Hot Merchandise

Key takeaways

Keep the mission focused on the vehicle and the delivery route. Exploring beyond the objective area is usually less valuable than preparing a safe exit.

• Treat the car as the mission objective Do not abandon the marked vehicle while dealing with enemies. The contract is completed by recovering and delivering that specific vehicle, not merely by clearing the surrounding area.
• Plan the escape before starting the engine Hostiles may remain near the route out. Check the road, remove the most dangerous threats, or prepare a quick getaway so the vehicle is not trapped in the pickup area.
• Use the route marker after the theft The destination becomes the priority once V is driving. Follow the active objective marker rather than returning to the original location or stopping to investigate unrelated points of interest.
• A failed delivery is not a permanent story loss The contract does not have a known permanent character outcome or branching ending. If the attempt fails, retrying the activity is more important than making a long-term narrative decision.

Hot Merchandise overview

Hot Merchandise is a Vehicle Contract set in Dogtown, the restricted district introduced by the Phantom Liberty expansion. The contract is built around recovering a designated vehicle and delivering it to the client’s handoff location rather than following a long, dialogue-heavy story sequence.

The mission begins as one of Dogtown’s vehicle-recovery activities. V is directed toward a vehicle held in a hostile area, and the immediate task is to reach it, take control of it, and leave the site. The exact approach can vary depending on whether V chooses stealth, hacking, ranged combat, or a direct assault.

The vehicle is the mission’s central objective, so the route out matters as much as the initial theft. Hostile occupants can make the approach or escape difficult, and collisions, gunfire, and cramped streets can all make the delivery less reliable. Clear the path before driving away when possible, and avoid treating the target vehicle like an ordinary disposable car.

Once V has the vehicle, the contract changes from an infiltration or clearance task into a delivery run. Follow the active route to the handoff area and complete the transfer there. The mission is a useful introduction to the repeatable Vehicle Contract format in Dogtown, where efficient recovery and a clean escape are generally more important than searching every room.

Where this sits

Requirements

Hot Merchandise requires access to the Dogtown content associated with Phantom Liberty and an active Vehicle Contract objective.

• RequiredCyberpunk 2077The base game is required to play the mission.
• RequiredPhantom LibertyHot Merchandise is part of the expansion’s Dogtown activities.
• RequiredAccess to DogtownV must be able to enter the district and reach its Vehicle Contract activities.
• RecommendedA combat or stealth buildNo particular attribute, cyberware setup, or weapon is required, but a way to handle hostile occupants makes the recovery safer.
• RecommendedA vehicle-ready escape routeA clear route away from the pickup site reduces the chance of being boxed in or losing time during the delivery.

Objectives

1. Reach the marked vehicleFollow the contract marker to the recovery location and identify the designated vehicle.
2. Secure the vehicleDeal with any immediate resistance, then enter and take control of the target car.
3. Escape the recovery areaLeave the hostile site without abandoning the mission vehicle.
4. Deliver the vehicleFollow the active route to the handoff point and complete the contract.

Walkthrough

1. 01

   Start the Vehicle Contract

   Activate Hot Merchandise

   Select Hot Merchandise from the available Vehicle Contract activity and wait for the objective marker to appear. Before leaving, make sure V has a usable weapon or quickhack setup because the recovery site may be guarded.

   Location: Dogtown

   TipSave or create a manual checkpoint before beginning if you are testing a new build.

2. 02

   Reach the target vehicle

   Travel to the recovery site

   Follow the marked route toward the target vehicle, using the streets and access points shown by the objective marker. Avoid unnecessary detours: Dogtown’s dense roads and hostile pockets can make a short-looking drive slower than it appears.

   Location: Dogtown

   Watch outDo not assume that arriving at the vehicle completes the objective; the recovery area may still contain enemies or an active combat trigger.

3. 03

   Secure the target vehicle

   Survey the area before taking the car

   Pause near the objective and identify the safest way to reach the vehicle and leave afterward. Scan for visible hostiles, cameras, explosive objects, and narrow exits before entering the car, since starting the escape in a confined space can expose V to sustained fire.

   Location: Vehicle recovery area

   TipA stealth approach or quick disabling hack can reduce the pressure around the pickup, but direct combat is also a valid solution.

4. 04

   Clear a path to the vehicle

   Neutralize or bypass the opposition

   Handle the enemies controlling the recovery area, or move past them if the route allows it. Prioritize threats that can block the vehicle’s exit and avoid spending resources on distant opponents who cannot affect the escape.

   Location: Vehicle recovery area

   Watch outLeaving the marked area before taking the vehicle can leave the objective incomplete and force V to return to the pickup site.

5. 05

   Recover the vehicle

   Enter and take control of the vehicle

   Approach the marked vehicle and use the interaction prompt to enter it. Once V is inside, confirm that the mission objective has advanced before accelerating away; if combat is active, a short pause can prevent an accidental turn in the wrong direction.

   Location: Target vehicle

   TipFace the vehicle toward the exit before starting the final approach when the area gives you room to do so.

6. 06

   Escape with the vehicle

   Break away from the recovery site

   Drive out using the clearest available route rather than trying to fight every enemy from the driver’s seat. Keep the vehicle moving, avoid sharp collisions, and use nearby cover or turns to break line of sight when opponents continue firing.

   Location: Roads outside the recovery area

   Watch outA vehicle that becomes immobilized or is left behind cannot be delivered until V returns to it or restarts the attempt.

7. 07

   Deliver the vehicle

   Follow the delivery marker

   After the escape objective updates, use the active route to reach the handoff destination. Stay alert for traffic, hostile interference, and tight turns; the shortest marked route is not always the easiest one to drive at speed.

   Location: Dogtown streets

   TipIf the route seems to point back toward the recovery site, check that V is still in the marked vehicle and that the delivery objective has updated.

8. 08

   Finish Hot Merchandise

   Complete the handoff

   Bring the vehicle into the marked delivery area and stop when the interaction or completion prompt appears. Remain in the vehicle until the contract registers as complete, then wait for the reward or follow-up notification before leaving the area.

   Location: Vehicle handoff point

   Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

Hot Merchandise uses the core Vehicle Contract loop: locate a marked car, recover it from an occupied area, and deliver it to a designated destination. The mission is therefore less about a fixed puzzle solution and more about managing the transition between on-foot combat and vehicle movement.

The recovery stage gives stealth-focused characters room to avoid a prolonged firefight, while combat-oriented characters can create an opening by removing nearby threats. Hacking cameras, disabling devices, and controlling sightlines are useful because the vehicle itself limits V’s options once the driving portion begins.

The delivery stage rewards route awareness rather than reckless speed. The safest handoff usually comes from leaving the pickup area cleanly, keeping enough road space to turn, and using the objective marker as soon as it updates. If the car is damaged or the route becomes blocked, prioritize reaching the destination over stopping for unrelated encounters.

What works and what does not

Phases

1. 1

   Approach

   Starts: Entering the marked recovery area

   V reaches the location containing the designated vehicle and may need to pass through hostile security or occupants.

   • Small-arms fireTell Enemies raise weapons or react to V’s presence.Answer Use cover, break line of sight, or disable the most immediate threat before approaching the car.
   • DetectionTell Cameras or alerted enemies begin tracking V.Answer Hack or avoid surveillance and move through the area before the response escalates.
   • Scan the area before entering the vehicle.
   • Keep an exit route in mind rather than focusing only on the target.
2. 2

   Recovery

   Starts: Entering or interacting with the marked vehicle

   The activity changes from reaching the objective to leaving the recovery zone with the car.

   • Pursuit fireTell Nearby enemies continue attacking as V starts the escape.Answer Accelerate toward open road, use turns for cover, and avoid stopping to trade fire.
   • Do not get stuck against barriers or parked vehicles.
   • If the objective does not update, verify that V entered the marked vehicle.
3. 3

   Delivery

   Starts: The delivery objective appears

   V drives the recovered vehicle through Dogtown to the handoff point.

   • Road hazardsTell Tight streets, traffic, and hostile pressure interrupt the drive.Answer Reduce speed for turns and prioritize a clean route over maximum speed.
   • Follow the active marker after the recovery objective changes.
   • Stop inside the marked handoff area until completion registers.

Checklist

• Confirm that Phantom Liberty and Dogtown are accessibleThe contract belongs to the expansion’s Dogtown content.
• Activate Hot Merchandise from the Vehicle Contract activityWait for the recovery objective to appear.
• Reach the marked recovery areaUse the objective marker and avoid unnecessary detours.
• Identify a safe approach and escape routeCheck exits before taking the car.Optional
• Secure the designated vehicleDo not substitute another vehicle.
• Leave the recovery area without abandoning the carKeep moving if enemies continue firing.
• Follow the delivery markerThe destination becomes the active objective after recovery.
• Stop at the handoff point until the contract completesWait for the completion notification.

Failure conditions

• The recovered vehicle is abandonedLeaving the mission vehicle can prevent progress until V returns to it or retries the activity.
• The vehicle becomes unusableHeavy collisions or sustained attacks can make the delivery attempt fail or require a restart.
• V is incapacitatedDying during the approach, recovery, or delivery ends the current attempt and returns V to the latest checkpoint or reload point.
• The handoff is not completedReaching the general destination is not enough; V must bring the vehicle into the marked delivery area and wait for the contract to register.

Rewards

• Contract completion reward
  Completing Hot Merchandise grants the normal reward associated with the Vehicle Contract.
• Vehicle Contract progression
  Finishing the activity contributes to Dogtown’s broader Vehicle Contract activity loop.
• Loot from hostile areas
  Any ordinary loot found on defeated enemies or in the recovery area can be collected during the mission, but no unique item is confirmed for Hot Merchandise.

Characters in this mission

• VThe player character who accepts, performs, and completes the contract.
• DogtownThe setting for the contract and its vehicle handoff.

Aftermath

Trivia

• Hot Merchandise belongs to the Vehicle Contract activity family rather than the main story mission chain.
• The contract’s design emphasizes a complete vehicle run: the approach, the recovery, the escape, and the final handoff all matter.
• Dogtown’s confined streets make route planning more important here than it is during many open-road vehicle objectives.

Relationships