Tesla has unveiled its redesigned second-generation Roadster equipped with SpaceX cold-gas thrusters, featuring stunt capabilities that included driving upside down, spinning in midair, and briefly flying during a product demonstration outside Waco, Texas, according to TechCrunch and The Verge.
Stunts, Specs, and the SpaceX Package
The unveiling event, held at a rocket-testing facility in McGregor, Texas, showcased a vehicle utilizing approximately 10 small rocket thrusters connected to 600 liters of compressed air housed in carbon fiber overwrapped pressure vessels that fill every usable void in the car, as reported by Space and TechCrunch. During the demonstration, the vehicle drove up a tall, multi-story ramp, used downforce and thrusters to cling to the vertical roadway, flipped around, and descended to the pavement, alongside launching itself over a line of six vehicles including a Tesla semi-truck cab, according to The Verge, TechCrunch, and Space. The driver’s seat during the stunts was occupied by a mannequin clad in a black-and-white SpaceX spacesuit reminiscent of “Starman,” the dummy launched into orbit in 2018 aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket, notes Space.
Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk stated that the vehicle takes the fun meter to 11 out of 10,
while noting it is not necessarily a safety-optimized car,
according to Space. Tesla claims the base vehicle accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in under a second—recording 0.81 seconds during the demonstration—while top-spec configurations reach speeds exceeding 230 mph and push 0–60 mph acceleration under 0.59 seconds, per The Verge and TechCrunch.
Reservations, Trims, and Regulatory Questions
Tesla’s website opened reservations following the showcase, listing three trims—Performance, Thrust, and Rocket—all featuring 300 miles of range and speeds exceeding 230 mph, according to TechCrunch. Reserving the Performance variant requires a $50,000 deposit, the Thrust variant requires $250,000, and the Rocket variant is designated as “invite only” and not approved for public road use,
as detailed by The Verge and TechCrunch. Tesla describes the Performance trim as “road ready,” the Thrust variant as “race ready,” and the flying Rocket variant as invite-only, according to Business Insider.
Development History and Timeline
The unveiling occurred almost nine years to the day after the second-generation Roadster was originally announced as a surprise at the end of the Tesla Semi event in 2017, with initial delivery targets set for 2020, according to TechCrunch and Space. Early adopters placed $50,000 deposits—or $250,000 for Founders Series versions—while the project experienced repeated delays through 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024 as Tesla shifted focus to the Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck, leading some high-profile customers like Marques Brownlee and Sam Altman to cancel their orders, according to The Verge, TechCrunch, and Business Insider.
Musk stated that Tesla now aims to begin production of the redesigned Roadster in 2028, though total pricing across all variants has not yet been revealed, according to The Verge and Space.