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Yeah, it's quite austere in a lot of ways. It's really good at what it focuses on, though.
I never liked the mandatory progression of Gran Turismo so having the freedom to drive everything straight off the bat is pretty cool. I basically treat it as a racing sandbox, completely ignoring career mode, and this is where it really shines.
Its a shame you can't currently have mandatory pit stops in single race but the devs have said it is coming.
I've actually found CARS a bit disappointing. I've found it lacking a lot of features which would make it a lot more fun and immersive.