Tesla's New Roadster Hops Over Its Own Lineup, but the Price Is Still Missing
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Keypoints:
- Tesla revealed the next-generation Roadster on 15 October near SpaceX's test site in McGregor, Texas
- The demo car used cold-gas thrusters to flip and hop over other Tesla models
- Elon Musk said production will not begin until 2028
- Tesla did not announce a price, though reservations are reported at $50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust
- The Roadster was first shown in 2017 with a $200,000 base price
Tesla unveiled its next-generation Roadster on Thursday night, nearly a decade after the car was first shown. The event took place near SpaceX's test site in McGregor, Texas. Tesla said the car uses SpaceX thruster technology. In the demo, it drove up a curved ramp, flipped, landed on air jets and hopped over a Model 3, a Model Y, a Cybertruck, a Semi and a Cybercab.
The reveal followed a series of delays. Tesla first showed the Roadster in 2017 and promised production by 2020, with a base price of $200,000. The 2026 event itself moved several times. A planned 1 October launch was postponed to 15 October because of heavy rain.
Three versions were described. Performance is the standard road car, Thrust adds more of the thruster hardware, and Rocket is invitation-only. Reservation deposits were reported at $50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust. Tesla has not announced a purchase price for any version. Tesla claims 0 to 60 mph in 0.81 seconds and a top speed of 230 mph.
Several questions remain open. Musk said production starts in 2028. Reports note that no aviation regulator has certified any version to fly. Road-legal status for the versions that perform the stunts is also unconfirmed. Sustained flight is not part of the road car.
Markets were not moved much. Tesla shares closed at $362.44 on 15 October, down 1.29%, before the event. Analysts describe the Roadster as a low-volume halo car that is unlikely to move revenue in a meaningful way. Attention now shifts to Tesla's earnings report on 21 October.