CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most talked-about games in recent history for better or for worse. We won’t be listing all the ways the game failed to meet expectations or even defend it for what it is, we only care about the amazing car design. As the name implies the game takes place in the near future, 2077. Most cars in the game aren’t the hyper-futuristic designs that real-life car manufacturers predict cars will look like, in fact, Cyberpunk 2077 seems to use very restrained and practical designs.
The practical designs are probably thanks to the cyberpunk genre aesthetics. The genre evolved from a 1970s dystopian understanding of what the future might look like so people had no idea car design would come so far. That said, there are more than a few realistic car designs that are likely inspired by real-life concepts. Here are some of the most realistic car designs in Cyberpunk 2077.
10 Porsche 911 II Turbo (930)
That’s right, there’s a honest to goodness Porsche in Cyberpunk 2077 and not just any Porsche, the iconic 911 Turbo (930) that belongs to Johnny Silverhand, the rocker terrorist that Keanu Reeves voices. The real life Porsche 930 was introduced in 1975 and was the fastest production car available in Germany at the time. The 930 was also the first turbocharged 911 Porsche ever made and marks the start of their domination in the sports car market.
Cyberpunk 2077’s Porsche 911 Turbo stays true to the real design and even has similar power and speed figures. The real 911 930 has 325 HP and a top speed of over 170 MPH but the game only has 296 HP and a top speed of 161 MPH. According to the design team, Silverhand’s Porsche has some modern upgrades too like lidar, electric mirrors, multiple monitors, and a full array of sensors to protect against law enforcement identification.
9 ARCH Nazaré
Like the Porsche 911 Turbo, the ARCH Nazaré is also based on a real-life vehicle. The ARCH Nazaré is based on the ARCH Method 143 Motorcycle which is a motorcycle company co-founded by Keanu Reeves himself. The specs are pretty much dead on with both the game and real-life version of the bike producing 170 HP. The ARCH Method 143 is built from milled aluminum, carbon fiber, and the finest leather.
In a promotional video, Keanu Reeves talks about how his creation made its way into the game. “When CD Projekt Red approached me about doing Cyberpunk 2077, they also spoke about integrating – well, people who worked at the company were fans of Arch Motorcycle, and so they broached the idea of creating a specialized, Cyberpunk 2077 version of the Arch Motorcycle,” Reeves explains. “And I thought that was a very fine idea.”
8 Thorton Colby C240T
The Thorton Colby C240T doesn’t have a real-world counterpart like the ARCH and Porsche do but it is the perfect example of an “average” wood-paneled wagon you’d see in the 1970s from the likes of Ford, Chrysler, Oldsmobile, and just about every other major carmaker.
The Colby is reasonably priced, has decent speed, and seats an entire family, the epitome of wagons. The fact that CD Projekt Red chose to include such a run-of-the-mill car in a futuristic game with flying ambulances and cyborg protagonists helps to make the game world feel more realistic. Even though the Colby isn’t based on a specific real-world vehicle, it may be the “realest” car in the game.
7 Chevillon Emperor 620 Ragnar
At first glance, the Chevillon Emperor looks like a futuristic armored truck but in the Cyberpunk 2077 world, it’s a normal luxury SUV. The Emperor, despite being far more luxurious and powerful, is around the same price as the previously mentioned Thorton Colby, perhaps an oversight by the CD Projekt Red but the Emperor is the natural evolution of current SUVs getting bigger.
The Emperor isn’t even a far-off concept, the real-world Dartz Prombron Red Diamond is a close comparison. The Prombron Red Diamond is an over-the-top ultra-luxury SUV that costs $1.25 million dollars. With diamonds/gold/rubies and whale penis leather adorning the interior, it’s only a matter of time before the style starts trickling down into more affordable cars.
6 Archer Hella EC-H I860 NCPD Enforcer (Police)
In a world where ambulances are flying cars that can avoid traffic to get to patients, the inclusion of normal police cars is a peculiar choice. The vehicle itself is anything but peculiar, based on the reliable but standard Archer Hella, the Archer Hella EC-H 1860 NCPD Enforcer is a specially made vehicle for the Night City Police Department. The Police enforcer is reinforced with steel bars, bulletproof panels, and glass as well as a flame-resistant coating.
The concept of taking a normal car and converting it into a heavy-duty workhorse for law enforcement use is taken from real life. The most famous example is the Ford Crown Victoria, a powerful and practical vehicle that added more power, better handling, greater reliability, and top-notch safety to keep up with the demands of law enforcement. These police interceptors were so good at their jobs that many of them are still in regular service despite being almost 20 years old. Today, the vast police fleet of Crown Victorias are being converted into more modern SUVs and sports sedans but none have had as much success as the classic Crown Vics.
5 Delamain No. 21 (Taxi)
In the Cyberpunk 2077 world, fully autonomous artificial intelligence exists but instead of causing the apocalypse as predicted by many Hollywood Blockbusters like Terminator, they drive our taxis. There are some examples of AI running the Cyberpunk world but the most advanced AI is seen driving an armored tank disguised as a taxi. An AI runs a discreet no-questions-asked taxi service company for those that need extra protection.
While self-driving cars may be on the road one day, we’re still a long way away right now and they certainly won’t be chatting up their passengers. What is a reality is heavily armored passenger cars. The most famous armored vehicle is "The Beast," the US presidential state vehicle. Custom built by Cadillac it comes with five-inch thick bulletproof glass, armor that can stop an RPG/IED, sealed against chemical attack, has onboard oxygen, protected against explosions inside and out, run-flat tires, and defensive weaponry including shotguns. Exact specifications aren’t known for security reasons but The Beast is the most well-protected car on the planet.
4 Quadra Type-66 640 TS
There are plenty of sports cars in Cyberpunk 2077 but the Quadra Type-66 is one of the most popular. It is an attractive coupe with a hood scoop and muscular proportions. It could easily be mistaken for a Mustang offshoot or a sleeker Camaro. The rear-wheel-drive coupe has 666 HP and a top speed of 182 MPH, making it one of the fastest cars in the game and a favorite of high-tier gangsters and street racers but that isn’t the only similarity it has in real life. There are six different versions the player can drive which mirrors today’s muscle cars and their many versions.
The best example is the Mustang which offered 11 different models in 2020. Each had its own market and character and cost from $26,000 all the way to $73,000. Likewise, the Quadra Type-66 has street racing versions and even heavy-duty off-roading versions all of which, like the Mustang, are excellent.
3 Villefort Alvarado V4F 570 Delegate
Perhaps the more futuristic car on this list, the Villefort Alvarado looks like an old-school sedan from the 1970s except with six wheels. There isn’t much to say other than it looks fantastic but handles and accelerates like a boat out of water. The Alvarado is one of the pricier cars in the game and is considered a luxurious executive car. Despite its frequent and expensive repairs it is a mainstay for Night City’s underworld and serves as a symbol of luxury and status.
Despite the outlandish idea of six wheels on anything other than a truck, there have been plenty of six-wheel cars throughout the years including trucks and even a supercar. Some of the most famous six-wheeled cars include the Covini C6W, Hennessey Velociraptor, and an A. Khan-designed Flying Huntsman Land Rover Defender. The double rear-axle design on off-roading trucks provides some benefit but the double front-axle found on the Covini and the Alvarado provides little benefit. In fact, in many cases, handling was worse than a standard four-wheel car. These experiments while necessary, ultimately prove not all innovations are good ones.
2 Herrera Outlaw GTS
Now we get to the “Hypercar” class of vehicles in Cyberpunk 2077 which in reality is more like supercar performance. The Herrera Outlaw GTS is a long super luxury limousine. The rear tapers to a point and overall, the look is very aerodynamic and far more in line with what we think of as futuristic in the 21st century. There isn’t a direct comparison for the Outlaw but it veers to the luxurious side of supercar similar to the Bentleys of the real world. But for looks, it is very close to the McLaren Speedtail. The long tapered body is unique and screams futuristic.
The technical marvel that is the Speedtail is powered by a 1055 HP hybrid motor and uses a unique three-seat cockpit configuration. McLaren calls the Speedtail a "Hyper GT" and is designed for serious straight-line speed. Its top speed is 250 MPH and achieves that through incredibly clever aerodynamics. The Outlaw doesn't come anywhere close to the Speedtail's $2.2 million price tag but it certainly has the styling down.
1 Rayfield Caliburn
The Rayfield Caliburn is by far the cream of the crop in the game. It might not be the most expensive car in the game but it is close and the fastest and most powerful by far. The work of art makes 1,660 HP and has a top speed of 211 MPH. There aren’t acceleration figures in a video game but it is clear the Caliburn is meant to be a beast and can outrace any other car in the game. The handling is so much better than any other car in the game that it feels like two completely different games when driving.
Just by looking at the Caliburn, players are meant to see speed. So it’s appropriate that the design is reminiscent of the Bugatti Chiron, one of the fastest hypercars in the real world. Based just on figures, the Caliburn fits more in line with the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport but that’s nitpicking. The Veyron held the world record for fastest production car for so long it had to beat its own record before finally giving it up to another car. Eventually, the Super Sport version came along and dominated the hypercar world for seven long years.