Everything above is still true except here, the Series 1 generally has a tamer back-end that GRIPS out of corners with a precise mix of flexibility and chomp. Sports tires, standard tires....it doesn't matter.

Maybe I'm a better driver than I was in my GT2 days, but I never had oversteer or fishtailing become an issue with the GT4 version. A limited-slip of any kind will ruin this excellent backside (even with full power), so I personally prefer not to use one. The Series 1 in this game exhibits good high-speed stability, maneuvers thru esses and chicanes like a pro, and (despite my earlier criticism on price) is well worth those credits spent in the long run, especially since it is lighter than many others.

Understeer shows up long before oversteer ever does in GT4, and oddly gets to be a problem at times in those slower corners--presumably because downforce is no longer keeping the car's front-end as glued as it does at higher speeds. In the rare moments that the rear would get squirrely (usually after I drove off of a bump or grid), the Series 1 scrambles for just a second or so before its stock limited-slip grabs in and gets you MOVING again.

 

The fun only intensifies in this game, since rear-drives got a more realistic set of handling profiles. The Series 1 is incredibly rare now. In earlier games, it's been a stalwart which can easily be located at the Shelby dealer. Well no more. Now we must hunt for our copy. And good luck with that venture.

 

I located mine after weeks and months, and this is a car which can compete happily in some of GT5's mid-to-latter events: Supercar Festival and Tuning Car Grand Prix are a couple examples. It's too strong for the FR Series though, not that I'm surprised. I initially drove my Shelby in the Tuning Car Grand Prix, which requires hard racing tires. From the car lot, this car is equipped with hard sport tires, but what happens if we take this down a step, to a good set of radials? 

 

I was expecting something really horrible, of course. With 335 horsepower going to the rear, and 290 foot-pounds stomping out of Grand Valley's slower areas, I was expecting quite a mess. The Series 1 isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be though. Remember, even though the tires are soft comforts, we've still got 265/40 ZR-18s up front with 315/40ZR-18s pushing us around. Show a little restraint, and the car does behave. Granted, I can't go flying into every turn like I did during the TCGP, but otherwise, the car handles well enough that it offers some merits.

 

Understeer is light to medium, and is mostly felt during slower areas, but it's still nowhere near GT4 understeer. But the good thing is ...  everything else. This Shelby offers a front-end which grips slightly during larger, higher speed curves, and this means lift-off oversteer becomes a reality if we need it. The Shelby offers throttlesteer of all kinds as well: mild, medium, and wild!  I am glad I waited so long to find this machine.

 

But the truth is, things could be better. I mean, I just posted 2:18.236, which is pretty tame, and downright unacceptable for most racing situations. The Shelby is driveable with radials in place, but it's still a situation which requires plenty of tiptoeing. Now with the car's stock hard sport tires, mad seconds get deducted from the tally, and my "best of three" became 2:11.667. What a huge difference. The Shelby steps up to the plate now with much more confidence, a lot less tiptoeing. The rear-end slides deliciously like a hockey player on ice if I want this, or I can give (let's say) half-throttle to merely make for some extra steering motions happen back there. It's like this car was designed for track day!  

 

But there are some problems, oh yes. Braking doesn't feel as confident as I was expecting, for one thing. It doesn't feel like I can stop this thing 'on a dime' as I did in those previous two games. I began slowing in Grand Valley's first hairpin, for instance, starting at 100 meters. Perfectly acceptable and doable in past games, only to find my blue-painted sports car now sliding off into some sand!  Urrf. Not cool. 120 meters?  Hey, I'm still on pavement, but taking a very wide line into Turn 2.

 

It's just something unexpected, really. Make those brake distances longer, buddy, okay?  Check. But what I DIDN'T expect?  Yeah, you guessed right if you guessed at all.

 

There is still some understeer, and it still happens mostly during slower turns: both hairpins, the wide loop between the first and second tunnel, the S-turn area just after the final tunnel are some examples. I wait for it to go away, and it does eventually go away (after maybe a second or two), but it's that 'second or two' that'll have many drivers eager to get some softer tires underneath, and especially up front.

 

And then one final demerit has nothing to do with handling; it's something which was mentioned earlier ... the awkward shift from 2nd to 3rd gear, and lack of redline area. At a track like Grand Valley, which has several sections requiring the driver to stay in gear if he can, all of these malaises are still a reality. Good thing the engine is torque, but even with stock power, this is something to consider.

 

But overall, Dodge Viper Junior still holds a candle to many others, and burns them with some unleaded premium in its wake.      
 

The theme of this review has been "is this car worth it?" and the answer is always "Yes", in my opinion. But it depends how eager and prepared the driver is to entertain some notions: cost is a factor in GT2, and drivability is a factor in all games, especially for those not-so-experienced. But for those ready to try something different and Americanishly exotic, here you go.