The beater variant of the Albany Emperor is a four-door sedan featured in Grand Theft Auto IV and its episodes, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.
Design[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
In GTA IV, the beater variant of the Emperor holds the design inspiration from its clean variant, being primarily based on the fifth generation Cadillac Sedan de Ville and the Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. However, the beater variant comes with junky paint finishes, worn interiors, an occasionally missing quarter panel, and old wheels and tires.
Along with the base beater variant, two altered designs may also appear: a "slightly damaged" variant, where it typically includes a missing quarter panel and slightly rusted paintjob, and a "heavily damaged" variant, where it include a completely destroyed and rusty paintjob. Both variants are depicted with broken lights on the driver side (except the inner headlamp, which remain functional).
Emperors come with a single color or a two-tone color, where the secondary one is applied on the roof and the pillars. It uses a unique set of rims with a wide center and eight slanted, wider spokes, fitted with whitewall tires.
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
The beater Emperor, alongside its clean variant, returns to GTA V and GTA Online with a slightly altered design. Besides the alternative design changes carried from the new look of its clean variant, the new beater Emperor has a slightly rusty paintjob and yellowish headlights, and does not have any missing panels or headlights. All beater Emperors feature a worn interior used in other "beater" models in the game, featuring dirty and rusted interior detailing, ripped upholstery, and a removed head unit.
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 IV[]
GTA IV's beater Emperor features noticeably worsened performance compared to the standard model, having slower acceleration. Besides this downgrade, other performance and damage statistics are identical to its clean variant.
As with its clean variant, this vehicle is powered by a high-displacement, but low-output V8 engine, mated to a 4 speed gearbox in a RWD configuration. Both vehicles also 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[]
In contrast with its performance in GTA IV, the beater Emperor in GTA V and GTA Online is identical to the standard model, as both vehicles share the same handling data. However, is not as physically durable as the standard model, and will most likely cease to work after a few direct impacts, and can sometimes fail to start at all.
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 V and Online[]
The beater variant of the Emperor shares the same modification options as its clean model.
| 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 | $625 | ||
| 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[]
Variants[]
| Image | Vehicle | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 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 | |||
| Drug Delivery variant | A beater Emperor with a unique lime-green roof, not present on those found in the city. Respraying it will lose its special color. | Appears during Little Jacob's drug deliveries. | |
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- Grass Roots - The Drag - Barry tasks Franklin with retrieving his broken down Beater Emperor from a junkyard in La Puerta. As the Emperor is unable to be started, a Towtruck is required to bring it to Barry's Apartment.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
- Can appear in the "Undisclosed Cargo" Casino Work as the vehicle that needs to be disposed of.
- Planning Work: Signal Jammers
Notable Owners[]
- Little Jacob owns a unique green and black beater Emperor.
- Barry owns a beater Emperor, which has broken down.
Locations[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- Can be found parked in Industrial, Bohan, just west of the Dukes Bay Bridge.
- Can be found as the delivery vehicle for the Drug Delivery side-mission.
- Spawns more frequently when driving a non-beater Sabre or Vigero.
- Commonly spawns in southern Alderney, around the poorer areas.
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- Parked in front of JJ's Forklift Repair on Crusade Road, in Strawberry.
- Commonly found around South Los Santos.
- Spawns around Sandy Shores.
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. This also applies to the clean variant.
Radio Stations[]
- In Grand Theft Auto IV, the default radio stations are grouped by genre. The beater 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 beater 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 beater Emperor uses the "Reggae" group which can play:
- In Grand Theft Auto V and Online, the default radio stations are grouped by genre. The beater 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[]
- A Beater Emperor appears in the Weazel News trailer for The Ballad of Gay Tony being driven by officers of a special gun control unit of the LCPD, hinting an apparent use as an undercover vehicle.
- The beater variant, being an Albany with only three headlights, may be a nod to the "Psychobilly Cadillac" from the Johnny Cash song "One Piece At A Time", in which the car is described as having three headlights – "two on the left, and one on the right".
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
- Strangely, Beater Emperors can be found parked in front of the Sandy Shores Sheriff's Station bearing 'SA Exempt' license plates, meaning they are government vehicles - perhaps as very poorly maintained undercover police cars in a similar manner to the one seen in the Weazel News trailer for The Ballad of Gay Tony.