More than a million racing fans snapped up copies of Turn 10's Forza Motorsport 3 during its first month at retail, with players logging more than 6.6 million man hours playing online. Those man hours (as opposed to dog hours - dogs can't drive) were spent in more than 64 million connected sessions covering approximately 590 million miles of track.

In other words, a lot of people have been playing Forza 3.

And perhaps a good portion of those million people will be picking up the Hot Holidays car pack, available today, featuring ten of of the world's most anticipated race cars of 2009 and 2010. Cars like the new Ferrari 458 Italia and the latest Nissan GT-R Spec V. Cars like this:

1. 2010 Ferrari 599XX
2. 2010 Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss
3. 2010 Lamborghini LP6700-4 SV
4. 2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo
5. 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia
6. 2010 Jaguar XFR
7. 2010 Audi S4
8. 2009 Aston Martin #007 AMR Lola
9. 2009 Audi #2 Sport Team Joest R15 TDI
10. 2010 Nissan GT-R Spec V

Yes sir, that is definitely a list of cars, all of which can be yours today for 400 Microsoft points. Just make sure to save some points for January 12th, when Turn 10 releases another pack to coincide with the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Players can download the "Hyundai Genesis Coupe Car Pack" for free today, adding three different versions of the 300-horsepower Genesis Coupe to their car rosters. The pack includes the Rhys Millen Racing Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe, the HKS Genesis Coupe, and a unique Forza Motorsport 3 Genesis Coupe. I'd say it's a coupe coup, if I was much cornier than I already am.

Following up the free DLC in December is a paid "Hot Holidays Car Pack", featuring a selection of 2010's most eagerly anticipated super and purpose-built race cars. Turn 10 will be slowly revealing the content of the pack leading up to the December 8th release, but it will definitely include the new Ferrari 458 Italia, with the 2010 Audi S4 accompanying the pack as a free sample. Keep an eye on Forzamotorsport.net to see what 400 Microsoft points will net you come next month.

Forza 3 was released in PAL territories on October 23 and in Japan on October 22. It will be out in North America on October 27. Tomorrow!

Xbox360『Forza3』で起きた凄い事故動画 [オレ的ゲーム速報＠刃]

You are reading Kotaku's once-weekly (sort of) journey back to yesteryear.

Here's the Toronto Star in December of 2001, covering the release of Gran Turismo 3:

Gran Turismo 3 is the grandchild of the original, and seminal, Gran Turismo of 1998, the game that made the PlayStation the market leader that it is.

That's just one of dozens of expressions of Gran Turismo's dominance that I was able to find in a search of news clippings. GT used to be unstoppable and untouchable. Maybe it still is, but 2009 shows how competitive things can be. Between the release of GT4 and the eventual launch of GT5, Microsoft will have launched three Forza games, closing the gap, at least critically, on what the team at Polyphony Digital built for the PlayStation brand.

There was a time when reports of a Gran Turismo were coupled with references to the competitors' inability to compete. Is that time over? A new Gran Turismo might mean as much to Sony as the old ones did. So, will the old lines from 2001 and other years be written again once GT5 shows up?

But for those of you who consider 400 "a nice start," developer Turn 10 Studios has revealed the official list of each and every car that will appear in Forza 3. It's a list so long that it spans two DVDs. Hell, it goes beyond that with five limited to the collector's edition of the game, five for the Forza Motorsport VIP Membership Car pack and six only for those who pre-order.

That full list begins... in 3... 2... 1...

The Cars of Disc 1:

2008 Acura #15 Lowe's Fernandez ARX-01b
2008 Acura #26 Andretti-Green Racing ARX-01b
2002 Acura #42 Realtime Racing NSX
2008 Acura #66 de Ferran Mortorsports ARX-01b
2009 Acura #66 de Ferran Mortorsports ARX-02a
2005 Acura NSX
2002 Acura RSX Type-S
2007 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent
2008 Alfa Romeo Mito
2006 Aston Martin #007 Aston Martin Racing DBR9
2008 Aston Martin #008 Bell Motorsports DBR9
2008 Aston Martin #009 Aston Martin Racing DBR9
2005 Aston Martin DB9 Coupe
2003 Audi #1 Champion RS 6
2008 Audi #2 Audi Sport North America R10 TDI
2006 Audi #2 FSI Champion Racing R8
2006 Audi #8 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R10 TDI
2008 Audi A4 Touring Car
2009 Audi Q7 V12 TDI
2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro
2006 Audi RS 4
2003 Audi RS 6
2000 Audi S4
2004 Audi S4
2007 Audi S5
1983 Audi Sport Quattro
2004 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro
2007 Audi TT Coupe S-Line
2004 Bentley Continental GT
2009 BMW Motorsport 135i Coupe
1971 BMW Motorsport 3.0 CSL
2001 BMW Motorsport #6 Prototype Technology Group M3-GTR
2009 BMW Motorsport #92 Rahal Letterman Racing M3 GT2
1997 BMW Motorsport M3 E36
2005 BMW Motorsport M3 E46 Coupe
1991 BMW Motorsport M3 E30
2008 BMW Motorsport M3 E92
2002 BMW Motorsport M3-GTR
2009 BMW Motorsport M5 E60
2009 BMW Motorsport X5 xDrive48i
2008 BMW Motorsport Z4 M Coupe
2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
2008 Cadillac #8 Remington Shaving CTS-V
2009 Cadillac CTS-V
2004 Chevrolet #3 Corvette Racing C5.R
2005 Chevrolet #31 Whelen Engineering Corvette Z06
2006 Chevrolet #4 Corvette Racing C6.R
2007 Chevrolet #4 Corvette Racing C6.R
2003 Chevrolet #50 Corvette Racing C5.R
2003 Chevrolet #73 3R-Racing Corvette Z06
2005 Chevrolet #99 Tiger Racing Corvette Z06
2009 Chevrolet Aveo5 LT
2002 Chevrolet Camaro 35th Anniversary SS
1990 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS
1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS Coupe
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS-454
2005 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Coupe
2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
2008 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Stock Car
2008 Chrysler 300C SRT-8
2006 Chrysler Crossfire SRT6
2009 Citroen C4 VTS
2002 Dodge #1 Team Zakspeed Viper GTS-R
2008 Dodge #11 Primetime Racing Group Viper Competition Coupe
2008 Dodge #2 Mopar Viper Competition Coupe
2004 Dodge #22 3R-Racing Viper Competition Coupe
2003 Dodge #23 Magellan Financial Viper Competition Coupe
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi
2009 Dodge Challenger SRT-8
1969 Dodge Charger R/T
2006 Dodge Charger SRT8
2008 Dodge Charger Stock Car
2006 Dodge Ram SRT-10
2003 Dodge Viper Competition Coupe
2003 Dodge Viper SRT10
2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR
2005 Ferrari #11 Larbre Competition 550 Maranello GTS
1964 Ferrari 250 GTO
1998 Ferrari #30 MOMO Doran Racing F333 SP
1967 Ferrari 330 P4
1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta
1995 Ferrari F355 Challenge
1999 Ferrari 360 Modena
2003 Ferrari Challenge Stradale
1991 Ferrari 512 TR
2002 Ferrari 575M Maranello
2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
2004 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
2006 Ferrari #62 Risi Competizione F430GT
2008 Ferrari #71 Tafel Racing F430GT
2003 Ferrari #88 Veloqx / Prodrive Racing 550 Maranello
2008 Ferrari #90 Farnbacher Racing F430GT
2009 Ferrari California
1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GT
2002 Ferrari Enzo Ferrari
1987 Ferrari F40
1989 Ferrari F40 Competizione
2004 Ferrari F430
1995 Ferrari F50
1996 Ferrari F50 GT
2005 Ferrari FXX
1984 Ferrari GTO
2010 Fiat 500 Abarth SS
2009 Ford #1 TeamVodafone FG Falcon
2004 Ford #10 Tiger Racing Mustang
2009 Ford #25 Britek Motorsport FG Falcon
2009 Ford #5 Ford Performance Racing FG Falcon
2009 Ford #9 Stone Brothers Racing FG Falcon
2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S
2009 Ford Focus RS
2006 Ford Focus ST
2003 Ford Focus SVT
2008 Ford Fusion Stock Car
2005 Ford Ford GT
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429
2000 Ford Mustang Cobra R
1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R
1985 Ford RS200 Evolution
2009 Holden #2 Toll Holden Racing Team Commodore VE
2009 Holden #33 Garry Rogers Team Commodore VE
2009 Holden #39 Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore VE
2009 Holden #51 Sprint Gas Racing Commodore VE
2005 Honda #18 TAKATA DOME NSX
2005 Honda #8 ARTA NSX
2004 Honda Mugen Civic Type-R
2006 Honda Civic Si Coupe
2007 Honda Civic Type-R
1991 Honda CR-X SiR
2009 Honda Fit Sport
2002 Honda Mugen Integra Type-R
2000 Honda Integra Type-R
2002 Honda Integra Type-R
1992 Honda NSX-R
2005 Honda NSX-R GT
2003 Honda S2000
2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
2003 Hyundai Tuscani Elisa
2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport
2009 Jaguar XKR-S
2008 Koenigsegg CCGT
1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV
1999 Lamborghini Diablo GTR
1997 Lamborghini Diablo SV
2005 Lamborghini Gallardo
2006 Lamborghini Miura Concept
2005 Lamborghini Murcielago
2007 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
2008 Lamborghini Reventon
2003 Lexus IS300
2006 Lexus IS350
2009 Lexus IS F
2002 Lexus SC430
2005 Lotus Elise 111S
2009 Lotus Evora
2006 Lotus Exige Cup 240
2008 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged
2005 Maserati #15 JMB Racing MC12
2008 Maserati GranTurismo
2004 Maserati MC12
2009 Mazda #16 Dyson Racing B09/86
2009 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3
1994 Mazda Miata
2007 Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe
2001 Mazda Mazdaspeed Roadster
1997 Mazda RX-7
2002 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type-A
2004 Mazda RX-8 Mazdaspeed
1997 McLaren #43 Team BMW Motorsport McLaren F1 GTR
1997 McLaren F1 GT
2009 Mercedes A200 Turbo Coupe
2004 Mercedes C32 AMG
2009 Mercedes C-Class Touring Car
2009 Mercedes ML 63 AMG
2009 Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black Series
2005 Mercedes SLR
2003 MINI Cooper S
2009 MINI John Cooper Works

carlist_4
2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
2006 Mitsubishi HKS Time Attack Evolution
2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR
1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI GSR
2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR
2008 Nissan #12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R
2003 Nissan #12 CALSONIC SKYLINE
2008 Nissan #23 XANAVI NISMO GT-R
2008 Nissan #24 WOODONE ADVAN Clarion GT-R
2008 Nissan #3 YellowHat YMS TOMICA GT-R
2010 Nissan 370Z
1970 Nissan Datsun 510
2003 Nissan Fairlady Z
1994 Nissan Fairlady Z Version S Twin Turbo
2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
1992 Nissan Silvia CLUB K's
1994 Nissan Silvia K's
2000 Nissan Silvia Spec-R
1993 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec
1997 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec
2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II
2002 Nissan MINE'S R34 Skyline GT-R
2000 Nissan Top Secret D1-Spec S15
2009 Nissan Versa SL
2004 Opel Speedster Turbo
2003 Pagani #17 Carsport America Zonda GR
1999 Pagani Zonda C12
2002 Panoz #50 Panoz Motor Sports LMP-01
2005 Panoz #51 Panoz Esperante GTLM
2005 Panoz Esperante GTLM
2004 Peugeot 206 RC
2007 Peugeot 207 RC
2007 Peugeot 207 Super 2000
2007 Peugeot #8 Peugeot Sport 908
2009 Peugeot #9 Peugeot Sport Total 908
1968 Chrysler Plymouth Barracuda Formula-S
2009 Pontiac G8 GXP
2006 Pontiac Solstice
2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Ram Air
1973 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455
1987 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA
2008 Porsche #16 Dyson Racing RS Spyder Evo
1987 Porsche #17 Racing Porsche AG 962c
2008 Porsche #2 Gruppe Orange Racing 911 GT3 Cup
1998 Porsche #26 Porsche AG 911 GT1-98
2005 Porsche #31 Peterson-White Lightning 911 GT3-RSR
2008 Porsche #45 Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR
2005 Porsche #5 XBOX 360 911 GT3-RSR
2005 Porsche #55 Applied Materials 911 GT3 Cup
2005 Porsche #66 AXA Racing 911 GT3 Cup
2008 Porsche #7 Penske Racing RS Spyder Evo
2007 Porsche #80 Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR
2006 Porsche #82 Red Bull 911 GT3 Cup
1995 Porsche 911 GT2
1982 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3
1970 Porsche 914/6
1989 Porsche 944 Turbo
1987 Porsche 959
1998 Porsche 911 GT1
2004 Porsche 911 GT3 (996)
2008 Porsche 911 GT2 (997)
2007 Porsche 911 GT3 (997)
2007 Porsche 911 Turbo (997)
2003 Porsche Boxster S
2003 Porsche Carrera GT
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
2006 Porsche Cayman S
1980 Renault 5 Turbo
2003 Renault Sport Clio V6 RS
2007 Renault Clio Renaultsport 197
2009 Renault Twingo Renault Sport Cup
2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X
2002 Saleen #11 Graham Nash Motorsport S7R
2003 Saleen #2 Konrad Motorsports S7R
2006 Saleen S281 E
2008 Saleen S331 Supercab
2004 Saleen S7
2006 Saturn ION Red Line
2007 Saturn Sky Red Line
2005 Scion tC
2009 Scion xD
2009 SEAT Ibiza Cupra
2007 SEAT Leon Cupra
2007 SEAT Leon Supercup
2007 Ford Shelby GT500
1968 Shelby Mustang GT-500KR
2003 Subaru #77 CUSCO SUBARU ADVAN IMPREZA
2006 Subaru Impreza S204
2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
2008 Lexus #25 ECLIPSE ADVAN SC430
2008 Lexus #36 PETRONAS TOM'S SC430
2008 Lexus #6 ENEOS SC430
2004 Toyota Altezza RS200
2003 Toyota Celica SS-I
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205
1984 Toyota Celica Supra
2002 Toyota MR-S
1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex
1998 Toyota Supra RZ
2008 Toyota Yaris S
2005 TVR Sagaris
2006 Vauxhall Astra VXR
2009 Vauxhall Corsa VXR
2004 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo
2009 Volvo C30 R-Design
2004 Volvo S60 R
2003 Volkswagen Bora VR6
1995 Volkswagen Corrado VR6
2006 Volkswagen Golf GTi
2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk6
1992 Volkswagen Golf Gti 16v Mk2
2003 Volkswagen Golf R32
1984 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI
2008 Volkswagen Scirocco GT
2008 Volkswagen Touareg R50

The Cars of Disc 2:

2003 Honda #16 G'ZOX NSX
2004 Honda Civic Type-R
1999 Honda Civic Si Coupe
1994 Honda Civic 1.5 VTi
1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR
2005 Honda NSX-R
2000 Honda Prelude SiR
2005 Mazda Axela Sport 23S
2001 Mazda Mazdaspeed Familia
1990 Mazda Savanna RX-7
1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS
1998 Mitsubishi FTO GP Version R
1997 Mitsubishi GTO
2003 Nissan #23 XANAVI NISMO GT-R
1997 Nissan #23 Nissan Motorsports R390
2003 Nissan #3 HASEMISPORT ENDLESS Z
1998 Nissan #32 NISSAN R390 GT1
2005 Nissan #46 Dream Cube's ADVAN Z
1969 Nissan Fairlady Z 432
1998 Nissan R390
2003 Nissan Skyline Coupe 350GT
1993 Nissan MINE'S R32 Skyline GT-R
1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STi
2005 Subaru Legacy B4 2.0 GT
1969 Toyota 2000GT
2006 Toyota #25 ECLIPSE ADVAN SUPRA
1999 Toyota #3 Toyota Motorsports GT-ONE TS020
2004 Toyota #35 Yellow Hat YMS Supra
2005 Toyota #36 OPEN INTERFACE TOM'S SUPRA
2005 Toyota #6 EXXON Superflo Supra
1995 Toyota MR2 GT
1995 Toyota Tom's T020 MR2
2002 Toyota Tom's W123 MR-S
2002 Toyota Soarer 430SCV
1992 Toyota Supra 2.0 GT Twin Turbo
1998 Toyota Top Secret 0-300 Supra
2001 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
2002 Audi #1 Champion S4 Competition
2001 Audi #4 Johansson Motorsport R8
2004 Audi #5 Audi Sport Japan Team Goh R8
2004 Audi #8 Audi ABT TT-R
2008 Audi R8
2003 Bentley #7 Team Bentley Speed 8
1999 BMW Motorsport #15 BMW Motorsport V12 LMR
2005 BMW Motorsport #2 BMW Motorsport M3-GTR
1998 Ferrari #12 Risi Competizione F333 SP
2003 Ferrari #72 Team Alphand Aventures 550 Maranello GTS
1961 Jaguar E-type S1
1993 Jaguar XJ220
2002 Koenigsegg CC8S
1992 Lancia Delta Integrale EVO
1974 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale
1989 Lotus Carlton
1972 Lotus Elan Sprint
2002 Lotus Esprit V8
2005 Maserati #35 Risi Competizione MC12
2005 Maserati #9 Vitaphone Racing Team MC12
2006 Maserati GranSport
1997 McLaren #41 Team McLaren F1 GTR
1998 McLaren #41 Gulf Team Davidoff McLaren F1 GTR
1954 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing Coupe
2003 Mercedes CLK55 AMG Coupe
1998 Mercedes AMG Mercedes CLK GTR
2003 Opel #5 OPC Team Phoenix Astra V8
2007 Peugeot #1 Peugeot 207 Super 2000
1993 Peugeot #3 Peugeot Talbot Sport 905 EVO 1C
2005 Porsche #3 Lechner Racing School Team 1 911 GT3 Cup
1998 Porsche #5 Zakspeed Racing 911 GT1-98
2002 Saab 9-3 Aero
2003 SEAT Leon Cupra R
1998 TVR Cerbera Speed 12
2001 TVR Tuscan S
2005 Vauxhall Monaro VXR
2004 Volvo #24 At-Speed S60 R
2004 Volkswagen Beetle
2001 Acura Integra Type-R
1997 Acura NSX
1987 Buick Regal GNX
2004 Cadillac #16 Team Cadillac CTS-V
2002 Cadillac #6 Team Cadillac Northstar LMP-02
2004 Cadillac CTS-V
1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427
1970 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1
2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT
2003 Dodge #126 Team Zakspeed Viper GTS-R
2000 Dodge #57 Carsport Holland Viper GTS-R
2000 Dodge #91 Viper Team Oreca GTS-R
2003 Dodge SRT4
1996 Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo
1999 Dodge Viper GTS ACR
1998 Chrysler Eagle Talon TSi Turbo
1966 Ford GT40 MkII
2005 Ford Mustang GT
2003 Infiniti G35 Coupe
2003 Panoz #11 JML Team Panoz LMP-01
2006 Panoz #81 Team LNT Panoz Esperante GTLM
2004 Pontiac GTO
1968 Pontiac GTO Hardtop
2001 Saleen #26 Konrad Motorsports S7R
2000 Saleen S281
1965 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C
1999 Shelby Series 1

Exclusive Cars Limited Collector's Edition Cars:

2005 Acura Forza Motorsport NSX
2005 Aston Martin Forza Motorsport DB9 Coupe
2010 Audi Forza Motorsport R8 5.2 FSI quattro
2008 Dodge Xbox 360 Charger Stock Car
2003 Nissan Forza Motorsport Fairlady Z

Forza Motorsport VIP Membership Car pack:

2008 Aston Martin DBS
2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
2007 Ferrari 430 Scuderia
2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera
2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997)

Exclusive Preorder Cars:

2009 BMW Motorsport Walmart M5 E60
2009 BMW Motorsport GameStop M5 E60
2009 BMW Motorsport GAME M3 E92
2009 BMW Motorsport MicroMania M5 E60
2008 Mitsubishi GameStation Lancer Evolution X GSR
2010 Audi R8 5.2 Community Edition

The Official Forza Motorsport 3 Car List [Official Site]

Swedish site Gamereactor Sverige reportedly took the pictured screenshots and compared Forza 2 and Forza 3. What's more, these are screenshots — as many have pointed out, the game does look different in motion.

New features for Forza 3 include things like like vehicle rollover, an in-car driving view and one button assisted driving as well as the inclusion of trucks and SUVs.

Forza 3 will race onto the Xbox 360 on October 27 in North America and days before that for Europe.

Grafikduell: Forza 2 vs Forza 3 [Gamereactor Sverige via [はちま起稿]

Problem being, while Polyphony Digital are still working on GT5 - meaning they can just throw the car into the game - Forza 3 is done. So Turn10 and Microsoft are going to release the thing as DLC shortly after the game's release.

The car's announcement carries no mention of the word "free", however, so don't go counting on it being an early Christmas from the studio.

While this bundle includes two wireless controllers and a 250GB HDD, there's a few key differences. Firstly, this pack comes with a copy of Forza 3, not MW2. Obviously. And secondly, while MW2 earned itself a custom paint job, the Forza 3 pack will just be a plain, regular 360.

It's only been announced for the European market so far, with a release date of October 23 and the price set at £249.99 (USD$411).

The Transport Accident Commission of Victoria, a state in Australia's south-east, have signed a contract with Massive - the Microsoft-owned in-game advertising provider - courtesy of which they'll beam their creepy anti-speeding commercials into the homes of the TAC's target audience: young Australian males.

The ads will appear in Guitar Hero 5 but, more importantly, in Forza 3 as well.

The TAC are famous not just in Australia, but throughout the world, for their insistence on promoting road safety via graphic, violent TV commercials and billboards. So it'll be interesting to see how the ads go down in Forza, a game about...driving really, really fast.

Below is one of the TAC's more notable efforts, from a few years back. Be warned; it's a little rough.

Video games to get local road safety ads [The Australian]

While we've got you, if you're in Europe, you're in luck, as Microsoft today announced the game will be out on October 23, which is over three weeks earlier than the North American launch on October 27.

UPDATE - We got a press release yesterday from Microsoft saying the game's release date was October 3. There was a typo. It's actually October 23.

If you sign up and become a VIP member of the Forza 3 community, you'll get access to these five cars.
If you sign up and become a VIP member of the Forza 3 community, you'll get access to these five cars.
Preorder the game and you'll get this...tastefully-adorned Audi.
If you sign up and become a VIP member of the Forza 3 community, you'll get access to these five cars.
If you sign up and become a VIP member of the Forza 3 community, you'll get access to these five cars.
Recognise these? Course you do. They were on the cover of Forza 2. These are available only to those who purchase the Collector's Edition.
Preorder the game and you'll get this...tastefully-adorned Audi.
Preorder the game and you'll get this...tastefully-adorned Audi.
If you sign up and become a VIP member of the Forza 3 community, you'll get access to these five cars.
Preorder the game and you'll get this...tastefully-adorned Audi.

Instead, the exact release date for the game in North America is October 27. No idea yet for Europe, but for Aussies and Kiwis, good news! It'll be out a little earlier, on October 23.

Along with the announcement, Microsoft sent along a pic of the finished box art for the game's special edition, which we told you about last month.

Those parting with the extra cash will receive:

- a 2GB USB drive and a keychain, both "specially branded" (ie they've got the Forza logo on them)

- "Forza Motorsport VIP Membership", which will "entitle gamers to special treatment at the game's auction house, community storefront, and on the game's official forums."

- 5 cars, "available only through your VIP membership"

- "Exclusive Collector's Edition Car Pack", which is five cars that have been "hand tuned and hand painted by the developers at Turn 10"

- A Forza 3 dashboard theme.

So a couple of cheap trinkets, vague community perks and some in-game cars is worth $20 now? What a world we live in.

[via GameSpot & GameStop]

According to Forza 3's Turn 10 Studios Blog:

Perhaps the most surprising to me was when a couple developers from Gran Turismo makers Polyphony Digital came by to personally get hands-on with Forza 3, all the while taking careful notes, examining our UI system, shooting photos, and directly asking us some pretty interesting questions. The reason I say I was personally surprised was because PD aren't generally known as a studio to acknowledge that there are racing games that exist beyond their own. Which could explain why the GT franchise has been so stagnant in the racing genre since GT3. So it seems competition is good for the consumer after all.

And good for Polyphony Digital and Gran Turismo, too.

The Road to October: Looking Beyond E3 2009 [Forza Motorspot Thanks, Matt!]

Turn 10's competition Polyphony Digital may take issue with that, should it ever get Gran Turismo 5 out the door, but looking at new screens of Forza 3 in action, the "real driving simulator" folks at least have to agree that the Xbox 360 racing game looks damn good.

Forza Motorsport 3 packs in more than 400 "fully customizable and tunable" cars from 50 manufacturers and 100-plus real world tracks, which are big numbers. New locations include the Montserrat region in Spain, the rugged Amalfi Coast in Italy and the American Southwest.

Also new is the single-player season mode, which puts players through "a completely personalized racing calendar that includes more than 200 different events, including Circuit, Oval, Drag, Drift and Timed Events." Another big number! Better yet, here's a big helping of screens.

Shipping in October from Turn Ten, Forza 3 will feature a brand-new engine that runs at a sliky-smooth 60 frames-per-second. And you'll need all of those frames for the new video editing feature, which will allow players to create and edit their own HD driving videos, uploading and sharing them with the Forza community.

The producer for the game took the stage at today's Microsoft E3 2009 press conference, delivering these details as well as promising "hundreds of cars", after initially mentioning the word "400" and then backpedaling.

Either way, that's a ton of cars, and the only thing racing gamers like more than racing cars is showing off to others, so it sounds like Forza 3 will be a win on all fronts.