This page aims to provide a full methodology for how vehicle testing is carried out by Broughy1322 in GTA 5, in order to find the lap times for each vehicle that are used in his videos and on this website. Start with this video for frequently asked questions.
Written by: Broughy1322
The best lap time a vehicle can achieve around a circuit determines how good it is and therefore its place within testing video lists.
Each vehicle was upgraded with all relevant performance modifications and given a balanced starting point setup, then taken around the same circuit multiple times. The best lap time the vehicle achieved was then recorded. For most vehicles this equates to around 10 laps per vehicle, but can often be more to ensure the absolute best lap time has been acquired. There are some caveats to this kind of testing though which are worth explaining below.
Firstly, getting the most from a vehicle is not something everyone can do, and because of that the lap times found may not be accurate for everyone. You could for example achieve a 1m 06s lap time around the same testing track in the Massacro, but only a 1m 08s lap time in the Elegy or anything else. In that event the Massacro would be better for you personally. However that doesn't make the car itself better, since the lap time when the Elegy is driven properly is 1m 02s, and that of the Massacro is 1m 03s. This essentially means that no matter how good you get with a Massacro, there will always be someone who can go quicker in an Elegy. At the highest level of skill, when cars are driven to their maximum capabilities, lap time becomes a limitation of the car rather than driver. If you would like to try different cars yourself, compare your own lap times to what is possible, or have any doubt about my findings and think your favoured car can beat the lap times I've found, you're welcome to download the track I use (Cutting Coroners GP, not the shorter Rockstar created Cutting Coroners) here: broughy.com/ccgp.
On the other hand, it's worth exploring the limitations of my testing. During this testing I take care to minimise as many variables as possible to keep it as scientific and repeatable as possible. Therefore I do not go out of my way to kerb boost, brake boost, take radically different lines, mess around with setups, or do any other small tricks to improve lap time beyond maximising the machinery utilising racing lines. I also test on the Expanded & Enhanced edition of the game where fps has no impact on performance. Because of all those reasons it is perfectly possible for my lap times to be beaten by the best drivers in the game. However those that can do that should know enough about the game to understand why they were able to do that, and should therefore be able to realise that it doesn't undermine my testing. Accurate testing is all about reducing variables so that it is only the cars themselves that affect the lap time. Same driver, same methods, same track, different vehicles.
It's also worth noting that just because you have the best car doesn't automatically guarantee a race win. Conversely having a slower car doesn't guarantee a race loss. There are a huge number of variables in races, the most notable of which being other drivers and the need for consistency over more than just one lap. Beating someone with lower skills in a slower car is very possible, as is being beaten by someone driving a slower car who is a better driver. You cannot accurately determine relative car performance from how well a car does in any given race due to these variables. In addition, different tracks will suit different vehicles from time to time. My testing circuit is meant to be a good baseline, with a good balance of fast & slow corners, acceleration zones and top speed sections; but it cannot cover everything. Some tracks will require cars with more traction while others will need cars with more straight line speed to get the best lap times, and it's impossible to test for every situation. That's why the top speed testing also exists in order to provide info on the other end of the spectrum.
So with that all being said, my vehicle testing should be taken as a guideline. The testing is very accurate for this track and similar tracks when cars are driven close to the maximum without any extra refinements. At the very least you should be able to use this testing to help narrow your field of view for your own personal testing. I would always recommend testing a variety of cars yourself and take into account what kind of tracks you're racing on, what is better for you and your skill level, and even your budget. My testing is meant to guide you, not tell you exactly what to use in every situation.
If you do find the my testing helpful, my videos entertaining, or want to be kept up to date on any car performance changes as GTA Online develops please do subscribe to my channel as that will be the first place for any news. You can also directly support the creation of more testing videos and continued testing for this site in a number of ways shown here. Finally, for a comprehensive spreadsheet on GTA 5 vehicle performance & info that I continue to maintain despite the existence of this website, click here.