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The Grand Theft Auto series is well known for its “above and beyond” gameplay. And as the name suggests, it is all about Autos. GTA brought some of, if not the best, cars in an open-world game, as well as some legendary whips from its predecessors.
One of the finest four wheels you can put your hands on is the Benefactor Serrano. The latter snatched many players’ attention when it first appeared in The Ballad of Gay Tony. I could not process the fact that my favorite car brand made it into my favorite game!
Well! Kind of.
In this Benefactor Serrano guide, we will dive deep into the history of the Serrano, highlight the good, and the bad, and whether you should splash some cash on it.
Manufacturer
Benefactor means a supporter or someone who helps others with money or resources. Well, not in this case. In today’s context, it is the name of a well-known car maker in the HD Universe of the Grand Theft Auto Series.
In my book, Benefactor means a rip-off, a knock-off, or an imposter. The brand is a rebadged Mercedes-Benz. In other words, all Benefactor models are based on real-life Mercedes but with a few cosmetic changes and a different badge. The emblem is diamond shaped with two Bs facing each other on the inside. But you can’t blame them for trying not to get sued.
Name Origins
Since Rockstar loves puns and hiding easter eggs, Serrano could be a reference to the antagonist character in Max Payne 3. It could also be an intended pun and named it after a type of chili pepper like they did with the Habanero.
The Ballad of Gay Tony (TBOGT)
Design
Serrano made its first appearance in Liberty City in 2008 as a crossover SUV. Rockstar took a couple of Mercedes models and mashed them up together to create the Serrano. The front half and parts of the side panels resemble the second-generation 2005-2011 Mercedes-Benz M-Class. The rear panels and the trunk are inspired by the 2013 Mercedes GLK-Class.
Many players claim that the front headlights are Xenons taken from the 2005 VW Touareg. Others said they were taken from the 2006 Mercedes ML before the facelift took place.
The Serrano is presented as a sporty SUV, like its real-life AMG counterpart. The front bumper features a lip. The latter makes the car look lower and a lot meaner. Above that is a blackout mesh to protect the radiator with two fog lights on each side.
The main grille comes in plain silver or chrome with the manufacturer’s logo in the middle. The hood has two integrated air vents placed close to the windshield.
The vehicle has a massive road presence thanks to the bulging hood cover and wide wheel arches. Thus, the Serrano looks more aggressive and sportier than it is. Moving on to the rear side, the roof features a small lip spoiler and a large squarish door for the trunk. The tail lights are closely similar to the 2007 ML Mercedes post-facelift model.
The wheels are a copy of those you find on the Habanero. The latter also shares the same interior with the Serrano, but with different badges.
I guess the Developers at Rockstar ran out of ideas.
Performance
Anyways, the Serrano faced serious competition from the Enus Huntley S, but it managed to pull through with a higher top speed. It caps out at 90mph/ 145 kph thanks to its 6.5L supercharged V12, four-wheel drive, and five-speed gearbox. Yet, for some reason, it is modeled as an inline-four banger in the game.
According to the sound of it, the engine can rev really high on the rev counter. For an SUV that weighs 6000 pounds (3000 kg), acceleration is decent, thanks to the AWD system. But the brakes are non-existent.
The handling is responsive if you drive slow. Still, it suffers from major understeer in tight corners. So if you try to take a turn too fast, you will end up kissing a wall or mowing down civilians.
Modded Serrano
There is a modified version of the Serrano that has two-tone paint. The hood and roof can be painted in a different color. It comes with a lowered suspension and a deeper, more aggressive front and rear bumpers. Moreover, the wide wheel arches are complemented by sporty side skirts.
It also comes with fully tinted windows and rims similar to the ones installed on the Banshee, with low-profile tires.
Where to Find the Benefactor Serrano
Fortunately, you can get this modded monster.
After you finish I luv LC, you can call Henrique and ask for the vehicle to be delivered. If you are lucky enough, it will come with a special blue metallic paint job. Sometimes the Serrano may spawn East Hook, Broker. You can find the standard model roaming the streets of Star Junction, The Triangle, and Leftwood, Alderney.
All video games can be glitchy sometimes, and GTA is no different. In The Ballad Of Gay Tony, the Serrano can have the blue metallic paint permanently if you respray it multiple times.
I drove to the shop every time I bumped into something and accidentally stumbled upon this lovely glitch.
Benefactor Serrano in GTA V
The Benefactor brand and many of its production models made their way to Grand Theft Auto 5. The Serrano is still presented to die-hard GTA fans as a four-seater sporty 4×4 SUV.
Design
The classic design from The Ballad Of Gay Tony remains mainly unchanged because it is classic and timeless, and people loved it.
You know what they always say: If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
The Serrano is based on the Mercedes-Benz M class from 2005-2011. However, if you start looking at it from different points of view, it changes. Like a Chameleon! In other words, it is a mashup between the GLK Mercedes, the old M-Class, and the late GLE models. Not to mention, the 2006 Touareg.
It is a hot mess! But the point is, you see a different car every time you change your perspective toward the Serrano.
The front is still aggressive looking, featuring a deeper bumper with a blacked-out intake mesh. On the sides, you will find two round fog lamps sitting inside a black rectangular housing. The main grille is more pronounced with the manufacturer’s logo sitting in the middle.
The grille comes in chrome, blacked out, or de-badged. The headlights did not change much. The latter still resembles the 2006 Mercedes Benz ML or the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg. The housing is now black with two main round headlights mated to wide turning signals.
The side panels are bulky with wide wheel arches and deep, sweeping grooves that run all the way to the back. If you look closely, you will see a V12 badge on the sides near the front wheels. Mercedes does the same thing with their high-end AMG models. The window surrounds come in black with body-colored side mirrors.
The wheels consist of a larger rim and low-profile -ish tires. They are an exact copy of the ones you find on the Habanero. The interior is not far off either. It uses a similar interior design to that of the Ingot, Habanero, and Feroci but with Benefactor emblems all over the place.
Performance
In terms of performance, the Serrano did not receive much of an upgrade. As a matter of fact, it is slower than it originally was in The Ballad of Gay Tony. The top speed barely scratches the surface of the average. It caps out at 81 mph/ 130 kph thanks to the 6.5L V12 and the six-speed transmission.
It is all-wheel drive with 60% of the power going to the front and 40% going to the rear. The engine does rev that high, and it sounds like a Blista compact. Maybe it is an inline-four and not a V12, as Benefactor claims.
Overall, the Serrano drives ok and has a sub-par acceleration. But the handling is loose in the sharp turns. That translates to massive understeer and a warm hug from the nearest wall or tree. Keep in mind, this thing weighs over 5000 pounds/ 2400 kg.
Modifications
Since GTA 5 is big on cars, the game allows you to modify any car depending on your preferences. There are a lot of modifications you can add to the Benefactor Serrano.
Modifying the Serrano in Story Mode vs Online
GTA V Story Mode and Online share a lot of modifications with different price tags. Yet, GTA Online offers a couple more thanks to the continuous updates from Rockstar.
Performance Upgrades
| Modification | Story Mode | Online |
| Engine/ EMS Upgrades:
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| Exhausts:
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| Suspension:
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| Transmission:
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| Turbo:
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| Brakes:
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Cosmetic Upgrades
| Windows:
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| Spoilers:
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| Side Skirts:
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| Plates:
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| Lights:
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| Grilles:
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| Bumpers:
Front Bumpers
Rear Bumpers
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| Paint:
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| Tire Upgrades:
Tires Design:
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It is worth noting that there are additional options to put on your Serrano. However, they are available only on GTA Online as part of the new updates and DLCs.
Where to Find the Benefactor Serrano
The Serrano spawns in various locations, one of them being Cul-De-Sac at the Lake Vinewood Estates in Lake Vinewood. You can also find it parked in a driveway on Picture Perfect Drive in the Vinewood Hills on some occasions.
You may encounter one in Paleto Bay or Sandy Shores. Moreover, the Serrano spawns in Rockford Hills and Downtown Los Santos frequently. You can sell it for 6000 $ if you steal it.
GTA Online
You can find it in the same places as Story mode, then steal it and store it in your personal garage. But you can also buy it from Southern San Andreas Super Auto for 60,000 $. A fully upgraded Serrano can be sold for up to 130,000 $ if you bought it.
I am not sure if that is a good deal considering the modification prices in GTA Online.
They are outrageous!
Competition
There are more than thirty SUVs featured in GTA 5 and Grand Theft Auto Online. That means the Serrano has many serious competitors.
Gallivanter Baller II
The Baller is almost an identical copy of the Range Rover Sport/ SVR, and you can buy it for 90,000 $ in story mode and Online. Like the Serrano, the Baller II has all-wheel drive, comes with four seats, and has 5 gears instead of 6. But it weighs a little bit less than the Serrano and has a top speed of 83 miles per hour (130 kph). In addition, it has a higher resale value.
Benefactor Dubsta 2
Dubsta 2 can be seen as Serrano’s bigger brother. It is based on the Mercedes Benz G-class/ G-Wagon. It is available for purchase Online for 70,000 $. Similar to the Serrano, the Dubsta 2 is a 4 door SUV with all-wheel drive and a five-speed transmission. The claimed top speed of the Dubsta 2 is 86 mph. Yet, when players raced it against the Serrano, it was about 1 mph faster.
Enus Huntley S
The Huntley S is one of the high-end SUVs that you can get in the game. It makes sense because it is based on the Bentley Bentayga. You can only purchase it for 195,000 $. Again, it has four-wheel drive, & six-speed gearbox, and four seats.
Moreover, it weighs a bit more than the Serrano. The stats say that Huntley’s top speed is 84 mph, but in reality, is it much faster than the Dubsta 2 (which caps out at 86 mph).
FAQs
Question: What is the Fastest SUV in GTA 5?
Answer: The fastest SUV in GTA 5 is the Pegassi Toros with a top speed of 127 mph. It is based on the Lamborghini Urus.
Question: How much does the Dika RR Cost?
Answer: The Dinka Jester RR belongs to the sports cars category. It is an aggressive and fast car that will cost you 1,970,000 $ from Legendary Motorsport. The trade price, after you unlock it, is 1,477,500 $.
Question: Can I Customize a Bus in GTA 5?
Answer: Unfortunately, you can’t customize any vehicle that you get through pegasus. In simple words, if you call Pegasus to bring it to you, then you can’t customize it.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, the Serrano is a great ride and worth every penny you spend on it. It looks the part in its stock form and shines even better when modded. Furthermore, the Serrano offers a sublime performance for a heavy SUV. Should you get one? The answer is no.
Rockstar released tons of updates and added loads of newer, faster, and better-performing vehicles. I recommend you spend your money on one of those instead.