Maibatsu Corporation

Maibatsu corporate logo in Grand Theft Auto IV

The Maibatsu Corporation is a Japanese automaker that has appeared in every Grand Theft Auto game since Grand Theft Auto III except for Grand Theft Auto Advance. The name "Maibatsu" is derived from Daihatsu and Mitsubishi, and is also similar in name to "Zaibatsu" (財閥), a Japanese term for a large conglomerate. Zaibatsu is also the name of a gang from Grand Theft Auto 2.

Appearances in games

Grand Theft Auto III: Maibatsu has a radio ad and print ad for the Monstrosity, a very large SUV with extremely bad fuel efficiency (as low as 3 MPG).
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City:
- Maibatsu runs a sexually provocative ad on the radio to promote the Thunder.
- There is an ad run by the lobby group Buy American Coalition which encourages consumers to purchase domestic cars out of patriotism (a reference to the US auto industry being threatened by the growing popularity of cheaper and more fuel efficient Japanese imports), although it concedes that the Maibatsu Thunder is cheaper and better than its domestic contemporaries.
- On the talk radio station VCPR, Jonathan Freeloader announces Enviromental Week which is sponsored by Maibatsu and the Vice City Power Corporation.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: Maibatsu takes out an ad on the radio encouraging parents to buy their kids cars instead of bicycles.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories: Maibatsu runs an ad for the Womb, a minivan designed for men. It features a cooler for beer and a television on the dashboard among its features.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories: In the Vice City Inquirer, the Buy American Coalition asks readers to "take a mallet to a Maibatsu today".
Manhunt 2; the mission Assassination starts in the Maibatsu Plaza in Cottonmouth, Florida.
Grand Theft Auto IV: The corporation is more blatantly based on Mitsubishi. Maibatsu now produces the Mule truck, Sanchez dirtbike, and Vincent sedan.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars: Maibatsu doesn't make any notable appearance in GTA Chinatown Wars aside from the presence of the Sanchez dirtbike.
Grand Theft Auto V: A Maibatsu vehicle bearing a strong resemblance to the 2006-2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse can be seen in a pre-release screenshot.

Vehicles in the 3D Universe

An ad for the Maibatsu Monstrosity (vehicle shown is actually the Landstalker).

Vehicles in the HD Universe

Vehicle	Style	Based on	Appears in				Variants
Vehicle	Style	Based on	GTA IV	TLAD	TBOGT	GTA V	Variants
Mule	Commercial Truck	1994-2004 Isuzu Elf	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sanchez	Dirtbike	Yamaha YZ450F	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Vincent	Sedan	1999-2003 Mitsubishi Galant	Yes	Yes	Yes	TBD

Trivia

The "Maibatsu Corporation" is likely a nod to the Zaibatsu Corporation a massive corporation that plays a large role in Grand Theft Auto 2.

Vehicle Brands (Category)