Many consider the Forza series of XBox racing games to be the best console racers... in the world. One thing is for sure though, it's the only racing game that's voiced by BBC Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

Known as "Motormouth" to some and several unrepeatable things to many other people, the one thing that's for sure is that there are few better people to give their opinions on tire-burning supercars than Clarkson. Forza Motorsport 4 (FM4)'s developers, Turn 10 Studios, signed a deal with Top Gear last year and footage from the show has already appeared in some versions of Forza 3.

You will be pleased to hear that Clarkson's commentary is optional and the big man can be silenced at the touch of a button. His musings will be integrated into the AutoVista feature of FM4 that allows gamers with an XBox 360 Kinect controller to open car doors, examine details and peer under the hood.

Like the Museum feature in Gran Turismo 5 on PlayStation 3, the aim is to let people interact with cars and motoring culture. "Our goal with this is to turn gamers into car lovers, and car lovers into gamers", explains Turn 10 spokesman Dan Greenawalt.

Forza Motorsport 4 is scheduled for release in the United States on October 11.

[New York Times]