the airport approach billboard near Francis International Airport.
- Saint Mark's Free Body Armor: Tucked in the dead-end alley behind Salvatore Leone’s Gentlemen's Club in northern Portland.
- Phil Cassidy's Army Surplus: After finishing "The Exchange", Phil's compound in Rockford spawns a respawning Rocket Launcher, M16, Shotgun, and the Rhino Tank.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Spawns
- Free Minigun Pickups: Spawns inside the wreckage of the burned warehouse at City Scrap (Little Haiti junkyard) and inside the subterranean underground baggage walkway linking the Escobar International Airport terminal buildings.
- Free Rocket Launcher (RPG): Sitting on the rooftop of the Hooker Inn hotel pool deck just outside Escobar International Airport.
- Washington Beach Police Precinct Body Armor: Sitting openly in the rear alleyway behind the Washington Beach police station.
- Ocean Beach Free Katana: Located inside the open garage behind the residential apartment complex across from the Ocean Beach marina.