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This page documents the Manual of Style guidelines of the GTA Wiki.
It concerns standards that all users should follow.

In order to keep our wiki providing the best information regarding Grand Theft Auto vehicles to the public, there are set guidelines that should be used in order to create high-quality articles that ensure the best information and a convenient reading experience for readers. Standard rules such as "neutral point of view" and third-person perspective apply for editing for vehicle articles.

For assistance or questions about any of the guidelines below, feel free to reach out to a member of our Staff, this page's Talk page, or on our official Wiki Discord.

For example pages that give a visual example of what is expected, see pages for the Cavalcade, Police Cruiser (interceptor), or Vigero ZX.

Format

The standard format that shall be used for all new vehicle articles created after 01 Oct 2023 is as follows. Under Heading 2 (heading 3 for insets), the following sections must be created in this order;

(No headings required for opening section)

  • A {{DISPLAYTITLE:}} behavior switch, when applicable. This usually applies when a vehicle has changed its name some point in the series, such as the Securicar/Stockade.
  • Necessary "tophat" maintenance templates such as {{Upcoming}}, {{Stub}}, or {{Cleanup}}. If the vehicle has any variants which require the {{PageTabber}} template, this should also be included, and put above all other tophat templates.
  • {{Infobox vehicle}} Template, with a front quarter image of the most up-to-date version of the vehicle where available, and a rear quarter image linked in the image description.
  • {{Quote}}s from the in-game online dealership(s) that sell or promotes the vehicle.
  • A single sentence introducing the vehicle; its full name, body style and the title(s) that it appears in. If the vehicle spans multiple GTA titles and has changed manufacturer, body style, or other key details, this may be noted in a second sentence.
  • Description
  • Influence
  • Design
    • Current Design Gallery (Only for vehicles whose the latest appearance is in HD Universe) - Users must be aware of the special Manual of Style when adding images to this gallery.
    • Version History Gallery with all prior game version images.
  • Performance
  • Rockstar Games Social Club (Using the {{RSSC}} Template)
  • Modifications (GTA SA and/or GTAV customs shop table of modifications)
  • Gallery
  • Variants
  • Notable Owners (if any)
  • Prominent Appearances in Missions (if any, with game appearance sub-headings)
  • Locations (with game appearance sub-headings)
  • Events
  • Rewards (with game appearance sub-headings)
  • Radio Stations (Using the {{Defaultradioheader}} and {{Defaultradio}} templates)
  • Trivia (with a "General" and game appearance sub-headings)
  • Bugs & Glitches (with game appearance sub-headings)
  • Change History
  • See Also (similar or related vehicles)
  • References (if any)
  • Navigation

Content

Each of these sections requires content, whilst maintaining neutrality and third-person perspective:

Infobox

Note: This section is due to be overhauled in the near future in regards to technical information. Please consult a member of Staff or the respective vehicle's Talk page before making changes to any technical information in the infobox.

The Vehicle Infobox contains all pertinent information on the vehicle, including Quarter Images, class, type, availability, generations, variants, and technical information. See the template page linked above for documentation on how the infobox works and should be displayed and organized.

Infobox Quarter Images

Main article: GTA Wiki:Manual of Style/Vehicles/Quarter Images

The leading images should should be of the latest appearance of the vehicle in the series, following the standard format for Front and Rear Quarter Images, which can be found linked above. Note that for vehicles of which their latest appearance is Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, it should not be used as the latest appearance of the vehicle due to the lower quality vehicle models. These vehicle images should be included in the Version History Gallery instead.

Similarly, vehicles in Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition should not be used in the infobox for the same reasons, and should not replace vehicle images from the original titles either. Images from these versions are permitted to be included in the article, but should be included in the Version History Gallery.

Description

In some cases, some vehicles may need a general description of certain aspects of their usage or history to the series. In this case, a Description section is permitted, placed at the top of the article body. Information here should reflect a vehicle's general usage and purpose, such as with the Police Cruiser, and/or should give a clear but brief explanation of the vehicle's history that may clear up confusion for a reader researching this vehicle (i.e. name changes, beta vehicle status, timed/limited availability). Examples include the Virgo/Virgo Classic and the Duke O'Death. This section should NOT delve into the physical design, performance, or other aspects already covered in the article.

Influence

The Influence section should be a general list and description of the real-life vehicles used as inspiration for the vehicle's design. Generally, most vehicles will have an overall design influenced by a single vehicle, with small adjustments and design differences pulled from vehicles in a similar class, body style, or manufacturer lineup. Note that the vehicle's influences should be reflective of the era they were released - no real-life vehicles first shown off in 2021 could have influenced in-game vehicles released in 2017. Similarly, in-game vehicles inspired by concepts that would later turn into real models should be described as inspired by the concept, not the final result. Examples of this include the Neon and the Riata.

If the vehicle has liveries available that are inspired by real-life vehicle liveries, these may also be put here as a bullet-point list. Please note that cultural references within the vehicle or livery should NOT be given here, as those belong in the Trivia section. Two examples include:

  • The Rhapsody being influenced by the AMC Pacer may be mentioned here, but any details (naming, badging, textures) that reference Wayne's World should be listed as Trivia only.
  • The inspiration for the Penumbra livery "Almost Had You" may be listed here, but the quote the livery's name is referencing should be mentioned in the Trivia section only.

Design

This section deals with the general design and details of a vehicle. If the vehicle spans multiple titles, each appearance should be divided under a subheader. If the vehicle has not changed design between titles in the same Universe (as is comming with 3D Universe Vehicles), the subsection may be labeled "3D Universe".

After the Community Noticeboard vote regarding the Design section in August 2023, the purpose of this section has been greatly revised. The Design section should only describe features, details, and information not directly apparent to the reader from photos. The standard format should resemble the following:

  • First paragraph giving a broad description of the vehicle's looks, as well as physical details not directly obvious from Front and Rear Quarter photos, such as underside details. If this vehicle is a variant of an existing vehicle, or is a later iteration of a vehicle from a previous title, this paragraph should lead with the design differences between the two models. Similarly, if the vehicle shares exterior design cues with other vehicles of the same manufacturer/class/iteration, such as the I-Wagen and Tailgater S' headlights, or the the Gresley and XLS' similar profile, this may also be mentioned here.
  • Second paragraph explaining the vehicle's "functionality". Includes any type of unique light functionality (flashing lights, high beams/fog lights, if any modifications add extra functional lights), unique movable parts, and any unique ways that the doors, trunk, and hood open. Also included in this section are exterior extras or props that may randomly spawn on the vehicle, but cannot be added in mod shops.
  • Third paragraph giving description of the vehicle's interior, specifically the interior type (and any adjustments made to the standard interior type), as well as any interior extras or props. Similarly to the above "functionality" section, any modifications that add unique interior props or extras to the vehicle, such as the body pillow for the Zion Classic, may also be mentioned here.
  • Fourth paragraph describing paint behavior and wheel type. This should explain what paint option are available and where they are applied, as well as describe the type of wheels, whether they are a slightly modified version of an existing wheel option or are a unique design.
  • Optional fifth paragraph regarding audio. Any unique horns, sirens, or general audio details should be noted here. For GTA IV vehicles, this paragraph may also make mention of the GPS functionality and type of voice.

Note that this format may apply differently when writing about vehicles from older titles, or if little information is available about the vehicle. If in doubt when writing this section, reach out to a member of Staff for assistance.

Current Design Gallery

The Current Design Gallery is dedicated to a more thorough gallery of the vehicle at all angles. These images should be of the vehicle in its latest game appearance, and all images must adhere to the media policy as well as the Design Gallery MoS linked above.

Version History Gallery

The Version History Gallery should include images of the vehicle in stock condition from each prior game appearance. Each exterior image should be presented in a Front Quarter view, with a Rear Quarter view linked in the image description. All other standard Media Policy, Quarter Image, and Design Gallery policies also apply. As noted above, this section should be where GTA: Chinatown Wars and GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition vehicle images should be included where applicable.

Performance

Note: This section is due to be massively overhauled in the near future. Please consult a member of Staff or the respective vehicle's Talk page before making edits to the Performance section on any Vehicle page.

The Performance section should include single paragraph overview of the vehicle's performance, to give readers quick access to statistics about the vehicle. If the vehicle appears in multiple titles/universes, there should be a performance summary for each appearance, as more than likely the performance will differ greatly. Generally, a vehicle in the 2D Universe will perform identically across all titles, and as such can be headed as "2D Universe". The same applies with 3D Universe vehicles. For the HD Universe, performance differs greatly between GTA IV & Episodes from Liberty City and GTA V/Online, so these games should receive separate summaries.

Prior to the overview, the section should include a neutral, objective review paragraph referring to how the vehicle handles, its speed/ acceleration and construction, damage and deformation characteristics, in the context(s) that are relevant to the vehicle. Subjective opinion should be avoided.

For the 3D Universe and HD Universe overviews, a Performance table should also be included, using the {{Vehiclestats-3d}}, {{Vehiclestats-gtaiv}}, {{Vehiclestats-gtav}}, or {{Vehiclestats-gtao}} templates. These tables should include both observed performance, performance indicators from badging/adverstising, and performance data from relevant handling files (Handling.cfg for 3D Universe, Handling.dat for GTA IV/EFLC, and Handling.meta for GTA V/GTA Online).

As of September 2023, performance data from Rockstar Games Social Club is NOT to be included in this section. All information from RGSC should be included in the relevant template in the next section listed below.

Weaponry & Armor Performance

Particularly with Grand Theft Auto V and Online, many vehicles feature upgrades that add strengthened armor resistance, defense capabilities, or weaponry to the vehicle, or may come with these upgrades in their stock form. The performance of these modifications should also be noted under the Performance section, separated under Armor/Defense and Weaponry subheaders respectively. Like with vehicle performance descriptions, these should provide a neutral, objective review of their capabilities. Both sections should also explain where these modifications may be applied if restricted to certain areas or mod shops.

For the Armor/Defense section, a general description of the defense upgrade's capabilities should be given, as well as any visual changes added as part of these upgrade. If these upgrades limit the player's abilities from within the vehicle, such as the ability to perform Drive-By Shootings, this should also be noted. An average number of certain explosive weaponry needed to destroy the vehicle may also be given as a single sentence summary, using Sticky Bombs, RPG missiles, and/or Homing Launcher missiles as examples. Strong examples of this section can be seen with the Insurgent Pick-Up Custom.

The Weaponry section should include any guns, turrets, or mines available as upgrades for the vehicle. For guns and turrets, descriptions of the weapon's caliber, range, rate of fire, and strength against other players and vehicles should be given. For mines, a list of mines available should be given, along with a brief single-sentence explanation of the mine's functionality. Strong examples of this section can be seen with the 300R and the Paragon R (Armored).

A Weapon Performance table using either the {{Weaponstats-gtav}} or {{Weaponstats-gtao}} templates must also be included in this section to show observed performance and performance data from relevant weapon files (Weapons.meta for GTA V/GTA Online). It may be grouped alongside the Vehicle Performance table with the use of a <tabber> tag.

Rockstar Games Social Club

This section, applicable to GTA V/GTA Online vehicles only, is dedicated to the {{RSSC}} template, showing the vehicle as it appears on Rockstar Games Social Club. All RGSC Images belong in this section, not in the Image Gallery. Please note that in order to preserve the integrity of information on this Wiki, any information given by Social Club that is inaccurate should be corrected in this template, and noted using the Notes parameter in the template. Common issues include an incorrect number of seats, incorrect vehicles used in "Action" images, and availability in Benny's Original Motor Works. An example can be seen below from the Youga Classic page:

Bravado Youga Classic - Sports
Rockstar Games Social Club
Garage-RGSC-GenericVan
Blips-RGSC-Speed
SPEED

Blips-RGSC-Acceleration
ACCELERATION

Blips-RGSC-Braking
BRAKING

Blips-RGSC-Traction
TRACTION

SEATS
4
GARAGE
Blips-RGSC-Check
MODDABLE
Blips-RGSC-Check
PREMIUM
Blips-RGSC-Check
SUPER-MODDABLEBlips-GTAO-682-CasinoConcierge
Get a custom Youga Classic from Benny's Original Motor Works
Blips-RGSC-Check
SELL
Blips-RGSC-Check
BUY
Blips-RGSC-Check
DEALER
NOTES Blips-GTAO-467-PickUpSwap
  • Social Club only shows www.southernsanandreassuperautos.com dealership
  • Incorrectly listed as not "super-moddable" on Social Club


Modifications

The Modifications section should include a table with any modifications available for the vehicle. Modification Categories, items and prices, as well as its availability (only available for Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online). Additional info should be included in the section if there are conditions of the modifications, such as unlocks through missions, or limited availability such as Hao's Special Works or Imani Tech.

Gallery

This section is a general gallery for the vehicle. As with other applicable sections, this section should be subdivided into each of its game appearances. Examples of what belongs in this section include pre-release/trailer screenshots, artwork, billboards and advertising, naturally-spawning variants, and in-game website images. If this vehicle has multiple event week advertisements from the same type of event (such as the Lucky Wheel, Prize Ride Challenge, or Hao's Premium Test Ride advertisements), these images may be grouped in their own subsection, as shown with the Turismo Classic.

Videos

If there are any videos relevant to the vehicle (Announcement trailers, Lucky Wheel Advertisements, etc), they should be linked in a Videos subsection in the Gallery. Please use the {{Videogallery}} Template to organize videos, and the EmbedVideo extension to link videos. See the above linked Policy for more information and basic syntax for videos. Please note that any videos directly uploaded to the Wiki before the EmbedVideo extension was put into place should NOT be replaced.

Variants

The Variants section is dedicated to any special, unique versions of the vehicle that appear with a distinctive name and/or based on the same model. Variants should be formatted in a general table, separated into Named Variants (separate models of vehicle with the original vehicle as a base), Special Variants (identical models with unique characteristics), and Gang Variants (identical variants used by gangs, usually with unique modifications and paintjobs). Each vehicle listed should list its name, page, front and rear quarter images, a caption and a short paragraph explaining the differences with the base model.

Notable Owners

This section is dedicated to specific individuals who own this vehicle. The owners should be listed in a bullet-point list, alongside a short one-sentence description of the each vehicle's appearance and use. A gallery showing Front and Rear Quarter views of these vehicles may be included below the list.

Prominent Appearances in Missions

This section is dedicated to listing significant events and missions where the vehicle makes an appearance, indicating scripted instances of a vehicle that contradict its natural behaviour (i.e. as targets to defend/destroy or as transportation choices of enemy reinforcements) As opposed to Notable Owners, vehicles in these appearances may not necessarily belong to any one person or group, though if a specific owner's vehicle plays a significant role in a mission, it may be mentioned here. This section should be in a bullet-point format and separated by game appearance.

Locations

This section, again divided into each game appearance and in bullet-point format, should list all locations this vehicle can generally be found, not as a mission event. This should list areas where the vehicle naturally spawns, both parked and cruising the streets, as well as when driven by other characters, and availability on in-game vehicle websites (including its standard and potential trade prices).

Events

This section, formatted as a table in reverse-chronological order, should document any time the vehicle has been released or appeared as an "event" vehicle in Grand Theft Auto Online; Appearances on the Lucky Wheel, as the Prize Ride Challenge Car, availability in dealerships, etc. An example table from the Vigero ZX page can be seen below:

Event Notes
GTA Online Bonuses
December 08, 2022
GTA+ Season 6
September 01, 2022
  • Made free for the duration of the month.
  • HSW upgrade made free for the duration of the month.
Vigero ZX Week
September 01, 2022

Rewards

This section, again divided into each game appearance and in bullet-point format, should indicate where the vehicle can be taken for in-game rewards (i.e. Money).

Radio Stations

Main article: Template:Defaultradio

This station is dedicated to listing the default radio stations for each vehicle when first entered. This section should Use the {{Defaultradioheader}} and {{Defaultradio}} templates. Please note the template's documentation for proper formatting, game abbreviations, if a title uses a default station group, and if the set of stations differs between titles.

Trivia

The Trivia section is dedicated to a bullet-point list of notable details about the vehicle not applicable to other sections. A General subheading should be used for trivia that spans all titles, such as cultural references from its naming. Trivia specific to a particular iteration should be divided into each game appearance, and list cultural references and unique features specific to that model. As noted in the Influence section, this section should be where cultural references from liveries should be noted as well.

Bugs & Glitches

This section, again divided into each game appearance and in bullet-point format, should include design errors or unintended effects the vehicle may have, either made by the player's actions or as a result of a development oversight. Additional references can be provided for instances where a bug/glitch cannot be observed normally.

Change History

This section is dedicated to listing any changes made to a vehicle or its available modifications, specified in Patch Notes, Title Updates, or Event Weeks. This list should be presented either in a general table format, as shown with the Oppressor Mk II, or using the {{Scrollbox}} template, as shown with the Vigero ZX.

References

This section is dedicated to listing all references used on the page. This section should use the {{Reflist}} template to contain all references.

Navigation

This section should include the relevant navboxes, but should only be added after text has been added to all of the lead infobox categories, (so that editors can easily add new categories to the lead infobox without wrecking it; the navboxes disable the visual editor).

Tips and advice

  • Please keep note of our policy on American English vs British English. American English is considered the default for this Wiki, but users are also permitted to write in British English. For vehicle articles, to avoid disputes and edit-wars regarding terms used, the spelling used in an article shall be determined based on the origin of the vehicle. Vehicles that hail from NA, Japan, and most of Eastern Asia should generally use American English, while India and most of Europe should generally use British English. Using regional spellings that are reflective of the vehicle's origin means that no readers are alienated and can still feel that their regions vehicles are being described in a natural manner. Using both region's words displays to readers that we are trying to cater to everyone.
  • When providing content for design and performance sections, any technical language should be linked to a Wikipedia page (e.g. referring to carbon fiber as CFRP) so that readers have quick access to the meaning of any technical language or can gain better understanding if need be.
  • If there are any issues regarding edits to vehicle pages, the vehicle's Talk Page are always the first place to head to.
  • The vehicle article should be named after its first appearance's name e.g. "Securicar", and the display title should be after its latest appearance, e.g. "Stockade", using {{DISPLAYTITLE}}.

What to avoid

  • Opinions and biased information.
  • Overly indulgent vehicle design descriptions. Most of the vehicle's design is obvious to the reader from images alone, and overly verbose descriptions make the page bloated with unnecessary information.
  • Speculation will be met with very low tolerance and will most likely be removed.
  • Adding user-modified vehicles, unless they are used in the "Modifications" sections for GTA San Andreas and GTA V, under strict comparison/exemplification purposes. Only one image is allowed at a time (at each subsection).
  • Adding images alongside text in loose form. Images should only be in the lead infobox or one of the organised galleries.
  • "The sky is blue" trivia points; we would like to avoid the possibility of patronizing our readers.

Template

A blank template that contains the necessary formatting can be found here.

See Also

  • Variants - Information on what constitutes as a "variant" to belong in the Variants section.
  • Design Galleries - Please see this section of the Manual of Style to ensure design gallery pictures meet the proper styling and are consistent.
  • Quarter Images - See here for guidelines on taking Quarter Images for use in Vehicle Infoboxes and across the Wiki.

Notice

This manual of style is subject to change at any time (from admin or community-based decision), however, new rules will not come into effect until the first day of the following month.

Last updated by BolbiiS on 6 September 2023.

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General practices
Article contentHeadings and subheadings | Naming conventions | Lead sections | Body content | Trivia | What didn't happen | References
Writing practicesTone and narrative | Punctuation | Spelling and grammar
FormattingText formatting | Dates and numbers | Internal and external links | Lists and tables | Table of contents | Censorship
Non-article contentDisambiguation pages | Navigation boxes | Infoboxes | Tophats | File uploads | Categories
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Other practicesWe're not Wikipedia | Ignore the rules | What needs a Manual of Style
Category:Manual of Style (shortcuts) • Category:PolicyCategory:GTA Wiki
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