Scout Car

"That's why I called you, Leon. I was hoping you still had the scout car we left with you last summer. The one my Dad rigged with the Tau Cannon."

- Alyx Vance

The Scout Car, also known as the Buggy, its model name, is a scrappy, rough terrain vehicle used on the Coast by the Resistance. Giving a clue as to its use, it was probably used by individual Resistance members to scout enemy movements along the Coast.

Overview
The Scout Car has four wheel drive, disk brakes, independent suspension, and has only one seat. It is powered by a small V8 engine possibly from a salvaged generator located at the rear. It appears to be fueled by propane (a common fuel along with natural gas used for stationary generator sets) with the tank next to the driver's seat. Although not particularly nimble due to the bias-ply medium duty truck tires, the Buggy is ideal for getting from one place to the next with speed, and is well at home out on the open road. The Buggy seems to have been constructed using scrap metal and other salvaged objects. Its sound set was created from a library recording of a 1968 Camaro with stainless steel exhaust pipes and a highly tuned race engine.

The Scout Car is capable of a powerful Turbo boost, which gives it a sudden burst of acceleration. However, the vehicle becomes unstable and difficult to steer for the duration of the boost, so use it with care, see below.

At some point, The Tau Cannon was attached to the Scout Car. An experimental 'gauss gun', it was original supposed to be taken off the car at lighthouse point by a member of the resistance, and be used as a weapon on foot. It is ideal for clearing obstructions in the path of the vehicle and engaging most enemies. Shortly before Gordon Freeman's arrival at the base where the Scout Car was housed (Shorepoint), Noriko, a Resistance member mounted an SMG ammunition crate on the back.

Half-Life 2
After escaping Ravenholm, Gordon Freeman arrives at Shorepoint, a major Resistance base which was housing the Scout Car. In order to reach Nova Prospekt sooner, Gordon was given the Scout Car to take on his journey, with the permission of Leon, the base's leader. The Scout Car proved to be a very valuable vehicle for Gordon as he traveled along the coasts of Highway 17, and without it he most likely would not have made it. The last time Gordon saw the Scout Car was after the Combine overwhelmed Lighthouse Point; a dropship was seen carrying it away. A possible ramification of this is the fact that the Combine now possess the advanced weapons technology of the Tau Cannon, a fact which may be explored in later games.

Trivia

 * The SMG ammunition crate features unlimited ammo.
 * During the Half-Life 2 chapters Highway 17 and Sandtraps, the player must use the Scout Car to travel along the Coast, eventually arriving at Lighthouse Point. If the Scout Car is destroyed (such as by falling off a cliff or being hit by a train) at any point during these two chapters, the player will be presented with a failure message and will have to resume from the last savegame.
 * The turbo feature on the Scout Car gives it a huge temporary speed boost, and is required for some jumps. However it makes steering almost impossible and makes controlling or stopping the Scout Car a challenge. It should only be used in open, straight areas or when climbing a steep hill.
 * Driving it in water will stop it. It then must be moved with the Gravity Gun.
 * Despite having headlights, it is not possible to turn them on. In addition, the flashlight cannot be used while inside the Scout Car.

List of appearances

 * Half-Life 2
 * Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar