Nitro

Nitrous, short for nitrous oxide (N2O) and sometimes abbreviated as nitro, is used to boost the speed and acceleration of a vehicle in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and The Ballad of Gay Tony.

GTA San Andreas

Nitrous is a vehicle component that can be installed on modifiable vehicles in the three available mod garages around the state. When installed on a vehicle, the "fire" button can be pressed to activate nitrous. Nitrous will increase the speed and acceleration dramatically, along with exaggerated motion blur and bright blue flames spewing out of the exhaust pipe(s). After a few seconds the nitrous exhaust ceases and the vehicle may revert back to its normal top speed. The boost is followed by a delay that won't allow a player to use another boost right away.

To know when you can fire a Nitro boost again is to look at the exhaust after a depleted boost. If the fumes are colored blue, the boost is still in its "delay" state. If the fumes revert back to the normal, grey fumes, then the Nitro is ready to be fired again.

All mod garages have nitro as an available part. nitro comes in three "strengths:" 2x, shown with a small tank; 5x, with a large tank; and 10x, with 2 small tanks. Each option determines how long you can use a Nitro boost.

The Ballad of Gay Tony

Nitrous is limited on during races, although the boost can be controlled. Much like in Need for Speed and other similar games, a small bar next to the radar will show the amount of nitrous available, which will regenerate after some time.