This article is about the vehicle. For the manufacturer, see Emperor.
The Emperor is a four-door sedan featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto IV and its episodes, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online. It is manufactured by Albany in the HD Universe.
Influence[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
The Emperor made its first appearance in GTA San Andreas, being based on a 1990–1993 Infiniti Q45.
HD Universe[]
In the HD Universe, the Emperor is 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 is shared with the Esperanto, being based on that of a 1982 Pontiac Bonneville.
Design[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
The car represents contemporary full-sized luxury sedan, with a lean design and somewhat rounded profile. It also looks somewhat like the Sentinel, but sleeker and more profiled.
The vehicle spawns in a variety of single colors.
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
In GTA IV, the Emperor has become a boxy 1980s American luxury sedan, while its previous contemporary Japanese look is given to the Intruder.
Manufactured by Albany, the Emperor is much 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 letterings 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.
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.
Current Design Gallery[]
Version History Gallery[]
Performance[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
Acceleration and speed of GTA San Andreas' Emperor are somewhat disappointing, as are handling and braking. The engine sounds as though it is relatively large and powerful, but is apparently incapable of delivering substantial power to the bulky, rear-drive vehicle. Using the E-brake around corners almost guarantees fishtailing, making this car almost useless when driving at high speeds. It is, however, a sturdy vehicle with low chances of roll overs, and does a fairly good job of absorbing damage.
GTA San Andreas Overview[]
| Acceleration (0-60 mph in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh) |
Gears | Engine | Drivetrain (FWD / RWD / AWD) |
Mass (kg / lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 103 / 165 | 5 | Petrol | RWD | 1800 / 3968 |
| N/A | N/A | 5 | N/A | RWD | Cannot be observed |
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 beater variant, share the same engine sound as the Stanier-based sedans, being the Taxi, the Police Cruiser and the NOOSE Cruiser.
GTA IV Overview[]
| Acceleration (0-60 mph in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh) |
Gears | Engines | Drivetrain (FWD / RWD / AWD) |
Mass (kg / lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 81 / 130 | 4 | N/A | RWD | 2100 / 4630 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | 4 | FR SOHC V8 (In-game model) | RWD | Cannot be observed |
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 barrelling 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.
GTA V and 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 | 74 / 120 | 5 | N/A | RWD | 1900 / 4189 | 65 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 21.7 Seconds | 75 / 120 | 5 | FR {{{2}}} V8 (In-game model) | RWD | Cannot be observed | Cannot be observed |
Rockstar Games Social Club[]
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
Modifications[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- The Emperor can only be modified in a TransFender garage.
| Type | Upgrade | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Car Color 1 (64 different colors) | $ 150 |
| Vents | Oval Hood Vent | $ 150 |
| Square Hood Vent | $ 100 | |
| Exhausts | Large Exhaust | $ 250 |
| Twin Exhaust | $ 300 | |
| Upswept Exhaust | $ 400 | |
| Lights | Round Fog Lamp | $ 100 |
| Nitro | 2x Nitrous | $ 200 |
| 5x Nitrous | $ 500 | |
| 10x Nitrous | $ 1000 | |
| Roof | Roof Scoop | $ 80 |
| Spoilers | Win | $ 550 |
| Fury | $ 350 | |
| Alpha | $ 250 | |
| Side skirts | Side Skirt | $ 500 |
| Wheels | Import | $ 820 |
| Atomic | $ 770 | |
| Ahab | $ 1000 | |
| Virtual | $ 620 | |
| Access | $ 1140 | |
| Off Road Wheel | $ 1000 | |
| Mega | $ 1030 | |
| Grove | $ 1230 | |
| Twist | $ 1200 | |
| Wires | $ 1560 | |
| Car Stereo | Bass Boost | $ 100 |
| Hydraulics | Hydraulics | $ 1500 |
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: Los Santos Customs/Horns | - | - | |
| Lights | Headlights | Stock Lights | $100 | $200 |
| Xenon Lights | $300 | $3,000 | ||
| Neon Kits | Main article: Los Santos Customs/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: Los Santos Customs/Wheels | - | - | |
| Windows | None | $100 | $500 | |
| Light Smoke | $200 | $1,500 | ||
| Dark Smoke | $450 | $3,500 | ||
| Limo | $700 | $5,000 | ||
Gallery[]
-GTAV-front.jpg "Emperor(car)-GTAV-front.jpg (150 KB)")
Variants[]
| Image | Vehicle | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 The "beater" Emperor in Grand Theft Auto V. |
Emperor (beater) | A beater variant of the Emperor. Features rusted and damaged bodywork, with the possibility of damaged headlights in Grand Theft Auto IV. | First appears in Grand Theft Auto IV, with a slightly updated styling in Grand Theft Auto V. |
 The snowy Emperor in Grand Theft Auto V. |
Emperor (snow) | A snow-covered variant of the beater Emperor bearing North Yankton plates. Most of the patches of rust on its bodywork is covered by snow, and will only spawn in white. | 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 lustered color that spawns beside a building at Francis International Airport. | Appears after completing the mission Dust Off in Grand Theft Auto IV. It is possible that this vehicle was used by the FIB agents. | |
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- Wear Flowers in Your Hair - The car is used by CJ and The Truth to pick up Jethro, Dwaine and Zero. It spawns outside the garage and must be used for the mission.
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.
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.
Notable Owners[]
- Maxwell Caughlin
- 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
Locations[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- It can be commonly found in Glen Park, Los Santos and San Fierro.
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.
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, regardless of the variant.
Radio Stations[]
- In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the Emperor plays CSR 103.9.
- 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 (Enhanced Editions only. May not play due to a three station limit within the group)
- IFruit Radio (Enhanced Editions only. May not play due to a three station limit within the group)
Trivia[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- The back of an Emperor is featured on a building in Star Junction.
- A possible "beta" version of the Emperor is seen advertised in Star Junction, with what looks to be possible front end design differences, however the nature of the sign and the low resolution texture [1] used make it difficult to distinguish.
- The Emperor uses the horn sound from GTA San Andreas.
- The Emperor shares its interior with the Esperanto.
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
- Originally, the Emperor would lean back when traveling at high speeds because of its weight. This appear to be corrected in a later update, as it currently does not have this kind of behaviour. [ref?]
- The reverse and brake lights appear to be missing their texture when reversing and braking, despite the light elements illuminating (enhanced version only).
See Also[]
- Intruder - A sedan in the HD universe based on a later generation of the Infiniti Q45.
References[]
- ↑
256x256 Texture file of Star Junction Ad
