Imponte Ruiner

The Imponte Ruiner is a muscle class, three-door liftback manufactured by Imponte that is confirmed to appear in Grand Theft Auto VI. A classic muscle car featured in several previous titles, the Ruiner is known for its 1980s-inspired design, loose handling ideal for powerslides, and its role as a versatile and accessible performance vehicle. Its appearance in the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI suggests its continued presence as a staple vehicle of the franchise.

Overview / Description

The Imponte Ruiner is a classic muscle car that has been featured in multiple Grand Theft Auto titles, establishing a reputation as an iconic and recognizable vehicle. In its previous appearances, it assumed a role similar to the Buffalo from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but with a design language more evocative of the latter half of the 1980s. Its most recognizable features include a slanted front profile, distinctive stripe detailing along its sides, and a three-row tail light configuration. The Ruiner is a well-rounded pony car, perfect for criminal getaways, street racing, or simply cruising. Its license plate often humorously states "Ruining Imports Since '67," a reference to the debut year of its real-world inspirations, the Camaro¹ and Firebird².

Design and Appearance

The Ruiner's design is heavily influenced by a mix of third-generation American muscle cars, primarily the Pontiac Firebird³ and Chevrolet Camaro⁴. This is evident in its front and rear coverings, T-top roof, and overall body shape. The design also incorporates cues from 1980s Japanese coupés, with the wheel design, trunk, and tail light layout modeled after the Mitsubishi Starion⁵, and headlights resembling those from the Nissan 300ZX Z31⁶.

The vehicle often features a T-top roof, which in past iterations came in three configurations: solid panels, glass panels, or no panels. The hood could also vary, sometimes featuring an offset cowl induction hood similar to those on 1982-1984 Trans Ams⁷. The interior is characterized by leather and classic muscle car features, including a digital dashboard display. Ruiners typically spawn in a variety of colors, with a primary color on the body and a secondary color on the side stripes and mirror shells. The stock rims are a distinctive five-spoke "Mecha" design. In the [first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI, the Ruiner is seen stopped on a highway, retaining its classic 1980s muscle car aesthetic.

Performance

Based on its performance in previous titles, the Ruiner is expected to be a well-rounded vehicle in Grand Theft Auto VI. It typically features very good acceleration, often competing with more expensive cars, and an excellent top speed that is both brisk and controllable. The car's handling is quite loose, allowing skilled drivers to perform powerslides with ease, making it an excellently handling vehicle for those who can master it.

The suspension is moderately firm, providing necessary grip in turns while remaining loose enough for aggressive driving styles. Braking is generally very good, among the best in its class. While its crash deformation is acceptable, it can typically only withstand a few high-speed impacts before stalling. The Ruiner is powered by a large 450 cubic inch (7.4 liter) Fuel-injected V8 engine coupled to a 5-speed gearbox in a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout.

In GTA Online, the base model of Imponte Ruiner can reach a top speed of 145.00 km/h (90.10 mph). And a top speed of 192.32 km/h (119.50 mph) when fully upgraded, as tested by Broughy⁸.

Acquisition / Locations

In Grand Theft Auto VI, an Imponte Ruiner was seen stopped in the middle of a busy highway in the Grand Theft Auto 6 First Trailer|first official trailer. Specific spawn locations or purchase details for the game are not yet known.

In previous games, the Ruiner was a common sight:

• In Grand Theft Auto IV, it frequently spawned in areas like Northwood, East Holland, Alderney City, and Fortside.
• In Grand Theft Auto V, it could be found around Rockford Hills, Little Seoul, and Strawberry. Modified versions often spawned outside Los Santos Customs.
• In Grand Theft Auto Online, it was available for purchase from Southern San Andreas Super Autos for $10,000 before being removed from the website as part of the San Andreas Mercenaries update.

Usage

The Ruiner is a versatile muscle car suitable for various activities. Its strong acceleration and high top speed make it a great choice for races and high-speed getaways. The loose handling, while challenging for novices, can be exploited by skilled drivers for drifting and navigating tight corners. Its main weaknesses are its relatively low durability and low ground clearance, making it less suitable for heavy combat situations or off-road excursions. It serves as an excellent, well-rounded vehicle for players who appreciate classic pony car performance.

Notable Users / Special Variants

Ruiner 2000 A heavily modified and weaponized variant, the Ruiner 2000 was introduced in Grand Theft Auto Online with the Import/Export update. This version is heavily influenced by KITT from the TV series Knight Rider ⁹ and comes equipped with front-mounted machine guns, homing rockets, a deployable parachute, and a power-hop mechanism to jump over obstacles. The Ruiner 2000 was featured in the Special Vehicle Circuit, with one race track named "Damned" specifically designed for it. A unique feature discovered by players is that if vehicle access is restricted, the door handles will zap anyone who tries to enter, triggering a funny animation.

Ivan Bytchkov's Ruiner

In Grand Theft Auto IV, a uniquely colored Ruiner is driven by Ivan Bytchkov during the mission Ivan the Not So Terrible. It is painted black with a unique golden trim and can be acquired by the player after Ivan abandons it.

Grand Theft Auto Online

The standard Imponte Ruiner was a popular and affordable muscle car in Grand Theft Auto Online. It could be purchased for $10,000 from Southern San Andreas Super Autos until it was removed during the San Andreas Mercenaries update. The Ruiner can also be found driven by NPCs or parked outside Los Santos Customs, where a modified version can be stolen and sold for $9,675. The car is also one of the hundred possible vehicles requested by Brucie Kibbutz for Exotic Exports.

The car's most significant presence in GTA Online is through its special variant, the Ruiner 2000. This weaponized vehicle was a major feature of the Import/Export update and was frequently included in weekly discounts and events, as noted in a week of Import/Export bonuses where it was 40% off.

Gallery

Trivia

• The Ruiner's license plate states "Ruining Imports Since '67," referencing the debut year of its real-world inspirations, the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird.
• In Grand Theft Auto V, a developer oversight resulted in one of the engine's rocker covers being slightly smaller than the other.
• Due to reused Level of Detail (LOD) models from Grand Theft Auto IV, the mirrors on the Grand Theft Auto V version may appear to be the secondary color from a distance before switching to the primary color up close.
• In Grand Theft Auto IV, if the rear trunk is removed, the inner side of the hatch has textures of Liberty City license plates.