The Sabre is a muscle car that appears in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and Grand Theft Auto IV. It is manufactured by Declasse in the HD Universe.
Influence[]
The design of the Sabre is relatively similar throughout the 3D Universe, and featured two alternative variations that take the design of the regular Sabre. In GTA IV, the car no longer takes its iconic Chevelle body style and now takes a classic G-body design similar in shape to the Faction. The original Chevelle body moves onto a separate variant of the Sabre, the Sabre GT.
3D Universe[]
The Sabre in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is generally designed after the General Motors A-bodies, with the front fascia of the second-generation Buick Skylark and rear fascia of the 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass. The rear haunches and roofline resemble those of a 1970–1972 Chevrolet Chevelle.
While the Sabre remains the same through GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories, the GTA San Andreas rendition loses the pointed shape to the front end. The GTA San Andreas Sabre has four tail lights while in GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories, the Sabre only has two, which could reflect the Cutlass' tail lights having changed every year in that generation. The Vice City Sabre's tail lights are arguably more similar to a 1969 or 1971 Cutlass, as a result.
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
The Sabre in Grand Theft Auto IV has been revamped and appears to be based on the 1983–1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, with some influences from other 1978–1988 GM G-body cars. The headlights and front fascia overall bear a resemblance to the Plymouth Caravelle. The rear fascia most likely comes from the fourth-generation Buick Century sedan, while the tail lights come from the Aeroback version. The Sabre's boot might have been inspired by the Buick Regal GNX. Additional features include decals on the sides (highly reminiscent of the Monte Carlo SS); they read "Sabre 550SS".
Design[]
Performance[]
3D Universe[]
Acceleration and speed are very impressive due to its engine. The handling of the Sabre is arguably among the best in GTA San Andreas, and the brakes are excellent. The torque is very good as well. However, being the rear-drive muscle car it is, the drive-train of this vehicle is overpowered, leading to occasional burnout and fishtailing, and a general decline in performance in wet weather. Its frame is sturdy and can take a fair amount of damage, but its intense power and heavy construction result in the disability of the car to survive very few high-speed collisions.
Performance in GTA Vice City is similar to that of the GTA San Andreas counterpart, while in GTA Vice City Stories, the performance of the car has been enhanced in comparison to past counterparts, as it now features a higher top speed and five gears, instead of just four. The car is also lighter.
3D Universe Overview[]
| Acceleration (0-60 mph in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh) |
Gears | Engine | Drivetrain (FWD / RWD / AWD) |
Mass (kg / lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 99 / 160 (GTA Vice City & GTA San Andreas)
124 / 200 (GTA Vice City Stories) |
4 (GTA Vice City & GTA San Andreas)
5 (GTA Vice City Stories) |
Petrol | RWD | 1700 / 3748 (GTA Vice City & GTA San Andreas)
1600 / 3527 (GTA Vice City Stories) |
| N/A | N/A | 4 (GTA Vice City & GTA San Andreas)
5 (GTA Vice City Stories) |
N/A | RWD | Cannot be observed |
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
The Sabre features a 550ci (9 liter) single cam V8, coupled to a 5-speed gearbox in a front engine, rear wheel drive configuration. Acceleration is good, although not impressive, and its top speed is pretty good. Due to the heavy frame and very soft suspension, the Sabre practically lollops through turns, with a vague and numb sense of direction, making over-steer common. Braking is fair, given its design. Crash deformation is very good, thanks to the heavy frame of the Sabre. The car can take many direct hits before stalling or catching fire.
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 | 9.0 Liter (550ci) (Badging) | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | 5 | FR SOHC V8 (In-game model) | RWD | Cannot be observed |
Modifications[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- The Sabre can be modified at any TransFender branch.
| Type | Upgrade | Cost | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colors | Car Color 1 | $150 |  |
| Nitro | 2x Nitrous | $200 |  |
| 5x Nitrous | $500 |  | |
| 10x Nitrous | $1000 |   | |
| 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 |   |
Variants[]
| Image | Vehicle | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 The beater Sabre in Grand Theft Auto IV |
Sabre (beater) | A beater variant of the Sabre appearing in Grand Theft Auto IV. It features a rusty bodywork with various levels of damage. | |
 The Sabre Turbo in Grand Theft Auto V. |
Sabre Turbo | A performance variant of the Sabre Turbo appearing in various Grand Theft Auto titles. It is also known as the Sabre GT in GTA IV and GTA Chinatown Wars. | |
 |
Cholo Sabre | A gang variant of the Sabre appearing in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. It features a permanent yellow and white body color. | |
 The Hotring Sabre in Grand Theft Auto Online. |
Hotring Sabre | A stock car variant of the Sabre for Hotring Circuits appearing in Grand Theft Auto Online. It is based on the Chevrolet Lumina stock car. | Added in the Southern San Andreas Super Sport Series update for Grand Theft Auto Online. |
| Special variants | |||
 The Green Sabre in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. (Rear quarter view) |
Sabre | A green variant of the Sabre which takes a major role in the storyline of GTA San Andreas. This car was acquired by C.R.A.S.H. heads Frank Tenpenny and Eddie Pulaski, along with Grove Street defectors Big Smoke and Ryder, and was used for a drive-by shooting at Sweet's House. Later on the game, prior to the mission of the same name, the Varrios Los Aztecas leader Cesar Vialpando discovers the car and the people associated with it during his investigation of the drive-by and soon contacts Carl to inform him. This is the last time the Green Sabre is seen.
The green variant does not spawn anywhere in traffic or parking spaces, though it is possible to paint any random Sabre with a similar color at a TransFender. |
|
Gallery[]
Design[]
Version History[]
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
Grand Theft Auto Vice City[]
- Sunshine Autos Import Garage - The Sabre is one of the 24 vehicles wanted by Sunshine Autos for its import garage. Placed on the second list.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- The Introduction - The Green Sabre is seen several times before it enters Grove Street and kills CJ's mother.
- The Green Sabre - The famous Green Sabre (unique light green body), used to perform the drive-by that killed Johnson's mother, appears in this mission, leaving the hideout with Tenpenny, Ryder and Smoke. Later, during the fight between Ballas and GSF, two Ballas appear in a Sabre.
- Tanker Commander - The Gasso Employee forces Derek to chase after the Tanker and its trailer that were stolen by CJ and Catalina. Before the trailer is attached, it is immovable and fully immune. If CJ doesn't kill both Derek and the employee, they will crash the Sabre into several gas pumps at the gas station next to the RS Haul depot.
- Wu Zi Mu - A Sabre that is fire-proof, appears in this race.
- Ran Fa Li - If the player tries to escape going through the middle of San Fierro instead of the east, a Sabre also will try to chase him down together with a Manana, a Sadler and two FCR-900s.
- Race Tournaments - This car (with a black body) is given to the player to race in Badlands A. Another racer in Badlands A also drives the car.
- Exports and Imports - The Sabre is one of the 30 vehicles wanted for the side-mission. Placed on the second list.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories[]
- Civil Asset Forfeiture Impound - The Sabre is one of the 32 vehicles wanted by the Civil Asset Forfeiture Impound in the side-mission of the same name. Placed on the third list.
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- Rigged to Blow - A Sabre drives by during the cutscene when Niko walks away from the garage after parking the Flatbed. It is scripted to be thrown away by the explosion and can be taken after the cutscene as the driver leaves the scene on foot afterwards.
Notable Owners[]
- C.R.A.S.H. owns the Green Sabre, though it is used by the Ballas
- Derek
- San Fierro Rifa
- Korean Mob
Locations[]
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City[]
- May spawn occasionally around Little Haiti and Downtown.
- Can sometimes be found at North Point Mall.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- Spawns regularly around Los Santos.
- Spawns around San Fierro Rifa gang turf in Doherty, Garcia and Battery Point, San Fierro.
- Found in the parking lot across Zero RC in Garcia, San Fierro. (only when wanted for export)
- Available at Easter Basin, San Fierro every Sunday after completing export lists. Import cost: $15,200
- Around Garcia, a little West of Doherty.
- Occasionally spawns in Ganton, near Grove Street.
- In Las Venturas, it spawns sometimes around poor neighborhoods, such as Rockshore West and Rockshore East.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories[]
- Parked among decrepit houses in southern Little Haiti, Vice City.
- Parked south from the fire station and west from the police station in a parking lot in Downtown.
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- Spawns on Flanger St in Little Bay, Bohan
- Commonly spawns in Cerveza Heights, East Island City, Steinway and Willis (Dukes).
- Sometimes spawns in City Hall (Algonquin) and Westdyke (Alderney).
- Occasionally spawns in Hove Beach, Firefly Island, Beachgate, Schottler (Broker), Boulevard, Fortside, South Bohan (Bohan), The Exchange, Chinatown, The Triangle, Star Junction, Purgatory, Westminster (Algonquin), Acter and Tudor (Alderney).
- Rarely spawns in Firefly Projects and Beechwood City.
Rewards[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- After collecting all thirty cars for Stevie, he agrees to purchase cars from Niko, with the Sabre fetching $2,000 (regardless of the variant).
Radio Stations[]
- In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the Sabre plays Master Sounds 98.3.
- In Grand Theft Auto IV, the default radio stations are grouped by genre. The Sabre uses the "Talk Radio" group which can play:
- In Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, the default radio stations are grouped by genre. The Sabre uses the "Talk Radio" group which can play:
- In Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition, the default radio stations are grouped by genre. The Sabre uses the "Talk Radio" group which can play:
Trivia[]
General[]
- The name "Sabre" is further evidence that the car is based on the Oldsmobile Cutlass, as a Sabre and a Cutlass are both types of swords.
3D Universe[]
- In a GTA Vice City trailer, a Sabre Turbo was seen with a split grille and double tail light; regular Sabres are also seen with split grilles in early screenshots - much like the car it is based on (a 1970 Cutlass). This feature was omitted in the final design of the car.
- The Sabre in GTA San Andreas bears a striking resemblance to the car driven by Tanner in Driver. There are only some minor differences, such as the slight 'fold' on the rear trunk.
- In the beta version of GTA San Andreas, the Sabre had the same design as Vice City's and had the engine sound of a Slamvan.
- If the rear bumper detaches, the tail lights will still function.
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
- Standard Sabres in GTA IV feature their front license plate on the left side of the front bumper, while beater variants sport their front license plates in the middle.
- Despite having two textures of the "Sabre" lettering for each side, the text is mistakenly mirrored on the right side.
- The Sabre might have been originally called "Carlito" in the beta of GTA IV, since the texture for the Sabre lights is called "carlito_lights_glass".
See Also[]
- Sabre Turbo - High-performance version of the regular Sabre.
- Hotring Sabre - Stock car version of the Sabre.
- Tampa - A similar muscle car.
- Stallion - Another muscle car featured in both the 3D Universe and the HD Universe.
- Tahoma Coupe - Another muscle car based on a Monte Carlo.