Ruiner

Front view of the Ruiner

The Imponte Ruiner is a 2-door coupe found exclusively in Grand Theft Auto IV, resembling a 1982–1992 Pontiac Firebird, and slightly a third generation Chevrolet Camaro, some even featuring a "Ruiner" decal along the lower part of the doors, similar to the Camaro's IROC-Z counterpart.

Design

The front end semi-concealed pop-up headlights are a bit more reminiscent of the mid to late 80's Nissan 300ZX (Z31 Series). However, the curved rear windscreen is unmistakable as GM's F-Body sports car range. There are a couple Pontiac Firebird influences: The taillights are shaped like a Camaro's, but the arrangement of the lights looks similar to a Firebird's and the area between the taillights is similar to a Firebird's (but says "Imponte" where the Firebird logo would be). It is most likely meant to emulate a Firebird since it is manufactured by Imponte.

Ruiners feature license plate frames that say "Ruining Imports Since '67," which is the year the aforementioned GM F-body coupes debuted (however, this seems contradicted since it has some Nissan influence).

Performance

The Imponte Ruiner is powered by a 7.3L (450ci) V8, coupled to a high-performance 5 speed gearbox in RWD configuration. Acceleration is very good, close to cars with a much higher price tag. Its top speed is also quite good, brisk, yet controllable. The suspension is moderately firm, giving the Ruiner much needed grip in the turns, while still loose enough to have some fun with. Handling-wise, the Ruiner is a stellar performer - constant grip, very little oversteer, and a whole lot of torque. Braking is very good, if not the best in class, and ABS is standard on all variants. Crash deformation is acceptable, but not great; as the Ruiner can be disabled after only a few crashes. Overall, it's a thrill to drive, and well suited for applications where no more than two people need transportation.

Variant

There is a special gold coloured edition version of the Ruiner that has a special gold on gold paint finish and gold rims. This type of variant is usually commonly seen, especially found parked sometimes.