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In the 3D Universe, it appears as a compact or midsize sedan. The Sentinel assumes the design of a sporty two-door coupe/convertible in the HD Universe.
The Sentinel resembles cross between BMW 5 Series E34 and 3 Series E36 (most likely a 520i and 328i respectively, based on the power and size) in GTA III and GTA Liberty City Stories. In GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories, it resembles a cross between BMW 7 Series E23 and a late-1980s Honda Accord/Prelude. However, several significant cosmetic changes may be noted between the two games, particularly with regards to the the frontal and rear fascias; even the GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories renditions are significantly different from each other, as the GTA Vice City Stories Sentinel appears less like its high performance counterpart, the Sentinel XS, which had not received the same degree of changes. In GTA San Andreas, it still retains the BMW E23 and Honda Accord design from the Vice City version but it is slightly larger.
The GTA Vice City / Vice City Stories rendition, as mentioned above, is more likely to be based on the 1982-1985 Honda Accord because the shape of the front end and the headlights. It spawns quite rarely in VCS.
The GTA Advance rendition does not appear to have a clear source of inspiration for its design, but retains its slender 4-door sedan. While the car isn't generally associated with any gang, the GTA Advance rendition is an exception, serving a gang car for an unspecified mafia in the game, taking over the role of the Mafia Sentinel, the mafia variant of the Sentinel.
At one point of GTA III's development, the Sentinel was named the "Beamer" (Beamer is a pun of "bimmer", common nickname given to BMW cars, particularly in the UK). A car of this name was previously featured in Grand Theft Auto 2, and was also based on a BMW. Meanwhile, a "Sentinal" was also in the process of development, appearing as a modern, rounded car that would go on to become the Kuruma. Both beta cars can be found in the Capital Autos website.
The beta Sentinel in GTA III as the "Beamer", as depicted in the Capital Autos website.
The Sentinel in GTA IV is manufactured by Übermacht and is modeled after the BMW 3 Series E46 coupe, most likely the 2003-2005 330ci ZHP, a high performance variant that featured custom bumpers similar to the Sentinel's, as well as sporting higher performance. The tail lights however, seem to be inspired by the older BMW 3 Series (E36). Also visible are miniscule STD badges in front of the doors, near the sideskirts and front wheel wells. STD stands for "Sentinel Tuning Division", likely a play on Subaru's STi marque and BMW's in-house tuning division, BMW M, but also a reference to the acronym for "sexually transmitted disease." The format in which it is written is also similar to that of Subaru's STI division.
Still manufactured by Übermacht, the Sentinel appears in GTA V as being inspired by the BMW E93 3-series coupé-cabriolet (based on the engine noise and performance, most likely a 330i or 335i) with elements from the E92 M3. The car also has little style ques from the Lexus ISF, this is noticeable in the front grill. It is available as a hard top convertible, based on the E92 coupe. The wheels featured on this model bear a striking resemblance to Volk Racing GT30 or RE30 wheels.
The front face of the car has an overall appearance similar to the M3, but has some minor differences, the headlights appear more like those found on the Subaru Impreza (second facelift). The grille is a single unit as opposed to the trademark "kidney" grille found on BMW models.
The rear of the car is based mainly on the Saab 9-3. At the rear, half the bumper width features an area filled with a secondary material. Unlike the 3-series that this model is based on, the exhaust tips sit just outside the outer edges of this area, and are oval as opposed to twin-circles.
Michael drives a blue Sentinel in the first trailer.
Amanda's Sentinel with the KRYST4L license plate as seen in the "Michael" trailer.
The back of the Amanda's Sentinel in the "Michael" trailer
With a turbocharged V6 engine in all its appearances between GTA III and GTA Vice City Stories, the Sentinel has a good top speed and acceleration. The car handles well, although it suffers from body roll in GTA Liberty City Stories. It comes with good drifting properties, although its rear-drive layout sometimes leads to oversteer and tailspins; these problems are more apparent in the GTA San Andreas rendition, due to its different weight distribution and softer suspension. In GTA San Andreas, the Sentinel's top speed of 163 km/h (101 mph) makes it the second fastest four-door car in the game.
HD Universe
GTA IV
As a sport compact executive coupe, the GTA IV Sentinel reaches a superb top speed of 198 mph (320 km/h) - not far from the fastest vehicles in the game. It has above-average acceleration, reaching 60 mph from a stand still in 6.5 seconds, and reaching its top speed fairly quickly as well. The Sentinel's suspension is rather soft, and it tends to roll when going around tight bends at high speed; the rear of the car also tends to bounce about when traveling on uneven roads. Its handling is above average, but at high speeds it loses a lot of grip and easily spins out of control due to the lack of weight in the rear. But if controlled right, its speed and grip can be combined to produce almost-professional like drifts that can be used to slide into sharp turns and back alleyways to evade the police without difficulty. Nonetheless, it is arguably the best choice in the Modern category in multiplayer racing.
Overview (GTA V)
Template:Vehicle Stats
Crash deformation at higher speeds is high (quarter panels of the car may look to be "glitched" into the wheel wells if hit hard enough), and it isn't hard with this car to make the wheels jam in crashes, but the car can withstand a surprising amount of frontal impacts without failing.
Modifications
(GTA San Andreas)
The Sentinel can only be modified in a TransFender mod-garage.
Type
Upgrade
Cost
Color
Car Color 1 (64 different colors)
$ 150
Exhausts
Large Exhaust
$ 250
Medium Exhaust
$ 200
Twin Exhaust
$ 300
Upswept Exhaust
$ 400
Nitro
2x Nitrous
$ 200
5x Nitrous
$ 500
10x Nitrous
$ 1000
Spoilers
Win
$ 550
Champ
$ 400
Fury
$ 350
Pro
$ 400
Wheels
Import
$ 820
Atomic
$ 770
Ahab
$ 1000
Virtual
$ 620
Access
$ 1140
Off Road Wheel
$ 1000
Mega
$ 1030
Grove
$ 1230
Twist
$ 1200
Wires
$ 1560
Car Stereo
Bass Boost
$ 100
Hydraulics
Hydraulics
$ 1500
(GTA V)
Color
Wheels
Spoilers
Prominent appearances in missions
GTA III
In the mission "Bait", Catalina has sent three Colombian Cartel death squads to kill Claude. The death squads consist of three Sentinels with four men each; the Sentinel was picked as these are the fastest and best-handling four-door vehicle (excluding emergency vehicles). Claude is directed to lead the Columbians into a Yakuza ambush organized by Asuka.
In the mission Dead Skunk in the Trunk, Joey Leone orders Claude to take one Manana with a Leone dead body in the trunk, in the front of the Greasy Joe's Café, but there are two Forelli gang members in two Sentinels overseeing the car, the player needs to steal the car, make a run-away opposite the Forelli Brothers, and bring the car successful to the Harwood Autocrusher and Junkyard.
In the mission Gone Fishing, if you don't kill Ray's partner in the beach, he will enter a Sentinel and make a run for it.
GTA Vice City
The unique black Sentinel from "Hit The Courier", GTA Vice City.
In GTA Vice City, a unique black Sentinel is the target's getaway vehicle in the mission "Hit The Courier". The player can obtain the car by diligently killing the driver of the car as soon as she enters it, but must not exit the car and close its door until they enter a garage or complete the mission, as the car will lock itself again.
It is also driven in the mission "Mountain Cloud Boys", to aid Wu Zi Mu in a series of drive-by shootings against enemy gang members.
Kent Paul is seen driving a dark blue Sentinel to the airport in the GTA San Andreas mission Saint Mark's Bistro; a unique grey Sentinel can also be seen in the court yard of Marco's Bistro during this mission.
GTA Liberty City Stories
The Sentinel is prominently featured multiple times in GTA Liberty City Stories, all of which are depicted with a dark gray/black body color:
A black Sentinel is featured during a cutscene in "The Guns of Leone", during which Salvatore Leone charges into the Red Light District to exert revenge on the Sindaccos, running over an unsuspecting Sindacco member on the way. The car is unobtainable as the car turns into a Mafia Sentinel after the cutscene ends.
Four black Sentinels are prominently driven by hitmen hired by Ma Cipriani in "No Son of Mine"; as soon as the hitmen exit one such Sentinel, the player can easily attain the car. The cars are programmed to be heavy, which allows the player to push aside other cars without affecting the Sentinel's performance or trajectory.
The same form of Sentinels mention above can also be found during "A Walk in the Park", when Roger C. Hole and his body guards arrive at Belleville Park in three such cars parked in a row. Once the player manages to kill R.C. Hole and the body guards before they reach their cars, the player can take any of the cars to their garage; otherwise, if R.C. Hole manages to flee to the second car, the car's weight is reset to normal while the first and third cars retain their heavy weight. The Sentinels also received increased health for the mission.
The last appearance of the black Sentinel is during "Making Toni", when it serves as the player's mode of transport for the mission and is fireproof. The car can be obtained by partially submerging the car in a shallow shoreline, failing the mission; otherwise, the car is driven away by Mickey Hamfists in the end of the mission.
In GTA IV, a Sentinel is requested as part of Stevie's Car Thefts, appearing with a uniquely candy blue and black body color, similar to that of the "XS" Sentinel. As a new Sentinel will respawn at the same spot until the player delivers one to S&M Auto Sales, the player can save one at their safehouse before delivering another.
GTA V
The Sentinel is only featured shortly in GTA V's missions, appearing in just one.
In the mission Father/Son, Michael and Franklin take Amanda's red Sentinel and use it to save Jimmy from the men who steal Michael's yacht, which then breaks down shortly after catching Franklin after jumping from it. This then prompts the player to take the car to Los Santos Customs to introduce them to the car modding.
GTA IV features an updated Sentinel XS, made by Übermacht, however it is no longer considered a distinct vehicle — it handles with more rigity as its suspension has been hardened so it corners sharper and drifts are now easier compared to the standard Sentinel, and the game refers to the car simply as "Sentinel" when entered. In a nod to the Mafia Sentinel of GTA III and GTA Liberty City Stories it serves as one of two cars (the other being the PMP 600) that are usually driven by the Mafia.
Notable Owners
In GTA V, Amanda De Santa owns a red Sentinel with a custom licence plate saying "KRYST4L".
Trivia
After collecting all thirty cars for Stevie in GTA IV, he agrees to purchase cars from Niko Bellic, with the Sentinel fetching $2,500.
The Sentinel plays the following radio stations by default when entered:
The vehicle takes its name from the term sentinel which means to watch over or guarding.
Despite being an executive car, it appears as a subcompact coupe in GTA IV, making it a "true" compact luxury car.
In GTA Liberty City Stories it has a small badge on the grille with pixelized letters on it so its hard to read of it.
In GTA IV the Sentinel can be found with silver, gold, and black painted alloy rims, all with a chrome lip.
Amanda, Michael's wife, owns a Sentinel. It will respawn retaining added modifications.
In GTA IV, the Sentinel most likely has satellite radio.
If the player purchases a Sentinel at the Easter Basin Docks in GTA San Andreas, sometimes the front registration plate will read "DO NNY", however the rear one still retains the original plate number found on every Sentinel.
The Sentinel in GTA V has a similar body to the Feltzer in GTA IV.
Note that the 3D Universe Sentinels has a V6 engine, this is contrast to their real-life counterparts (BMW E36, Toyota Crown and Honda Accord) which is only equipped with four-cylinder engine during the 1980s-1990s.
If Amanda's Sentinel is taken by Franklin or Trevor in GTA V, Michael will text the player, saying "I'd put the car back before Amanda takes a contract out on you. bro" (If Franklin) and "Amanda knows you've got her car, and she's on the warpath" (If Trevor).
If Franklin or Trevor drives a Sentinel stolen from a civilian to Michael's house, Michael will text them even if it wasn't Amanda's Sentinel.
The Sentinel is one of three updated cars in GTA V that do not also appear in their GTA IV variant. The other vehicles are the Feltzer, the Buccaneer and the Coquette.
Throughout the games, the Sentinel's engine configuration remain unchanged, a V6.
In GTA San Andreas, as referenced in the cargrp.dat file, it, alongside the Admiral and Feltzer are the gang cars of the Mafia gang, which does not spawn anywhere on the streets without glitches.
In the GTA V official gameplay trailer, Amanda's Sentinel appears as the example to customize vehicles in Los Santos Customs.
The V6 engine of the Sentinel is clearly incorrect, as the real-life BMW 3-series are I4 or I6, except in GTA V where it is changed from V6 to I6.
Locations
Sentinels are generally found throughout the business districts of all the cities; some can be seen driving in the suburbs and wealthy parts of town as well.
Spawns in the parking lot next to the control tower at Francis International Airport in Dukes. However, stealing it is a pain because the player will attain a 4 star wanted level for driving in the airport.
Amanda's occasionally spawns at Michael's house (when playing as Michael) and always spawns when playing as Franklin or Trevor, although the player will get a text message from Michael to put it back.
Simeon will want a Sentinel XS for his vehicle list. They will spawn more often when the XS does, allowing you to obtain one. Once you obtain an XS, keep driving around Vinewood Hills until a regular one spawns. This triggers more to spawn.
See also
Oracle, GTA IV and GTA V's continuation of the Sentinel's previous four-door BMW sedan body style.
