Ok, first impressions time.
First, loading, lots of it, bad. When the game does look, 2nd impression...
Whoever doesn't think this isn't a step up graphically from Forza 2 needs to er...play Forza 2 again! The game looks so much better, less jaggies, more detail on the cars and tracks, and is a nice game just to look at, especially at 60fps.
However, the handling is...well, after the insane precision required to play NFS:Shift, trying the Mini was possibly a bad idea, oodles of grip, nothing but understeer if you overcook things, and er...that's it really. I could go off track and the game doesn't punish me half as much as it should.
Anyway, onto the Lancer, let's see what the change-up is like.
Edit: Oh, dear.
Right, The Lancer proves my fears, Forza 3 is indeed just Forza 2 ++ in the handling department, understeer is the worst the game throws at you it seems. While it makes you feel like a great racer (And is quite fun), the races are just that bit more prosaic than I would have liked. Of course Shift is too savage, and this is too kind, and the AI is still scared of Human drivers, grr.
Overall, this will still be worth the money, but one day, a racing game will have this level of polish with everything else there, this isn't quite there, and neither is GT5, but of course, both are worthy games for a racing fan.
Ah well, such is life.