An Everglades-style airboat is due to appear in Grand Theft Auto VI, first revealed in the September 2022 leaks, where test footage showed it parked at Vice City International Airport with working fan and turning-fin animations. It was later seen gliding through the Grassrivers in the first trailer, and it appears to be based on various custom fanboats built by Panther Airboats.
Rear Fan and Steering
The vehicle is classified as a motorboat and uses an airboat layout: a flat hull carries two elevated seats, while a large rear-mounted engine drives an exposed fan within an arched metal guard. Twin spotlights are fitted to that guard.
Two steering vanes sit behind the fan. Test footage demonstrated their movement as they redirect the fan’s airflow for turning. The footage also showed the craft stationary on land, consistent with the shallow-water airboat form seen in the Grassrivers.
Panther Airboats Influences
Its real-world inspiration is a range of custom-built airboats from Panther Airboats rather than one confirmed production model. The overall hull and seating arrangement most closely follow one Panther design, while the tall curved cage and omission of a forward bench resemble another.
The GTA VI version combines those cues into a two-seat craft with a rear power unit, caged propeller, steering fins, and cage-mounted lamps. No earlier Grand Theft Auto appearance, in-game manufacturer, price, variant list, modifications, or performance details are identified.
Vehicle data via GTA Wiki (Fandom), CC BY-SA 3.0.
