When Forza Motorsport barged onto Microsoft's original Xbox in 2005, it did so to a wave of critical acclaim, many hailing it as the most realistic racing game ever to hit a home console. Understandably then, when it was announced that its sequel Forza Motorsport 2 was being developed for the Xbox 360, fans of the original had reason to be very excited indeed. Just last month a whisper was heard from developer Turn 10 that Forza Motorsport 2 was to hit shelves in North America in May 2007, but the firm held off from confirming any release date for other territories. Today, however, that date has come in a statement posted on the company’s website:

"A few weeks ago, we committed to a May 2007 release date for North America. Now Turn 10 and Microsoft Game Studios is happy to announce that Forza Motorsport 2 will also see its European retail debut in May 2007. After some debate, we felt it was only right for Forza Motorsport 2's online community if we were to release the game on a global level simultaneously," begins the statement.

The statement also reveals the first of six lists detailing the makes and models of the 300+ vehicles to be included in the game - sexy motors from the likes of Porsche, Lamborghini, and Maserati.

And here are more:

Forza Motorsport 2:

1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta
1999 Ferrari 360 Modena
2002 Ferrari 575M Maranello
1991 Ferrari 512 TR
1998 Ferrari F355 Challenge
1984 Ferrari GTO
2004 Ferrari F430
2003 Ferrari Challenge Stradale
1987 Ferrari F40
1995 Ferrari F50
2002 Ferrari Enzo Ferrari
1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GT
1964 Ferrari 250 GTO
1967 Ferrari 330

1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV
1997 Lamborghini Diablo SV
2005 Lamborghini Murcielago
1999 Lamborghini Diablo GTR

2006 Maserati GranSport
2004 Maserati MC12

2003 Porsche Boxster S
1989 Porsche 944 Turbo
1982 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3
2006 Porsche Cayman S
2004 Porsche 911 GT3 (996)
2007 Porsche 911 Turbo (997)
1987 Porsche 959
2007 Porsche 911 GT3 (997)
1995 Porsche 911 GT2
2003 Porsche Carrera GT
1970 Porsche 914/6
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder

Forza Motorsport 2 will zip along at a beautiful 60 frames per second and include high-dynamic range lighting in a super-crisp 720p high-definition display. The game's 45+ racing surfaces include true-to-life re-creations of some of the world's top race tracks including Silverstone, Tsukuba, and Luguna Seca, while the motors you race are promised to react more realistically to the surrounding environment than any other driving simulator; so players can expect the effects of weather and the consequences of bad driving to hinder their aim to be numero uno in the racing world.

If all that isn't enough, Forza Motorsport 2 includes a wealth of customisation option, allowing players to sculpt a paintjob masterpiece of their own and share it with the world thanks to Xbox Live. Speaking of online compatibility, players can earn credits through head-to-head racing, (presumably to use for in-game bonuses) and even admire or mock the performances of rival racers on Forza Motorsport 2 TV.