Where has this been all my life? At $20k it's only about $5k more than a base Spyder and $45k cheaper than a base T-Rex. You could buy a pair of SL's for the price of a T-Rex and have $17k left over.
One minor correction though is I think they are using the Ecotec engine rather than Ecoboost. They are both Ford but the Ecoboost is the name for the tubro charged version
I'm kind of looking forward to see what some of the modders do with it. A batmobile or mad max theme would probably be easy. They could probably fund a design competition for a lot cheaper than a marketing campaign. They should probably donate one to aero3s to have a kit built for it.

I'm a bit disappointed with this. I was hoping for a potentially affordable track car. Ideally something closer to a BAC Mono, KTM XBow or Ariel atom. This meets the cheap requirements, but is overweight, under powered and seemingly lacks grip in the corners. They should look into adding another wheel on the back and find a way to drop 300 - 500 lbs.

would a 4th wheel mean you could ditch the helmet? Gee buy an old Miata add some extra power and you'd have 5 times the machine at about the same dollar.

So, if you already own a motorbike, as you would need to in order to be a licence holder, you can now 'progress' to half a car?

Heaven help any pedestrian who has the misfortune to be hit by one of these. No matter where it hits them, any speed above a gentle trot is going to do a lot of damage, with amputation being the likely outcome if it is being driven in the manner it has been designed for.
The problem with reverse trikes is that if you lose the back end on a corner, the weight distribution and relative contact area means it will most likely come out of the spin traveling backwards, which is not the best way to crash into anything if you would like to avoid becoming para/quadriplegic.
All in all, not this week's winner of the safest vehicle design prize.

I have a question. You write: "Because of its open cockpit, this two-seater reversed trike is officially classified as a motorcycle". My understanding (such as it is), is that it is the three-wheeled nature of an automated trike that allows it to be LEGALLY classified as a motorcycle, not that it has an open cockpit. Otherwise, by your definition, couldn't a soft top convertible with the top down also be classified as a motorcycle?
Anybody else care to weigh in here?

REVERSE Trike, not INVERTED Trike - nobody wants to invert the thing! And for all of you decrying the lack of a 4th wheel, you are missing the entire point of this vehicle. Reverse trike history goes back to the beginnings of the Morgan Car company, and some of us just absolutely love 'em. Combined with the reduced costs of having a vehicle that is legally a motorcycle, the fun of being totally and completely exposed to the elements, and the exclusivity of the design, it's exactly what many of us want. Want an Ariel Atom? Well heck, go get one, because this ain't the same thing, isn't supposed to be the same thing, and I'm damn glad it's NOT the same thing! Now all I need is one of these, an Elio, and a decent Range Rover, and I'll be set...

Actually for clarification, the ECOTEC engine, used on the Slingshot is made by GM, not Ford.

That fact that it has 3 wheels not 4 is what classifies it as a motorcycle. I would be very tempted to buy one to replace our second car if it was a year round vehicle with a weatherproof soft top, heat and A/C. It would be a lot more fun to drive than any Miata and would cost a lot less.

The styling is a little overwrought for my taste, and aerodynamics are bound to suffer, but there are those who will like it despite its impracticality. It will probably handle quite well, although I get the sense that the owner will be buying lots of rear tires.