A car is not a heap of cleverly sculpted metal with four wheels. It can actually be far more than the sum of its parts, more than just an A-to-B runaround. As a nation, English folk generally love the car. As a game, Sega GT 2002 nurtures that special relationship between man and motor.

It's only natural that you want to shower a loved one with gifts. A big fat exhaust here, an engine overhaul there. And all that spending results in a high, because you can feel the difference your devotion has made during the time you spend with your vehicle.

Then, of course, you ditch the car as soon as you can afford a better model. But hey, that's life. You always want the best you can get.

The great thing is, those besotted with automobiles don't have to express their love on the open road anymore. Gran Turismo meant the intoxicating world of car tuning and racing could be lived from your sofa. Little wonder, then, that Sega fancies a spot of GT action for itself.

Now us Xbox owners can mull over which type of air filter we want, too. And the happy news is that Sega GT 2002 is just as good as Gran Turismo 3 on many levels. The main mode, Sega GT, is a huge, potentially endless feast of cars and driving. But at first you only have a paltry amount of cash, meaning it's humble hatchback time. Just like real life.

Racing your new pride and joy results in buckets of cash, as long as you perform well. This cash can be used to upgrade your current car or saved to buy new cars. Naturally, new cars enable you to win more prestigious races, which means more money. More money means more speed, better cars... it's a frenzy of consumerism. The possibilities are endless, what with 108 cars from 21 manufacturers, all of which can be tuned and upgraded to your liking.

Importantly, given the degree of variation possible with this number of cars available, the handling is spot-on. Making a change to your car's suspension results in just the kind of subtle difference you'd expect, which helps to make all the time spent pontificating over spare parts seem worthwhile.

The differences between cars are pronounced, and as you move through the game the spongy feel of your little Peugeot gives way to roaring monsters that grip the road as if part of the tarmac itself. Again, it helps make your progression feel far more satisfying.

The use of the pad rumble facility is excellent, with the higher frequency light rumble used subtly when your car begins to lose its grip. It's a real help in getting around circuits with a minimum of skidding.

Another plus in Sega GT 2002's favour is the chunky solidity of its visuals. They're never amazingly jaw-dropping, and the cars aren't the most detailed we've ever seen (the vehicles in Project Gotham Racing, for example, are better). But, overall, the game has a nice look to it, with reflection mapping on the cars and a winning mix of lighting and scenery. It's high quality stuff, basically, although admittedly a little lacking in thrills.

If all this is making you think that Sega GT 2002 is Gran Turismo on Xbox, then that's because, basically, it is. However, there are a few bits and pieces that give this game an identity of its own.

The licence tests, for a start, are friendlier. Rather than failing you the second you leave the track, you have a gauge that depletes as you commit driving atrocities - sliding out on corners, leaving the track, hitting walls, and so on. You only fail the test when the gauge hits rock bottom, which is a far more forgiving way of doing things in our book.

There's also greater variety in the races.

As well as races that restrict entry in terms of car class or manufacturer, there are interesting competitions such as the drag race (useful for showing off acceleration) and a series of one-on-one races that ask you to gamble your prize money on just one more outing.

Lose in one of those latter showdowns, mind you, and all the cash won in that competition goes. This 'stick or twist' situation appeals to our devil-may-care attitude. Another nice little touch is the way you can take photos from each replay and hang your favourites on the wall of you garage. Extras like that give Sega GT 2002 more of a fun, video game feel than the sim-centric Gran Turismo.

All this good stuff is counterbalanced somewhat by some fairly awkward menus, and long loading waits. When you first start the game, for example, there is only a handful of cars you can afford, but rather than present you with the choice you do have the game makes you go through each manufacturer's roster in turn until you come across a motor in your price range.

It does show you the range of cars you'll eventually be able to race straight off, but if you want to dive straight in, it's a pain. Another menu-related annoyance is the slightly-too-long loading times. Because so much of the game is devoted to choosing new parts, new cars and general fiddling, you flick between menu screens quite a bit. All the loading pauses mean you might not get quite as engrossed as you otherwise would.

Picking nits (we won't say out of which head of hair) Sega GT 2002 falls just short of a handful of several truly superb racing games on Xbox in terms of actual racing thrills. It isn't as high adrenaline as Moto GP or Colin McRae Rally 3, nor is it quite as fun as the real-car thrashing in Project Gotham Racing. In comparison, Sega GT 2002 is a tiny bit clinical. But the fact is, if you want the almost RPG-style experience of building up the ultimate racing machine, this does the job admirably and at least as effectively as Gran Turismo 3, if not more so. Car lovers, start your engines.

1. Extremely in-depth
2. Convincing road car handling
3. Solid visuals

1. Lacking soul
2. Copies Turismo
3. Frequent, annoying loading pauses when navigating menus

Power
The loading times are a bit long, but the graphics are nice and solid and there's no slowdown.

Style
Straightforward, what-it-says-on-the-tin presentation, and some good tracks.

Immersion
Building up cars can become compulsive, but the loading pauses interrupt a little bit.

Lifespan
Practically endless, with thousands of different cars and set-ups to tinker with.

Summary
An incredibly comprehensive and polished game very much in the style of Gran Turismo, so if you like that...