Post by realCrumbleYbutt on Oct 13, 2016 22:25:42 GMT 1
So I got to chatting with Fringe, Frostmoar and a few other guys about cars and tuning and the differences between racing on different generations of console, and Fringe sent me a list of his garaged cars asking if I had any thoughts or comments on what he owns & what he should consider purchasing, I was working on a lengthy reply when I realised that it was becoming somewhat of a novel that is largely based around what I THINK and what I LIKE, so I figured since i'd spent so much time on it already, why not make it accessible and relevant to anyone and everyone who maybe hasn't got the time, money or attention span to buy the vehicles and do the testing for themselves.
If that sounds like something you'd be remotely interested in then please read-on and feel free to comment with any thoughts, comments etc...
If not then you may save yourself the eye-strain and go elsewhere.
Ahem!
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COMPACTS
Blista - Great acceleration, speed and handling with a tendancy towards mid-speed understeer and snap oversteer, brilliant in the city for pulling hard out of the hairpins, not ideal for hill racing where you're constantly trying to maintain a steady speed through dangerous cliff sections.
Prairie - Feels like a Blista but based around a slightly larger Coupe body style, not really much else of note here.
Dilettante - Yes, I know it's slow, and yes it's basically a Prius, but I do enjoy maximizing revs and keeping it's speed up through tight city circuits.
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COUPES
Exemplar - The go-to choice when you want to dominate in a straight line whilst swinging DAT-ASS! around in the corners, great choice for a talented defender.
Jackal - It performs like a combination between Zion &Felon, great at carrying speed, stable and fast enough to mix it up with the quicker Coupes, great for battling.
Oracle XS - Way off the pace but a pleasure to drive, both for it's heavier Sedan style handling and it's awesome engine note.
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INDUSTRIALS
Guardian - Useable only in Offroad races, on the pace of a Sandking or a Rebel, great for when someone hosts a city track in Offroads.
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MOTORCYCLES
Chimera - Because it's a fecking Trike that pulls awesome wheelies and goes around corners like a Turismo on crack!
Faggio Mod - Because "WE ARE THE MODS!" If it was good enough for Sting, it's good enough for you.
Nightblade - Because it's a fast and fairly agile bike whilst combining modern styling with a chopper stance.
Zombie Bobber - Because it's retro AF with great custom mods and surprisingly good handling for what it is.
Hakuchou - Because it's a Susuki GSX-R 1000 Hayabusa! Also it contends with the Bati once the wheelying starts.
Gargoyle - Because i have found it to be the most versatile vehicle in it's class, very fast, very agile, sounds awesome and is useful in virtually any situation where you might want to use a motorcycle, my favourite vehicle with 2 wheels. (Sorry Faggio!)
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MUSCLES
Sabre Turbo Custom - If someone asked me what my favourite vehicle in the Muscle class was, i don't think i could answer, i am so massively biased towards classic american cars with torquey V8 powertrains that it'd be impossible to choose, but since the Sabre Turbo Custom can beat the Dominators i think it has to be one of my favourites, since i don't consider 'Modern Muscle' to be the same thing as Classic Muscle.
Dukes - Another Classic Muscle car that can take it to the Dominators, with plenty of up hill grunt and cornering ability, though still lags behind in situations where top speed is key.
Coquette Blackfin - Honestly this car feels like it belongs in the Sports Classics class, an interesting car to master for sure but a lot of fun if you like throttle control and steering micro-management.
Blade - With a Gasser stance and plenty of pull out of the hairpins, this car feels a little more like a Classic Sedan in my opinion, heavy in the corners with understeer problems, tuning is everything as far as this car's handling is concerned.
Ruiner - Testing has shown that this car is faster than a Dominator in a straight line when used in the rain, and while the Dominator becomes harder to control in the wet, the Ruiner feels even more at home, it gets around the Dockyard much faster than the Dominator too so definitely worth having in your arsenal for either of those situations.
Stallion - Not a lot to say in terms of it's performance, sounds and drives like a typical muscle car, but with the added bonus of a removeable top and a more laid back and refined feel to it, a joy to drive whether pootling around in free roam or racing against other GT2 & GT3 cars.
Phoenix - Imagine a Ruiner then take it back in time 10 years, solid speed and handling, great custom mods, but unfortunately it's just not quite a Ruiner and won't be taking it to the Dominators.
Gauntlet Racecar - A massive improvement over the disappointing standard version of the Gauntlet, just a decent all round car.
Tampa- Ever wanted a Coupe in the Muscle class? This is pretty much as close as you'll get, way off of the pace of many other cars but great if you hate Muscle car oversteer and throttle control, another good choice for GT2 Dockyard racing, before the Tampa i would have used the standard Sabre instead.
Buccaneer - Kind of the reverse of the Faction situation where it dies over bumps and curbs, i actually prefer the non Benny's variant of the Buccaneer because it handles well and has a good looking raked stance, a satisfying car to drive in and around the Grove Street/Cypress Industrial side of the map.
Faction Custom - As mentioned above, the non-Benny's standard Faction hates curbs, a real shame since it's otherwise a great car, the Benny's Custom version solves that issue though and with a little creative flair can be made to look okay whilst going fast.
Vigero - So if you can see that the Gauntlet is just a combination between a modern Camaro and a modern Challenger, The Vigero is that but 50 years it's senior, seems off the pace when you look at the numbers, but in the hands of a seasoned veteran can be very competitive indeed vs anything short of a Dominator.
Virgo Classic Custom - Are you not really a Muscle fan? Do you prefer Pimpin'? Do you feel like all the other Pimp cars are too slow for you? Well then this is the car for you, fastest and most practical of all the large american classic cruisers in the Muscle class, this is the logical choice.
Moonbeam Custom - Yeah it's a Van, get over it! But with a spare wheel option that adds traction this can actually be an interesting little mini-van (not to be confused with the 'Minivan' in the Vans class) ONE OFF EVENT INCOMING???
Virgo - And while everybody is bitching about R* not knowing what class to put cars in, i'm concerning myself with why we have 2 different versions of the Virgo and they're both made by different manufacturers.... WHAT?? A fun little hybrid between Muscle & Cruiser, it's basically the LATE 60'S! OLDER! brother to the LATE 70'S! Virgo CLASSIC!.... WHAT THE FUDGE???
Picador - A 4 wheel drive pick-up, largely based on the Chevrolet El'Camino, which was basically Chevy's utility pick-up truck that borrowed many existing body styles throughout it's life cycle, most noteably the Chevelle, so you might consider the Picador to be a Sabre-Turbo pick-up, yeah it's slow and quirky but it handles well in all situations.
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OFFROADS
Dune Buggy - Drives like it's on rails but with just enough slip to throw it around on dirt, me and Shadowzz both agree it would work as a Classic F1 car in the same way that the Bifta works as a Go-Kart, INSERT EVENT PLUG HERE SHADOWZZ!!!
Bodhi - I don't know about anyone else, but when i think of Offroading the first thing that comes to mind is old American Trucks, and there's no finer example than the Bodhi, as far as Trucks are concerned it's the quickest of the lot and always has been since the game's release.
Rebel - One of the cheapest vehicles in the game at $3k and with some of the coolest mods, this little rusty 80's Sport-Truck loves jumps and rugged terrain but lacks the pace to ever be spectacular in races, also worth noting that the more expensive version of the Rebel with the clean paint-job does not have any of the cool modifications available to it though it is on the same pace.
Kalahari - Imagine if a Classic VW Beetle got thrown in a car-compactor and crushed into a cube, i give you the Kalahari, not fast loud or spectacular in any way, though somehow still a joy to drive Offroad.
Rancher XL - MERICA! A typical American 80's/90's family 4x4, so.. buy one? i guess?
Duneloader - This Truck holds the little-known distinction of being the original Armored Kuruma! Me and my friends would use this both in free roam and in missions as a 4 man Tank! 2 people would sit up front and 2 more people could crouch and take cover in the bed behind the cab, and for some reason GTA physics never allowed them to fall and ragdoll out of the bed as long as they stayed crouched, not a fast vehicle but it holds a certain amount of nostalgia for me and i guess if you're into WWII style Trucks then maybe this is something for you.
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SEDANS
Schafter - Back in my 360 days i never liked this car, but now i'm on the XB1 i feel like it's been given a new lease of life, it flys through the corners and tears down the straights, such a shame the Armored Variant came along and ruined it all.
Fugitive - A truly American Sedan, fast, fun and loud and it doesn't even need a Spoiler, the original fastest stock Sedan.
Primo Custom - I would say this is my all-time favourite Sedan, it drives like it's on rails, has just enough noise and speed to be a race car, and the freedom of choice at Benny's garage is so vast, while it's not much faster than the standard Primo it does handle much better in my opinion and makes for a superior car all-round, though the standard Primo is definitely a worthy budget friendly alternative.
Warrener - Want a interesting challenge? Love Classic Nissan Skylines? Love Renault 12s? Love Classic Ford Escorts? Buy this car.
Washington - A luxurious demonstration of modern America at it's finest, if you're a Mafia boss at heart then this is for you, performance wise the one thing this car has going for it is traction, LOTS! of traction, Honestly i think the only place where this car will ever get pushed to the limit of it's traction is Offroad... ANOTHER EVENT PLUG INCOMING!!!!
Stanier - Ever wanted to own a retired Police-Car? Then you should seriously consider the Stanier, shares a lot of the strengths of the Washington but on an older chassis.
Stratum - Resembles a cross between an early 90's R32 Skyline and a mid 90's Impreza Wagon, nothing spectacular here, just another average Sedan with above average looks, it's a shame it doesn't have some JDM mods available to it, a perfect opportunity here for R* to release a Tuner update.
Asea - Probably the car i've driven the most out of every car in GTA, not because i race with it regularly (though it did get extensive use from many of us during the SATCC first season), but because it is the car you use in the first setup mission for The Fleeca Heist, AKA the one place i get all of my money! If you are looking for a Sub-Compact Sedan which trades speed for cornering ability then look no further, if you see a corner ahead and wonder if you can full speed it, the answer is yes, yes you can.
Super Diamond - I see this as the polar opposite of the Asea, large and heavy and powerful in a straight line, with luxurious British style, what more can i say?
Glendale - A similar story to the Warrener, Classic looks and plenty of customisation options with difficult handling and average pace.
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SPORTS
Elegy RH8 - One of those cars that many people struggle with when fist starting out with racing in GTA, the right tuning choices can help to prevent the understeer and snap-oversteer that so many people struggle with, making it a very enjoyable and competitive car.
Surano - Another example of the differences between 360 and XB1, i had trouble learning to love the Surano originally as it wouldn't stop spinning out, then when moved to new gen it felt like it had recieved a flat bonus to it's traction stat, all of a sudden i could actually drive the thing! An interesting alternative to the GT1 Sports cars that i feel have always over saturated the Racing Community.
Seven-70 - Is it a Ferrari? Or is it an Aston? You decide. This is usually my go-to choice when racing in the hills and feels a lot like a Furore with a spoiler to me.
9F Cabrio - Typically i prefer the hardtop variant in the hills, but with the release of the Seven-70 i no longer have a need for it, i find i'm more consistent with the Cabrio variant when racing around a city course.
Schafter V12 - Really not a favourite for me although it is now the fastest vehicle for Sedans racing and i favour it over the armored variant for sure, kind of feels more like a Muscle car to drive though, go figure.
Comet - One of my favourite Sports cars, some of the best battles have been with the Comet, once you learn to drive i well it is particularly good in the hills and for airport racing.
Bestia GTS - I love this quirky little metal-slug body styled master-piece! Not quite on the pace of the Seven-70 and 9F but damn close to it with easier handling than the both of them, i would reccomend this car to anyone.
Carbonizzare - Another Ferrari that desperately wishes it was an Aston Martin, and who could blame it? Fairly quick and sylish as hell.
Tropos Rallye - Prior to the most recent update i would have reccomended the Omnis as the best Rally car, but now the Tropos has moved from 2nd to 1st on the list which isn't all that bad truth be told, based on the Lancia Stratos Group-B Rally car and about on par with the Armored Kuruma for pace around a dirt-track, without the tendency to flip over in the corners.
Coquette - One of the cars we extensively tested on 360 to work out differences in performance with subtle suspension and spoiler tweaks, can be made to understeer or oversteer depending on your preference, making for a very versatile Sports car.
Sultan - Great for carrying a fast line around tight city tracks and leaving faster cars in it's dust, some people believe it is a capable Rally car but personal experience and many new update cars have put a swift end to that idea.
Drift Tampa - What a shame it's not in the Muscle class, But be honest, do we really need a 4 wheel drive Gymkhana Fan-Boy gimmick to be one of the fastest cars in the Muscle class? BLASPHEMY! Personally i enjoy having the option of a Muscle car available for use in Sports races and do enjoy it in Offroad situations also.
Furore GT - This is what you get when a Maserati & Alfa Romeo have a baby! Back before we had tons of update cars, and before i had garages full with Broughy approved vehicles, i would always pick a Furore over a Massacro on Stock Market Crash because i preferred the way it drove.
Buffalo S - In my less than humble opinion, this is the best handling of all the Buffalo variants, while the Sprunk Buffalo is faster, it suffers with understeer and suspension problems that just make the whole experience not enjoyable for me.
Blista Compact - Yet another car that feels like it is in the wrong class, but nonetheless can be a fun and interesting experience when used on the right tracks, i enjoy this car most on tracks where i can keep the speed up the whole time.
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SPORTS CLASSICS
Stirling GT - I don't love what this vehicle has done to the Sports Classics class, although it is very interesting to be able to use it in Sports races now, well suited for Offroad racing also with it's Classic Rally spec modifications and good traction.
Z-Type - Because corners are irrelevant! Why waste time worrying about cornering speed when you can just block off the entire bend with your car's fat B-HIND! then leave them for Pony on the straights?
Pigalle - FWD power! Based mostly on the Maserati engined Citroen SM, this car is certainly an oddity. It's strength lies in it's ability to pull very hard out of the hairpins due to soft suspension and a powerful front wheel drive configuration, a viable option for those who don't favour the Z-Type.
Casco - A Classic Maserati with menacing looking induction stacks visible through the hood-scoop and a racey flame breathing central exhaust configuration, straights are it's strength and it suffers both over bumps and under braking, though this has improved somewhat since 360.
Coquette Classic - Fairly balanced handling and performance provided you drive conservatively and don't damage the car too much, this may sound obvious but when this car takes excessive damage it can have problems both with over & understeer, but it's a mid 60's Corvette Stingray for hot cross bun's sake!
Monroe - I couldn't NOT mention the Monroe here since i do thoroughly enjoy driving it, hasn't got much in the way of mods which is a shame, but sufficiently quick in a straight line and not a total dog when it comes to handling, my only real complaint would be it's lack of braking force like with many other Classics.
Mamba - Probably my favourite of all the Classics, modification wise you have a lot of choice, from full on open top track-day kit car, to yanky Shelby 427 Muscle car, and even the original AC Ace/Cobra refined British Sports car look. Very similar driving style to the Coquette Classic, fun to drive but hates damage, with almost enough acceleration to take it to the Z-Type in the straights, i LOVE! this car.
Stinger - Wait.. not the Stinger GT? Isn't that one faster? In all my time racing i haven't seen any evidence to suggest that the GT is any faster than the standard version, in fact i find i'm faster in the standard Stinger because it handles smoothly vs the GT's twitchy racing suspension and rear engine configuration, making for a more enjoyable and consistent experience.
Manana - SLOW! VERY VERY SLOW! And that's the obvious criticism out of the way. From the 3 gang cars in the Classics class i think the Manana looks, sounds & performs the best of the lot, very balanced handling and soaks up the bumps like a dream, if only we had a Lowriders class.
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SUPERS
T20 - I really shouldn't have to explain why i like all of these, Supers are the most over-used of all the car classes in GTA after all, though when i moved over from 360 to new gen, one of the first things i was impressed by is how much traction my (then) favourite Super-car had with a spoiler that actually worked!
Osiris - I'm not the biggest fan of racing Supers these days but there was a time where this was my main hot-lapping car, constantly trying to improve my time around Life Invader Circuit, situationally better than the Zentorno with generally better cornering ability.
Entity XF - The original Top-Dog of GTA racing (#PancakeAdder) and still gives a lot of Supers a good run for their money around the airport, long live the king!
Reaper - Whilst it's a fairly new addition to the game still, it has quickly replaced the Turismo in my need for a car that can point it's nose in to tight apexes without problem.
Infernus - The car that taught me to enjoy difficult handling cars, not a great selling point i know but is has a certain nostalgia for me, plus when i moved to new gen the sound difference with this car's engine note vs 360 was awesome to me, although it does have problems with under/oversteer.
Cheetah - Probably the most balanced Super of all (in my hands at least), this is usually my go-to choice for city tracks.
Vacca - Similar story to the Cheetah here with very balanced performance, especially around Sandy Shores and hill tracks.
Voltic - "She's Electric!" Not tremendously fast on the top end but has amazing acceleration and handles like an electro-magnet (PUNS!) on wheels.
Bullet - Slowest of all of the Supers and yet somehow one of the most enjoyable for me, maybe it's because it feels more like a Sports/Muscle car.
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SUVS
Huntley S - I never did like the Baller for anything other than Offroading, so when the Huntley was released i loved it, decent speed and handling with British class.
Radius - HANDLING! LOTS AND LOTS OF HANDLING! Not really anything else of note here. It's always great fun when you beat people in their XLS's and Huntleys because you can fly around corners without risk as they all crash out around you.
Rocoto - Obviously based on a Porsche Cayenne, the perfect Wag-mobile and whilst not competiive with the top SUVs, i always have a good time in this.
Dubsta - Boxier and more rugged looking than most of the other Soccer-Mum high end SUVs, this is definitely a manly man's car and a worthy Offroader.
Serrano - A good balance between Rocoto & Dubsta i think, fairly good Offroad and feels equally at home around the city.
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UTILITIES
Tow Truck (Small) - Towtruck variant of the Slamvan that can be modified and driven in story mode but unfortunately is completely unavailable in online play.
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VANS
Minivan Custom - My favourite Van, it's difficult to justify spending over $300k on a Minivan to turn it into a Benny's variant, but when you do, it transforms from basic bitch people carrier, to a loud & powerful Super-Van that's not like anything else in GTA besides maybe the Moonbeam Custom... EVENT!!
Youga - This is worth a mention simply because of the modifications available to it, a good all round Van and fairly competitive.
Bobcat XL - The Big-Daddy to the Rancher XL, and it drives pretty much just as you'd imagine it would, it's not all that fast but i enjoy it in Offroad situations.
Surfer - Hold down that Right-Trigger until your fingers bleed! So it's slow, very very slow, but enjoyable nonetheless if the track choice and competitors are right, the Surfer is always good for a laugh. Maximize your speed by never letting off the throttle!
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Well i hope that anybody that took the time to read all of that was at least mildly interested in what i had to say and maybe even took something constructive out of all of it, if not then i'm wondering why you've even read this far down the page in the first place... =/
I do always enjoy testing, reviewing & categorizing all of the different vehicles in GTA so as i already told Fringe; If anybody has any special requests relevant to th subject then feel free to let me know, or even if people want to do some testing & tuning of their own and want some advice or help, maybe you want to do some hot-lapping sessions with yours truly, anything anything anything, just PM me and we'll do a thing.
Thanks for reading and i hope you enjoyed.
If that sounds like something you'd be remotely interested in then please read-on and feel free to comment with any thoughts, comments etc...
If not then you may save yourself the eye-strain and go elsewhere.
Ahem!
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COMPACTS
Blista - Great acceleration, speed and handling with a tendancy towards mid-speed understeer and snap oversteer, brilliant in the city for pulling hard out of the hairpins, not ideal for hill racing where you're constantly trying to maintain a steady speed through dangerous cliff sections.
Prairie - Feels like a Blista but based around a slightly larger Coupe body style, not really much else of note here.
Dilettante - Yes, I know it's slow, and yes it's basically a Prius, but I do enjoy maximizing revs and keeping it's speed up through tight city circuits.
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COUPES
Exemplar - The go-to choice when you want to dominate in a straight line whilst swinging DAT-ASS! around in the corners, great choice for a talented defender.
Jackal - It performs like a combination between Zion &Felon, great at carrying speed, stable and fast enough to mix it up with the quicker Coupes, great for battling.
Oracle XS - Way off the pace but a pleasure to drive, both for it's heavier Sedan style handling and it's awesome engine note.
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INDUSTRIALS
Guardian - Useable only in Offroad races, on the pace of a Sandking or a Rebel, great for when someone hosts a city track in Offroads.
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MOTORCYCLES
Chimera - Because it's a fecking Trike that pulls awesome wheelies and goes around corners like a Turismo on crack!
Faggio Mod - Because "WE ARE THE MODS!" If it was good enough for Sting, it's good enough for you.
Nightblade - Because it's a fast and fairly agile bike whilst combining modern styling with a chopper stance.
Zombie Bobber - Because it's retro AF with great custom mods and surprisingly good handling for what it is.
Hakuchou - Because it's a Susuki GSX-R 1000 Hayabusa! Also it contends with the Bati once the wheelying starts.
Gargoyle - Because i have found it to be the most versatile vehicle in it's class, very fast, very agile, sounds awesome and is useful in virtually any situation where you might want to use a motorcycle, my favourite vehicle with 2 wheels. (Sorry Faggio!)
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MUSCLES
Sabre Turbo Custom - If someone asked me what my favourite vehicle in the Muscle class was, i don't think i could answer, i am so massively biased towards classic american cars with torquey V8 powertrains that it'd be impossible to choose, but since the Sabre Turbo Custom can beat the Dominators i think it has to be one of my favourites, since i don't consider 'Modern Muscle' to be the same thing as Classic Muscle.
Dukes - Another Classic Muscle car that can take it to the Dominators, with plenty of up hill grunt and cornering ability, though still lags behind in situations where top speed is key.
Coquette Blackfin - Honestly this car feels like it belongs in the Sports Classics class, an interesting car to master for sure but a lot of fun if you like throttle control and steering micro-management.
Blade - With a Gasser stance and plenty of pull out of the hairpins, this car feels a little more like a Classic Sedan in my opinion, heavy in the corners with understeer problems, tuning is everything as far as this car's handling is concerned.
Ruiner - Testing has shown that this car is faster than a Dominator in a straight line when used in the rain, and while the Dominator becomes harder to control in the wet, the Ruiner feels even more at home, it gets around the Dockyard much faster than the Dominator too so definitely worth having in your arsenal for either of those situations.
Stallion - Not a lot to say in terms of it's performance, sounds and drives like a typical muscle car, but with the added bonus of a removeable top and a more laid back and refined feel to it, a joy to drive whether pootling around in free roam or racing against other GT2 & GT3 cars.
Phoenix - Imagine a Ruiner then take it back in time 10 years, solid speed and handling, great custom mods, but unfortunately it's just not quite a Ruiner and won't be taking it to the Dominators.
Gauntlet Racecar - A massive improvement over the disappointing standard version of the Gauntlet, just a decent all round car.
Tampa- Ever wanted a Coupe in the Muscle class? This is pretty much as close as you'll get, way off of the pace of many other cars but great if you hate Muscle car oversteer and throttle control, another good choice for GT2 Dockyard racing, before the Tampa i would have used the standard Sabre instead.
Buccaneer - Kind of the reverse of the Faction situation where it dies over bumps and curbs, i actually prefer the non Benny's variant of the Buccaneer because it handles well and has a good looking raked stance, a satisfying car to drive in and around the Grove Street/Cypress Industrial side of the map.
Faction Custom - As mentioned above, the non-Benny's standard Faction hates curbs, a real shame since it's otherwise a great car, the Benny's Custom version solves that issue though and with a little creative flair can be made to look okay whilst going fast.
Vigero - So if you can see that the Gauntlet is just a combination between a modern Camaro and a modern Challenger, The Vigero is that but 50 years it's senior, seems off the pace when you look at the numbers, but in the hands of a seasoned veteran can be very competitive indeed vs anything short of a Dominator.
Virgo Classic Custom - Are you not really a Muscle fan? Do you prefer Pimpin'? Do you feel like all the other Pimp cars are too slow for you? Well then this is the car for you, fastest and most practical of all the large american classic cruisers in the Muscle class, this is the logical choice.
Moonbeam Custom - Yeah it's a Van, get over it! But with a spare wheel option that adds traction this can actually be an interesting little mini-van (not to be confused with the 'Minivan' in the Vans class) ONE OFF EVENT INCOMING???
Virgo - And while everybody is bitching about R* not knowing what class to put cars in, i'm concerning myself with why we have 2 different versions of the Virgo and they're both made by different manufacturers.... WHAT?? A fun little hybrid between Muscle & Cruiser, it's basically the LATE 60'S! OLDER! brother to the LATE 70'S! Virgo CLASSIC!.... WHAT THE FUDGE???
Picador - A 4 wheel drive pick-up, largely based on the Chevrolet El'Camino, which was basically Chevy's utility pick-up truck that borrowed many existing body styles throughout it's life cycle, most noteably the Chevelle, so you might consider the Picador to be a Sabre-Turbo pick-up, yeah it's slow and quirky but it handles well in all situations.
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OFFROADS
Dune Buggy - Drives like it's on rails but with just enough slip to throw it around on dirt, me and Shadowzz both agree it would work as a Classic F1 car in the same way that the Bifta works as a Go-Kart, INSERT EVENT PLUG HERE SHADOWZZ!!!
Bodhi - I don't know about anyone else, but when i think of Offroading the first thing that comes to mind is old American Trucks, and there's no finer example than the Bodhi, as far as Trucks are concerned it's the quickest of the lot and always has been since the game's release.
Rebel - One of the cheapest vehicles in the game at $3k and with some of the coolest mods, this little rusty 80's Sport-Truck loves jumps and rugged terrain but lacks the pace to ever be spectacular in races, also worth noting that the more expensive version of the Rebel with the clean paint-job does not have any of the cool modifications available to it though it is on the same pace.
Kalahari - Imagine if a Classic VW Beetle got thrown in a car-compactor and crushed into a cube, i give you the Kalahari, not fast loud or spectacular in any way, though somehow still a joy to drive Offroad.
Rancher XL - MERICA! A typical American 80's/90's family 4x4, so.. buy one? i guess?
Duneloader - This Truck holds the little-known distinction of being the original Armored Kuruma! Me and my friends would use this both in free roam and in missions as a 4 man Tank! 2 people would sit up front and 2 more people could crouch and take cover in the bed behind the cab, and for some reason GTA physics never allowed them to fall and ragdoll out of the bed as long as they stayed crouched, not a fast vehicle but it holds a certain amount of nostalgia for me and i guess if you're into WWII style Trucks then maybe this is something for you.
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SEDANS
Schafter - Back in my 360 days i never liked this car, but now i'm on the XB1 i feel like it's been given a new lease of life, it flys through the corners and tears down the straights, such a shame the Armored Variant came along and ruined it all.
Fugitive - A truly American Sedan, fast, fun and loud and it doesn't even need a Spoiler, the original fastest stock Sedan.
Primo Custom - I would say this is my all-time favourite Sedan, it drives like it's on rails, has just enough noise and speed to be a race car, and the freedom of choice at Benny's garage is so vast, while it's not much faster than the standard Primo it does handle much better in my opinion and makes for a superior car all-round, though the standard Primo is definitely a worthy budget friendly alternative.
Warrener - Want a interesting challenge? Love Classic Nissan Skylines? Love Renault 12s? Love Classic Ford Escorts? Buy this car.
Washington - A luxurious demonstration of modern America at it's finest, if you're a Mafia boss at heart then this is for you, performance wise the one thing this car has going for it is traction, LOTS! of traction, Honestly i think the only place where this car will ever get pushed to the limit of it's traction is Offroad... ANOTHER EVENT PLUG INCOMING!!!!
Stanier - Ever wanted to own a retired Police-Car? Then you should seriously consider the Stanier, shares a lot of the strengths of the Washington but on an older chassis.
Stratum - Resembles a cross between an early 90's R32 Skyline and a mid 90's Impreza Wagon, nothing spectacular here, just another average Sedan with above average looks, it's a shame it doesn't have some JDM mods available to it, a perfect opportunity here for R* to release a Tuner update.
Asea - Probably the car i've driven the most out of every car in GTA, not because i race with it regularly (though it did get extensive use from many of us during the SATCC first season), but because it is the car you use in the first setup mission for The Fleeca Heist, AKA the one place i get all of my money! If you are looking for a Sub-Compact Sedan which trades speed for cornering ability then look no further, if you see a corner ahead and wonder if you can full speed it, the answer is yes, yes you can.
Super Diamond - I see this as the polar opposite of the Asea, large and heavy and powerful in a straight line, with luxurious British style, what more can i say?
Glendale - A similar story to the Warrener, Classic looks and plenty of customisation options with difficult handling and average pace.
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SPORTS
Elegy RH8 - One of those cars that many people struggle with when fist starting out with racing in GTA, the right tuning choices can help to prevent the understeer and snap-oversteer that so many people struggle with, making it a very enjoyable and competitive car.
Surano - Another example of the differences between 360 and XB1, i had trouble learning to love the Surano originally as it wouldn't stop spinning out, then when moved to new gen it felt like it had recieved a flat bonus to it's traction stat, all of a sudden i could actually drive the thing! An interesting alternative to the GT1 Sports cars that i feel have always over saturated the Racing Community.
Seven-70 - Is it a Ferrari? Or is it an Aston? You decide. This is usually my go-to choice when racing in the hills and feels a lot like a Furore with a spoiler to me.
9F Cabrio - Typically i prefer the hardtop variant in the hills, but with the release of the Seven-70 i no longer have a need for it, i find i'm more consistent with the Cabrio variant when racing around a city course.
Schafter V12 - Really not a favourite for me although it is now the fastest vehicle for Sedans racing and i favour it over the armored variant for sure, kind of feels more like a Muscle car to drive though, go figure.
Comet - One of my favourite Sports cars, some of the best battles have been with the Comet, once you learn to drive i well it is particularly good in the hills and for airport racing.
Bestia GTS - I love this quirky little metal-slug body styled master-piece! Not quite on the pace of the Seven-70 and 9F but damn close to it with easier handling than the both of them, i would reccomend this car to anyone.
Carbonizzare - Another Ferrari that desperately wishes it was an Aston Martin, and who could blame it? Fairly quick and sylish as hell.
Tropos Rallye - Prior to the most recent update i would have reccomended the Omnis as the best Rally car, but now the Tropos has moved from 2nd to 1st on the list which isn't all that bad truth be told, based on the Lancia Stratos Group-B Rally car and about on par with the Armored Kuruma for pace around a dirt-track, without the tendency to flip over in the corners.
Coquette - One of the cars we extensively tested on 360 to work out differences in performance with subtle suspension and spoiler tweaks, can be made to understeer or oversteer depending on your preference, making for a very versatile Sports car.
Sultan - Great for carrying a fast line around tight city tracks and leaving faster cars in it's dust, some people believe it is a capable Rally car but personal experience and many new update cars have put a swift end to that idea.
Drift Tampa - What a shame it's not in the Muscle class, But be honest, do we really need a 4 wheel drive Gymkhana Fan-Boy gimmick to be one of the fastest cars in the Muscle class? BLASPHEMY! Personally i enjoy having the option of a Muscle car available for use in Sports races and do enjoy it in Offroad situations also.
Furore GT - This is what you get when a Maserati & Alfa Romeo have a baby! Back before we had tons of update cars, and before i had garages full with Broughy approved vehicles, i would always pick a Furore over a Massacro on Stock Market Crash because i preferred the way it drove.
Buffalo S - In my less than humble opinion, this is the best handling of all the Buffalo variants, while the Sprunk Buffalo is faster, it suffers with understeer and suspension problems that just make the whole experience not enjoyable for me.
Blista Compact - Yet another car that feels like it is in the wrong class, but nonetheless can be a fun and interesting experience when used on the right tracks, i enjoy this car most on tracks where i can keep the speed up the whole time.
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SPORTS CLASSICS
Stirling GT - I don't love what this vehicle has done to the Sports Classics class, although it is very interesting to be able to use it in Sports races now, well suited for Offroad racing also with it's Classic Rally spec modifications and good traction.
Z-Type - Because corners are irrelevant! Why waste time worrying about cornering speed when you can just block off the entire bend with your car's fat B-HIND! then leave them for Pony on the straights?
Pigalle - FWD power! Based mostly on the Maserati engined Citroen SM, this car is certainly an oddity. It's strength lies in it's ability to pull very hard out of the hairpins due to soft suspension and a powerful front wheel drive configuration, a viable option for those who don't favour the Z-Type.
Casco - A Classic Maserati with menacing looking induction stacks visible through the hood-scoop and a racey flame breathing central exhaust configuration, straights are it's strength and it suffers both over bumps and under braking, though this has improved somewhat since 360.
Coquette Classic - Fairly balanced handling and performance provided you drive conservatively and don't damage the car too much, this may sound obvious but when this car takes excessive damage it can have problems both with over & understeer, but it's a mid 60's Corvette Stingray for hot cross bun's sake!
Monroe - I couldn't NOT mention the Monroe here since i do thoroughly enjoy driving it, hasn't got much in the way of mods which is a shame, but sufficiently quick in a straight line and not a total dog when it comes to handling, my only real complaint would be it's lack of braking force like with many other Classics.
Mamba - Probably my favourite of all the Classics, modification wise you have a lot of choice, from full on open top track-day kit car, to yanky Shelby 427 Muscle car, and even the original AC Ace/Cobra refined British Sports car look. Very similar driving style to the Coquette Classic, fun to drive but hates damage, with almost enough acceleration to take it to the Z-Type in the straights, i LOVE! this car.
Stinger - Wait.. not the Stinger GT? Isn't that one faster? In all my time racing i haven't seen any evidence to suggest that the GT is any faster than the standard version, in fact i find i'm faster in the standard Stinger because it handles smoothly vs the GT's twitchy racing suspension and rear engine configuration, making for a more enjoyable and consistent experience.
Manana - SLOW! VERY VERY SLOW! And that's the obvious criticism out of the way. From the 3 gang cars in the Classics class i think the Manana looks, sounds & performs the best of the lot, very balanced handling and soaks up the bumps like a dream, if only we had a Lowriders class.
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SUPERS
T20 - I really shouldn't have to explain why i like all of these, Supers are the most over-used of all the car classes in GTA after all, though when i moved over from 360 to new gen, one of the first things i was impressed by is how much traction my (then) favourite Super-car had with a spoiler that actually worked!
Osiris - I'm not the biggest fan of racing Supers these days but there was a time where this was my main hot-lapping car, constantly trying to improve my time around Life Invader Circuit, situationally better than the Zentorno with generally better cornering ability.
Entity XF - The original Top-Dog of GTA racing (#PancakeAdder) and still gives a lot of Supers a good run for their money around the airport, long live the king!
Reaper - Whilst it's a fairly new addition to the game still, it has quickly replaced the Turismo in my need for a car that can point it's nose in to tight apexes without problem.
Infernus - The car that taught me to enjoy difficult handling cars, not a great selling point i know but is has a certain nostalgia for me, plus when i moved to new gen the sound difference with this car's engine note vs 360 was awesome to me, although it does have problems with under/oversteer.
Cheetah - Probably the most balanced Super of all (in my hands at least), this is usually my go-to choice for city tracks.
Vacca - Similar story to the Cheetah here with very balanced performance, especially around Sandy Shores and hill tracks.
Voltic - "She's Electric!" Not tremendously fast on the top end but has amazing acceleration and handles like an electro-magnet (PUNS!) on wheels.
Bullet - Slowest of all of the Supers and yet somehow one of the most enjoyable for me, maybe it's because it feels more like a Sports/Muscle car.
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SUVS
Huntley S - I never did like the Baller for anything other than Offroading, so when the Huntley was released i loved it, decent speed and handling with British class.
Radius - HANDLING! LOTS AND LOTS OF HANDLING! Not really anything else of note here. It's always great fun when you beat people in their XLS's and Huntleys because you can fly around corners without risk as they all crash out around you.
Rocoto - Obviously based on a Porsche Cayenne, the perfect Wag-mobile and whilst not competiive with the top SUVs, i always have a good time in this.
Dubsta - Boxier and more rugged looking than most of the other Soccer-Mum high end SUVs, this is definitely a manly man's car and a worthy Offroader.
Serrano - A good balance between Rocoto & Dubsta i think, fairly good Offroad and feels equally at home around the city.
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UTILITIES
Tow Truck (Small) - Towtruck variant of the Slamvan that can be modified and driven in story mode but unfortunately is completely unavailable in online play.
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VANS
Minivan Custom - My favourite Van, it's difficult to justify spending over $300k on a Minivan to turn it into a Benny's variant, but when you do, it transforms from basic bitch people carrier, to a loud & powerful Super-Van that's not like anything else in GTA besides maybe the Moonbeam Custom... EVENT!!
Youga - This is worth a mention simply because of the modifications available to it, a good all round Van and fairly competitive.
Bobcat XL - The Big-Daddy to the Rancher XL, and it drives pretty much just as you'd imagine it would, it's not all that fast but i enjoy it in Offroad situations.
Surfer - Hold down that Right-Trigger until your fingers bleed! So it's slow, very very slow, but enjoyable nonetheless if the track choice and competitors are right, the Surfer is always good for a laugh. Maximize your speed by never letting off the throttle!
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Well i hope that anybody that took the time to read all of that was at least mildly interested in what i had to say and maybe even took something constructive out of all of it, if not then i'm wondering why you've even read this far down the page in the first place... =/
I do always enjoy testing, reviewing & categorizing all of the different vehicles in GTA so as i already told Fringe; If anybody has any special requests relevant to th subject then feel free to let me know, or even if people want to do some testing & tuning of their own and want some advice or help, maybe you want to do some hot-lapping sessions with yours truly, anything anything anything, just PM me and we'll do a thing.
Thanks for reading and i hope you enjoyed.