Actually I like the Series 1 except for the Camaro GM dash and non-Ford power. They are all street legal and met both EPA and CARB requirements under testing, a very costly requirement that led to much higher MSRP than originally planned. The test cars for the crash tests were on display at the original Vegas warehouse. If you think that the Series 1 doesn't perform, you haven't seen Patterson take it on road course!
I do enjoy the heck out of my 2011 GT350, which is a total different experience than the 66 GT350. Some of the other SA products, like the Shelby series and the Shelby Raptor, are a blast to drive.
Unfortunately, only Shelby licensing is involved with all these new Shelby reproduction cars and not the SA shop, which only takes the orders. Which kind of makes it like the Ford Shelby GT500 series and the current Ford Shelby GT350, which are great cars and fun to drive and own for the money, but have only Shelby DNA from the licensing office. IMHO