Check out the paint job.

The Grand Theft Auto series has always been focused on its cars and San Andreas will be no exception. In order to give each car its own feel, the game’s developers have created a separate physics model for every vehicle in the game. Each will handle differently in a variety of areas such as acceleration, braking, and turning, and as a result you’ll want to choose the right car for the right situation. What works best on the open highways between the cities might not be the best choice in the narrow streets and steep hills of San Fierro. You can expect plenty of vehicles to choose from, including vehicles from new classes such as BMX bikes, monster trucks, 18-wheelers, and go-karts.

One of the new vehicle enhancements in San Andreas is nitrous oxide. Some cars can be modified at your local garage to carry nitrous oxide and then you can purchase nitrous charges for later use. When driving, hitting Circle or L1 will engage the nitrous, burning off a charge but giving you 10-15 seconds of high speed boost. When the nitrous kicks in, the car’s tailpipe will glow with blue flames as the world around you begins to blur with your speed. But it’s not just a speed thing – at super high speed you can use your car to crash through objects that normally would be indestructible. Sounds like a good way to hide some game secrets to me…

Some of the garages in the game specialize in car modifications. Some of these in turn specialize in special kinds of modifications. Wheel Angels in San Fierro makes street racing mods while in Los Santos you can find a garage that specializes in low-rider mods. You can purchase many different types of mods in the game, beginning with the color of your car. A color swatch will help you customize the look of your car’s color components and you can then apply style paint such as flames. You can also replace your car’s roof with a soft or open roof, and modify the bumpers, exhaust, and rims. You’ll even be able to purchase a subwoofer to give your car’s stereo a kick in the bass.