Rat Rod Tornado and Drift Tampa: the end of Benny's?

[Shaytan]

This is something some people referred back when the Drift Tampa was released in-game, but that I only thought more about the subject quite recently, and made me consider something we all can agree - this vehicle should've been a Benny's garage vehicle. The reasons I have for the statement are the following:

 

• Benny's garage was not an old or forgotten concept in the game at the moment this car was released in game, after all quite recently R* was releasing the weekly lowriders.
• Both the Tornado Rat Rod and the Drift Tampa are nothing more than modified versions of their stock counterparts, with both visual and tuning modifications.
• Benny's isn't just a lowriders custom shop, since R* made avaliable both the Sultan RS and the custom Banshee for it, that fit on the previous point.
• Like the 2 vehicles of the previous point, these offer some customizations that would have a lot of potential in Benny's, at least in terms of more customization options both Rat Rod and the Drift Tornado lack on.

Based on these points, can we say Benny's is dead for good? I find it somewhat suspicious both Lowriders DLCs focused so much on car customizations, and then, for more than once, R* releases new vehicles that could fit on the concept, but using the old, "all new car and basic LSC customizations" concept.

 

Maybe they found out Benny's wasn't the best thing they ever came up with, or at least didn't received as much long term attention by the players as they expected, so they decided to leave it aside?

[oMass3y91]

I think you're looking into this too hard. The Drift Tampa is hardly any different than say the racecar versions of the Dominator, Massacro, Gauntlet, etc. There is already a custom Tornado so it was probably simpler to just make the rat rod a new vehicle altogether.

[Shaytan]

I don't agree with your opinion. The racecar versions you mentioned are merely reskined models (that I think is only a different car to benefit the "free" option for returning players). The Drift Tampa features heavy body and interior customizations and performance changes. It's meant to replicate some custom racing car irl such as the Mustang RTR-X, however it has plenty of possibilities to personalize it on your own taste R* wasted. Imagine for example the Sultan RS - you can turn it into the "basic" model from IV, which would be the equivalent of the Drift Tampa as it is, or go for a rally car, drift car or tuner - it's up to the player to choose from all the avaliable customization options. The Drift Tampa has 2 different liveries + the regular colors and that's it.

 

I remember back in the day, some people even defended all the cars from the racing DLC should've been avaliable on Benny's, after all a lot of them are racing replicas of real-life cars (you have a Lexus LFA, McLaren F1, Fiat 500 and so on) but even if you go for basic colors and more stock-looking rims and the few body changes you have avaliable to pick from, there's always racing items left on the cars, either being body kits or the interiors.

 

The same applies to the Rat Rod Tornado: it somehow remembers me the Slamvan, that you can also go for a Rat Rod looks, but you have many more tuning options.

 

My opinion is that these cars have the potential of being Benny's cars, imo they really look like pre-"Bennyfied" cars that you can't change almost nothing on them. Either R* didn't want to mix up the content of the different DLCs (which I don't think to make that much sense, since as I said on my OP it wasn't limited to lowriders), or they went to an end of the whole concept.

[whywontyoulisten]

I think you're looking into this too hard. The Drift Tampa is hardly any different than say the racecar versions of the Dominator, Massacro, Gauntlet, etc. There is already a custom Tornado so it was probably simpler to just make the rat rod a new vehicle altogether.

You what? The racecar versions are little more than street cars with a livery slapped on and a couple of performance tweaks. The drift Tampa is a completely different model to the original.

 

Edit: condensed version of ^

Edited November 6, 2016 by whywontyoulisten

[Nacho Z]

I don't know why they haven't made more use of Benny's but I doubt it's because it didn't make them enough money for the effort put in, those things cost a fortune.

[Bandersnatch]

 

 

I shall speculate that the low riders DLC did not meet shark card sales revenue criteria.

 

One thing for sure, there a lot of cars we want to take to Benny's still, as can be seen in many post on here !

[JoeBoneless]

It's different so that people can make even more cluttering appreciation threads

[coelacanth72]

I wouldn't call Benny's dead yet. R* is in the process of rolling out new vehicles now so they want you to focus on those. If you only have one new vehicle the odds are higher you'll buy it, but if you have a lot of choices you'll probably only get one. I think that's why with bikers they switched to one vehicle per week. When they're done adding vehicles for a while we might get more low riders.

[Dacelo]

I think you're right. Rockstar doesn't seem to know how to tie previously released things to new stuff.

Also see: the Rumpo Custom. Could have easily been a Benny's upgrade for the Rumpo costing $100k but instead it's a whole new vehicle.

If we ever get the supposed Tuners update it'll probably be a new shop, if they aren't just LSC cars.

Edited November 6, 2016 by D.B. Cooper

[Forza Harrd]

Maybe coding difficulties? There are tons of cars that would be great for Bennys and great for shark cards too. I could drag this post out and list them all but everyone has cars they would like to see a Bennys treatment for.

 

The only reason I can imagine that would keep them from taking advantage of people like me is some basic practical coding issue. I would pay a million dollars for a Bennyfied Futo (Sultan RS style).

[wizooord]

I sure wish more cars would be bennyable.. Sultan and Banshee were a nice addition but we need more stuff in there, lowriders and slow moving bricks die out pretty fast cuz theyr'e just no fun to drive :s add the low cost supers / sports, bikes, imagine benny's own version of a hak drag, with a hydraulic on the front wheel that will allow you to pop a wheelie if your'e dashing towards a fence

 

On topic, i don't think they decided anything against benny, we might see it utilized again, we might not. It remains a valid feature and I think it has to do pretty much with time they have on their hands and priorities, laziness plays a part too of course ^^

Edited November 6, 2016 by wizooord

[DarkSavageDeathlyCloud]

i hope its the end of benny's

 

sure i own 3 vehicles modded at that sh*thole, but one i needed because it dominated the muscle car class, then an other i needed because it was the best in super car drag races and one is the closest i ever get to a regular clean voodoo.

[elfoam]

Given the faction has two Bennys options I fully expected to be driving a sea wash Tornado into Bennys. Thank goodness the creator glitch was sent from the suspended clouds to fix this Rockstar abomination.

[Mach1bud]

There will be more Benny's cars. Give it time.

[Zerani]

Benny's Panto with Hakuchou engine swap pl0x

[Rewdalf]

Don't forget the Rumpo Custom.

It even follows the proper naming formula.

 

Really does look like Benny's is dead.

As much potential as it has, I don't think they're going to tap into it.

 

Which is a real shame. It's nothing but a win-win for R*.

Do they really truly not care anymore...?

[JesusFR33K]

Benny's is merely a name. The new bikes have benny's level modifications without the upgrade cost. Lsc handled the new rims n options like a champ. Benny's will be utilized when there are vehicles that fit his motif, but deeper customization will be in the game regardless. R* just chooses which cars to spend more time/effort making, and charges accordingly.

[Mach1bud]

Benny's is merely a name. The new bikes have benny's level modifications without the upgrade cost. Lsc handled the new rims n options like a champ. Benny's will be utilized when there are vehicles that fit his motif, but deeper customization will be in the game regardless. R* just chooses which cars to spend more time/effort making, and charges accordingly.

Exactly right.

[Shaytan]

 

Benny's is merely a name. The new bikes have benny's level modifications without the upgrade cost. Lsc handled the new rims n options like a champ. Benny's will be utilized when there are vehicles that fit his motif, but deeper customization will be in the game regardless. R* just chooses which cars to spend more time/effort making, and charges accordingly.

Exactly right.

 

If you consider changing the front wheels but not taking effect on the back ones like happens on the Chimera and the Raptor being "Benny's level modification"...

 

Anyways, that still reinforces the fact they left Benny's aside, after all the completely ignored it and made those avaliable on LSC (which actually makes some sense since it doesn't really fit the bikes theme, though). Still, the cars I mentioned (and even most cars from the racing DLC) could've perfectly fit on it.

Edited November 6, 2016 by Zombified Andy

[Mach1bud]

Nothing in Bennys currently modifys the cars to such great extent as the Rat Rod and Drift Tampa though.

 

The reason a car like the Rat Rod exists is because it requires a completely new model. If you took the regular Tornado, and removed the front clip, there would be nothing underneath, it was modeled that way originally. Same with the rear fenderwells cutting up into the body.

 

The reason why Benny's works, is because you never really "modify" the base vehicle. You just change/add things on top of it. That is why we can't chop the top of the Slamvan, or make the Tornado Custom a hardtop. We can't change the core models of the vehicles. That is why some cars just won't work. The base vehicle is different.

Edited November 6, 2016 by Mach1bud

[Fozzie]

Maybe coding difficulties?

Let's be honest here....

Everything Rockstar does ends up with coding difficulties, they can't even fix the crew emblem glitch or people losing their outfits.

[livejoker]

I don't know why they haven't made more use of Benny's but I doubt it's because it didn't make them enough money for the effort put in, those things cost a fortune.

A fortune? I probably spent a bennyion dollars on his cars!

 

I'll see myself out now.

[MrTroubleMaker]

When I think of Benny's I think of Brucie's Executive Lifestyle Autos

 

Edited November 6, 2016 by MrTroubleMaker

[Watain]

I think Benny's might be dying, yes. I think it wasn't as big of a success as R* had hoped for, or at least they realized it was kind of unnecessary and limited the players to go to one place only. Benny's fit the theme of the Lowriders DLC, that's for sure, but at the same time it left a lot of people in disgust with the place (as it only appeals to people of that sort of movement).

 

Another reason why I suspect this is the case is because nobody quite frankly drives around in Lowriders anymore. The DLC was hot for a week or so, then its hype pretty much died out completely. Just look at how they did the biker workshop: a simple LSC workshop with a physical mechanic on the spot. Half a million for basically something you have for free all around the map. It's like they looked at how Benny's turned out and simply didn't put any energy into it.

[whywontyoulisten]

I think Benny's might be dying, yes. I think it wasn't as big of a success as R* had hoped for, or at least they realized it was kind of unnecessary and limited the players to go to one place only. Benny's fit the theme of the Lowriders DLC, that's for sure, but at the same time it left a lot of people in disgust with the place (as it only appeals to people of that sort of movement).

 

Another reason why I suspect this is the case is because nobody quite frankly drives around in Lowriders anymore. The DLC was hot for a week or so, then its hype pretty much died out completely. Just look at how they did the biker workshop: a simple LSC workshop with a physical mechanic on the spot. Half a million for basically something you have for free all around the map. It's like they looked at how Benny's turned out and simply didn't put any energy into it.

The costs are the most off-putting thing to a lot of people: not only are the upgrades prohibitively expensive, even the most basic scratch repairs go into the thousands with a Benny's vehicle. Yes you can fix it for free in your garage, but that's a lot of driving around just to get a pristine vehicle.

 

They also didn't do enough to encourage lowrider use. Where were the competitions from previous GTAs? Instead we got a handful of new missions, with a terrible Heist-style forced multiplayer aspect that made them extremely frustrating to do.

 

I'm not a fan of most of the Benny's vehicles, but loved the crazy number of customisable options; nobody's vehicle will ever look the same. If only they'd chosen more popular, or even just more fun cars; the Banshee will forever baffle me.

[M.K.N.]

I have yet to see R* give Peyote and Manana given lowrider treatments, along with the Cheetah given a racing spec for Benny's.

[Pedinhuh]

Nothing in Bennys currently modifys the cars to such great extent as the Rat Rod and Drift Tampa though.

 

The reason a car like the Rat Rod exists is because it requires a completely new model. If you took the regular Tornado, and removed the front clip, there would be nothing underneath, it was modeled that way originally. Same with the rear fenderwells cutting up into the body.

 

The reason why Benny's works, is because you never really "modify" the base vehicle. You just change/add things on top of it. That is why we can't chop the top of the Slamvan, or make the Tornado Custom a hardtop. We can't change the core models of the vehicles. That is why some cars just won't work. The base vehicle is different.

You might have a point there but I have to remember you of the Sultan and it's pgrade to Sultan RS: it does change the base model(by removing the back doors and seats, which also removes the possibility of carrying 4 players)

[Mach1bud]

 

Nothing in Bennys currently modifys the cars to such great extent as the Rat Rod and Drift Tampa though.

 

The reason a car like the Rat Rod exists is because it requires a completely new model. If you took the regular Tornado, and removed the front clip, there would be nothing underneath, it was modeled that way originally. Same with the rear fenderwells cutting up into the body.

 

The reason why Benny's works, is because you never really "modify" the base vehicle. You just change/add things on top of it. That is why we can't chop the top of the Slamvan, or make the Tornado Custom a hardtop. We can't change the core models of the vehicles. That is why some cars just won't work. The base vehicle is different.

You might have a point there but I have to remember you of the Sultan and it's pgrade to Sultan RS: it does change the base model(by removing the back doors and seats, which also removes the possibility of carrying 4 players)

You misunderstand. You never mod the Sultan in Benny's. You mod the Sultan RS. They are two different cars, it just so happens that the prerequisite for owning an RS is to own a regular Sultan and "trade it in".

 

You don't literally change your 4 door into a 2 door. They just swap models. You don't alter the base model at all.

[TaylorTheCreator]

Benny's was a mistake to begin with to be honest, it was overpriced, low quality modifications, and over-hyped

 

I only used benny's when there is a sale or when Rockstar introduces a new cool-looking car.

[Hunter]

I can't say I'd lose sleep over Benny's cars waiting a while (no offense to those who enjoy them). I mean, they're so expensive, and they already had a (relatively) recent period where they were in the spotlight.

 

That's just my take on it though - I respect that I'm probably not in the majority.