How to Get the Back to the Future Car in GTA 5

Many Grand Theft Auto V players dream of cruising the streets of Los Santos in the iconic time-traveling DeLorean from the Back to the Future films. While the exact “Back to the Future car” isn’t officially named or available in GTA 5’s story mode or Online, Rockstar Games introduced a highly recognizable homage: the Imponte Deluxo. This guide will walk you through how to get the Back to the Future car GTA 5 experience, covering both the in-game options and popular modification possibilities for PC players, ensuring you’re fully informed to achieve your goal.

The Imponte Deluxo: GTA 5’s Answer to the Time Machine

The Imponte Deluxo is the closest official vehicle in Grand Theft Auto Online that embodies the spirit and function of the Back to the Future DeLorean. It’s a stylish sports classic car that, at the push of a button, can transform into a hovercar and even take flight, mirroring the advanced capabilities seen in the movies. Understanding how to acquire and utilize this vehicle is key to replicating that iconic cinematic experience within the expansive world of GTA 5.

Acquiring the Imponte Deluxo in GTA Online

The Deluxo is a premium vehicle available exclusively in GTA Online. It’s not found simply driving around the map, nor can it be stolen from NPCs. Players must purchase it from a specific in-game vendor.

Where to Buy and Its Cost

The Imponte Deluxo is purchased from the Warstock Cache & Carry in-game website, which specializes in military-grade and weaponized vehicles. Its standard price is a substantial $4,721,500. However, players can unlock a discounted Trade Price of $3,560,000 by completing the “Setup: The Data Breaches” mission as a CEO or VIP, which is part of The Doomsday Heist Act I. This makes the Trade Price a worthwhile target for anyone serious about owning this unique vehicle. The high cost reflects its unparalleled functionality and the sheer novelty of being able to fly a car. To secure this vehicle, players often engage in a variety of money-making activities, from heists and selling illicit goods to participating in competitive missions. The investment is significant, but for many, the ability to effortlessly traverse Los Santos in style makes it entirely worth the effort.

Prerequisites for Upgrades

While the Deluxo can be purchased and driven immediately, to unlock its full potential, including weaponization and advanced performance modifications, you’ll need specific facilities. The Deluxo requires a Vehicle Workshop located within either a Mobile Operations Center (MOC), an Avenger, or a Terrorbyte. These mobile command units themselves represent significant investments, making the path to a fully upgraded Deluxo a multi-tiered journey. The MOC and Avenger are purchased from Warstock Cache & Carry, while the Terrorbyte is bought from Warstock as well, requiring an active Nightclub business. Once you have one of these workshops, you can install machine guns or homing missiles, turning your stylish hovercar into a formidable weaponized platform. These upgrades are crucial for players who want to use the Deluxo not just for transport, but also for missions, combat, or simply dominating the skies of Los Santos.

Funding Your Deluxo: Strategies for Earning Millions

Earning the millions required for the Deluxo and its associated upgrades can be a grind, but GTA Online offers numerous avenues. Heists, especially The Doomsday Heist (where the Trade Price mission is found), The Cayo Perico Heist, and The Diamond Casino Heist, are some of the most lucrative options. Running businesses like the Import/Export garage, Motorcycle Club (MC) businesses, or Bunker sales provides steady income over time. Participating in VIP/CEO Work, Client Jobs from the Terrorbyte, and Special Cargo missions also contribute significantly to your bank account. Regularly checking for weekly bonuses on specific missions or activities can also accelerate your earnings. A well-rounded approach, diversifying your income streams, is often the most efficient way to amass the necessary funds to procure this highly desired vehicle and experience how to get the Back to the Future car GTA 5 players crave.

Mastering the Deluxo’s Unique Abilities

The true appeal of the Deluxo lies in its transformative capabilities, directly inspired by its cinematic counterpart. It’s not just a car; it’s an adaptable vehicle that seamlessly transitions between land, air, and hover modes.

Switching Between Modes

Operating the Deluxo is intuitive once you understand its controls. By default, it functions as a regular road vehicle. To activate its hover mode, simply press the designated button (usually ‘E’ on PC, D-Pad Right on console). The wheels will retract, and the car will lift off the ground, allowing it to glide over terrain and water. To engage flight mode, press the button again while hovering. Wings will deploy, and the Deluxo will ascend, behaving much like a standard aircraft. Switching back to road mode is just as simple, allowing for dynamic transitions during pursuits or exploration. This flexibility is what truly sets the Deluxo apart, offering unmatched versatility for navigating the diverse landscapes of San Andreas. maxmotorsmissouri.com provides guides and tips for car enthusiasts, but for virtual vehicles like the Deluxo, understanding these controls is crucial for optimal enjoyment.

Practical Applications and Strategic Advantages

The Deluxo’s multi-mode functionality offers significant practical advantages in GTA Online. In its flying mode, it’s one of the fastest and most maneuverable ways to travel across the map, easily bypassing traffic and terrain obstacles. The hover mode is excellent for traversing water bodies or rough off-road terrain without losing speed. When weaponized, the Deluxo becomes a formidable asset in PvP engagements and missions. Its homing missiles are highly effective against other vehicles and NPCs, and its small profile can make it a challenging target to hit. This makes it ideal for grinding missions, escaping hostile players, or simply enjoying the freedom of flight. Many players use it to quickly travel between businesses, engage in quick combat scenarios, or simply to show off their unique ride.

PC Modding for the Ultimate Back to the Future Experience

For PC players, the desire to truly embody the Back to the Future fantasy can extend beyond the official Imponte Deluxo. The robust modding community for GTA 5 has created intricate and highly detailed modifications that bring the actual DeLorean Time Machine into the game, complete with time travel functionality.

Understanding Modding: Risks and Rewards

Modding Grand Theft Auto 5 on PC opens up a world of possibilities, from custom vehicles and characters to entirely new game mechanics. However, it’s crucial to understand the risks involved. While modding story mode is generally safe, using mods in GTA Online can lead to a permanent ban from Rockstar Games. Players should never use mods while connected to GTA Online servers. Always switch to offline story mode before activating any modifications. The rewards, however, are immense for single-player enthusiasts: unparalleled customization, enhanced gameplay, and the ability to experience fantasies like driving a fully functional DeLorean Time Machine that can genuinely manipulate time within the game.

Popular Back to the Future Mods

Several dedicated modders have poured countless hours into creating highly realistic and functional Back to the Future DeLorean mods. These often feature:

• Accurate Models: Recreations of the DeLorean from different films (Part I, Part II with Mr. Fusion, Part III with rail wheels).
• Time Travel: Functioning Flux Capacitor, temporal displacement effects, and the ability to jump to different times of day or even specific dates within the game’s clock cycle.
• Hover Conversion: Seamless transformation into hover mode, complete with authentic sound effects and visual cues.
• Interior Details: Highly detailed interiors, often with working dials and displays.

Popular modding websites like GTA5-Mods.com are the primary hubs for finding these creations. Searching for “Delorean Time Machine” or “Back to the Future” will yield numerous results, often with videos demonstrating their features and detailed installation instructions.

Installation: A Brief Overview

Installing mods in GTA 5 typically involves a few key steps:

1. Script Hook V: This is a crucial library that allows custom scripts and mods to run in GTA V. It needs to be updated regularly to match the game’s current version.
2. OpenIV: A powerful tool used to edit and replace game files. Many vehicle mods require OpenIV to inject custom models and textures.
3. Mod Folder: Most complex mods recommend creating a dedicated “mods” folder to avoid directly altering original game files, making it easier to manage and remove mods.
4. Specific Mod Files: Download the desired DeLorean mod and follow its specific installation instructions, which usually involve placing files into designated folders within the game directory or using OpenIV to add them.

This process allows you to fully customize your offline GTA 5 experience and truly get the Back to the Future car GTA 5 fans envision, complete with all its time-bending features.

Is the Deluxo Available in GTA 5 Story Mode?

A common question among players is whether the Imponte Deluxo can be found or purchased in Grand Theft Auto V’s single-player story mode. Unfortunately, the answer is no. The Deluxo was introduced as part of a GTA Online update (The Doomsday Heist) and is exclusively available in the multiplayer component of the game. This means that Franklin, Michael, and Trevor cannot officially own or drive the Deluxo with its hover and flight capabilities.

However, as mentioned earlier, PC players can bypass this limitation through modding. By installing a custom DeLorean mod, you can bring a highly accurate representation of the Back to the Future car, often with full time-travel functionality, into your single-player experience. This allows for a unique blend of cinematic nostalgia and open-world gameplay, transforming how you explore Los Santos in story mode. For console players, the Deluxo remains an online-only luxury. This distinction is important for managing expectations, especially for those primarily interested in the offline experience.

Maximizing Your Deluxo Experience

Once you’ve acquired the Imponte Deluxo, whether officially in GTA Online or through mods on PC, there are several ways to make the most of your investment and fully embrace the Back to the Future fantasy.

Best Uses in GTA Online

• Efficient Travel: Use its flight capabilities to quickly traverse the vast map of Los Santos and Blaine County, avoiding traffic and rough terrain. It’s perfect for fast-paced missions or getting to your businesses promptly.
• Heist Support: The weaponized Deluxo can be a valuable asset in many Heist setups and finales, providing air support and quick transport for objectives. Its missiles are especially effective against enemy vehicles.
• VIP/CEO Work: Complete various VIP/CEO challenges and jobs with ease, often providing an aerial advantage or swift evasion.
• PvP Engagements: While vulnerable to dedicated anti-aircraft vehicles, the Deluxo’s speed and homing missiles make it a potent force in skirmishes against other players, especially those on the ground.
• Collection and Flexing: For many, simply owning the Deluxo and showcasing its unique abilities is a core part of the experience. It’s a statement vehicle that garners attention and envy.

Fun Activities and Easter Eggs

• Recreating Movie Scenes: Find spots in Los Santos that resemble locations from the Back to the Future films and recreate iconic moments, like flying over clock towers or landing dramatically.
• Underwater Exploration (Hover Mode): Use the hover mode to skim across the surface of the ocean or even “drive” underwater in shallow areas, offering a unique perspective of the aquatic environment.
• Friendship Flight: Take friends for a ride, showcasing the Deluxo’s transformation and flight capabilities, which can be a highly entertaining cooperative experience.
• Time Travel (PC Mods): If you’ve installed a mod, experiment with the time travel functions. See how the city changes at different hours or even different days if the mod allows for calendar manipulation. This can lead to some truly unique screenshots and gameplay moments, allowing you to genuinely get the Back to the Future car GTA 5 modders envision.

Maintenance and Customization

Like all personal vehicles in GTA Online, the Deluxo can be customized at Los Santos Customs or within your Avenger/MOC/Terrorbyte Vehicle Workshop. Beyond weapon upgrades, you can change paint colors, wheels, armor, and engine performance. Remember that repairing the Deluxo after heavy damage, especially if it’s been weaponized, can be costly. Investing in full armor upgrades is advisable to minimize repair bills and keep your prized possession in top condition.

The Deluxo in Context: Other Iconic GTA V Vehicles

While the Deluxo captures a very specific type of cinematic fantasy, GTA V is filled with other unique and iconic vehicles that offer their own distinct experiences. Comparing the Deluxo helps highlight what makes it special.

• Oppressor Mk II: Often seen as the Deluxo’s more aggressively weaponized, faster, and more agile cousin. While the Mk II is arguably more efficient for griefing and specific missions due to its speed and compact size, it lacks the classic car aesthetic and the unique transformation sequence of the Deluxo. The Deluxo offers a more “gentlemanly” approach to airborne transport.
• Vigilante: This vehicle is a clear homage to the Batmobile. It offers rocket boost and weaponization, but it is purely a ground vehicle, albeit a very powerful and fast one. It doesn’t offer the multi-mode functionality of the Deluxo.
• Scramjet: Inspired by the Mach 5 from Speed Racer, the Scramjet is known for its absurdly powerful rocket boost and the ability to leap great distances. It also has limited hover/glide capabilities but is far less controlled in the air than the Deluxo.
• Toreador: This is a weaponized submersible sports car, drawing inspiration from James Bond’s Lotus Esprit. It can drive on land and go underwater, offering unique aquatic versatility, but it cannot fly.

Each of these vehicles brings a different flavor of over-the-top cinematic inspiration to GTA Online. The Deluxo stands out specifically because of its direct visual and functional link to the Back to the Future DeLorean, making it the definitive choice for players who want to replicate that specific experience.

The Cultural Impact of the Back to the Future Car

The DeLorean Time Machine is more than just a car; it’s a cultural icon, representing innovation, adventure, and the thrilling possibility of altering destiny. Its appearance in Back to the Future cemented its place in popular culture, making it instantly recognizable even decades later. This enduring legacy is precisely why games like Grand Theft Auto V include homages like the Imponte Deluxo.

Players aren’t just looking for a fast car or a flying vehicle; they’re looking to capture a piece of that cinematic magic, to relive the excitement of Doc Brown and Marty McFly. The Deluxo allows them to do just that, blending the beloved features of the movie car with the anarchic freedom of GTA V. Whether soaring above the Vinewood sign or evading authorities in hover mode, the Deluxo provides a unique blend of nostalgia and cutting-edge gameplay that continues to resonate with a broad audience. It’s a testament to the power of design and storytelling that a vehicle from a 1980s film can still inspire such desire and creativity within a modern video game.

Ultimately, how to get the Back to the Future car GTA 5 offers boils down to acquiring the Imponte Deluxo in GTA Online for an official, in-game experience, or delving into the world of PC mods for an authentic, time-traveling replica in story mode. Both paths provide a unique way to live out the iconic fantasy of piloting the legendary DeLorean through the virtual streets and skies of Los Santos.

Last Updated on October 10, 2025 by Cristian Steven