I quite like Shift 2, though I haven't actually completed it yet...It's one heck of a gruelling trophy list, and I tried to finish it a few months back and just got a bit burnt out by it all, so I'll return to it at some point in the future. Funny you should mention the handling, because that was the hardest thing about getting back into the game for me...I wouldn't say the handling is bad, because if you know anything about driving, it's realistic, but that never really makes for good racing games if you try and make it too true to real life.
I like simulation racers, because I prefer the way races are more about technique and intricacy, rather than by winning via the fact you're smashing into others and stopping them getting ahead of you in games like Burnout lol