A preview version of Expression 3.3 which Microsoft acquired from Hong Kong-based Creature House last year is available for free download (page say it's for Creature House users, but the installer doesn't check).

Expression is a vector drawing tool like Illustrator and CorelDraw.  Unfortunately, it's UI sucks just as badly so expect to get lost.  Capability-wise, it's impressive.

It seems rather solid for a preview and I haven't noticed any crippled feature yet.  Maybe it's a finished product released as free download under Preview cover to hit Adobe's bottomline.  Turning a market into a desert is another path to monopoly if you got deep pockets.  But then probably not.