Tesla has finally shown the production version of its second-generation Roadster, and the event looked more like an action movie than a car launch. At a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas on Thursday, the two-seat electric sports car drove upside down along a ramp using a suction system, flipped in mid-air, and landed using built-in thrusters developed with SpaceX. Later in the show it used those thrusters to jump over a truck and several other vehicles, twisting as it went.
The headline numbers are as aggressive as the stunts. Tesla’s vehicle engineering chief Lars Moravy said the Roadster reaches 60 mph in under one second and tops out above 230 mph, and Elon Musk suggested on stage that the real figure is considerably higher. Production is now set for 2028.
That date matters given the Roadster’s history. Tesla first revealed the second-generation prototype in 2017 and promised deliveries in 2020. The range has also come down: Tesla now quotes more than 300 miles per charge, less than half of what Musk claimed nine years ago. For a car whose deposits were taken years ago, a 2028 start date and reduced range are significant changes.
Pricing is still unclear. Tesla gave no target prices at the event, though it quoted a $200,000 base price nearly a decade ago. The reservation page now lists a Performance version with a $50,000 deposit and a Thrust version with acceleration thrusters requiring $250,000. A third invite-only variant, called Rocket, is described as a single-seat model with a full flight system. Tesla hasn’t explained what that means for road legality, insurance or regulation, and it is fair to be skeptical until it does.
The timing is notable too. Tesla stopped selling the Model S and Model X this year to free up production capacity for its Optimus humanoid robot, and it has launched Cybercab, a robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals. Sales of its ageing lineup have fallen over the past two years, though high fuel prices helped third-quarter deliveries. Musk himself described the Roadster in 2023 as financially insignificant to the company.
Analysts largely see the car as a halo product: a showcase for engineering rather than a meaningful revenue source. Some also read the joint Tesla and SpaceX work as Musk building the case for merging his two biggest companies, an idea he has discussed openly.
The more important test comes on October 21, when Tesla reports third-quarter results. A flying sports car can generate attention for a week, but investors will be looking at margins and cash flow, not thrusters.
