Literally anybody that has played the game or sim-racing review outlet that reviewed it does not. 

Lol, quick google shows that even EA didn't: http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/08/need-for-speed-shift-is-authentic-not-a-simulation/

But Abney is keen to point out this doesn’t mean Shift is a sim.

“We dub it an ‘authentic’ racing game because it’s rooted in professional motorsport,” he says. “It’s track-based, it’s got a collection of cars that not only includes the stock versions but also the Le Mans style, the WTCC style cars you see in those racing circuits.”

For Abney, Need for Speed is about accessible, fun, exciting racing, whether it’s the open world, cop-based underground races or the competition of track-based racing. A simulation is not something he thinks fits with that fun model.

“When you go full simulation, it really requires something less mundane than this kind of device,” he says, holding a PS3 Dual Shock controller. “You have to expect the player has a wheel, a clutch, an e-brake… in order to be able to model what it takes to operate at that level of fidelity. I think you’re cheating the fan when you have a sterile, grind-based simulator that takes dozens and dozens of hours of practice to get even slightly proficient with a gamepad.

“I may be overselling that point, but to me that’s my experience with those games. When I pick up the first device that I have available to me, which is a gamepad 99 times out of 100, my ability to control and have any type of fun with those games is remote. Need For Speed has never been after that segment. We don’t craft experiences like that because we don’t find them to be fun ourselves.”

Seriously, this is the dumbest thing to argue over. Nobody thinks Shift is a sim racing game. Stop. 

Mario Kart Wii definitely is, and to my knowledge so are Double Dash!! and MK7.

I may not have played all the Mario Kart games, but I do not recall MK64 running 60fps.

MK64 runs at ~25fps. What is your point?

Plus 480p feed on the screen in your hands. People tend to forget that Wii U is pushing graphics on the controller too. 

60 FPS is standard for racing sims, this is just more bad news for WiiU.

Oh, it was just that Mario Kart's appeal isn't its framerate, and it functioned as a kart racer without 60fps.  That's all.

They need to just stop. They dont need to try to go all out on last gen specs for a car game that wont sell on par with even Froza. GT has taken years to build and is pretty much the last major racer.

I vaguely remember this frames per second type of talk in the new KZ and people defending it while realistically 30FPS is not enough for shooters either, either way, I don't think 30FPS is good enough so I'm of course getting the PC version since my G27 needs some new blood! Also, VGKING, PC goes higher than 1080p, been that way for years.

They are being funded by the fans, if there is an opening, I'm jumping right in as well, that game is awesome beyond believe.