Holden and Ford legends invade Forza Horizon 3

Australia’s intense Ford and Holden rivalry will take centre stage in Forza Horizon 3, the latest instalment in Microsoft’s successful driving-game franchise.

After using Colorado USA and Southern Europe in previous titles, little ol’ Australia has been picked for the third game’s backdrop and Playground Games, Horizon 3’s developer, has injected its car list with the iconic metal to suit its Down Under setting.

It’s said the game will offer players over 350 cars, and while a sizeable chunk of them were announced last week, another 34 were announced today. These notably included HSV’s GTS Maloo, Holden’s 50-2016 FX Ute, and a '74 Sandman, which joins a Torana A9X and HSV GTS in the Red Lion army.

They’ll face off against Blue Oval greats like the latest Falcon XR8 and FPV’s GT F 351. While past Fords include FPV’s 2014 limited edition Pursuit Ute and the '73 XB Falcon GT.

The smorgasbord of Aussie metal was a no brainer, according to Ralph Fulton, Playground Games’ creative director, who reportedly wanted to capture Oz’s unique automotive culture within Horizon 3.

Somewhat of a ‘spin-off’ from Microsoft’s Forza Motorsport series, the Horizon games allow you to break free of the racetrack by fusing the renowned Motorsport’s physics engine with the free-roaming environment of games like Need For Speed or Grand Theft Auto.

With that, you’ll be able to fang Fords, Holdens, exotics (think LaFerrari FXXK), and off-roaders (Trophy Trucks) down the Great Ocean Rd without even leaving your longue.

So, a couch, supercars, and beautiful driving scenery, what’s not to like? Unfortunately the game launches September 27, so there’s a bit of a wait. And to make things worse, the above trailer only makes the date seem further away.