Tesla's New Roadster Sports Car Unveiled

On the evening of October 15 (local time), Tesla unveiled its redesigned second-generation Roadster in Texas, demonstrating capabilities such as driving while inverted, brief periods of flight, and mid-air maneuvering.

Elon Musk stated that the new model can accelerate from a standstill to 60 mph (approximately 97 km/h) in under one second, with a top speed exceeding 370 km/h. According to the company's official website, these performance specifications apply to the "Thrust" version-which is equipped with thrusters-while the flight capabilities are exclusive to the "Rocket" version.

The new vehicle is reportedly scheduled to enter production in 2028. According to the reservation page on Tesla's U.S. website, the Performance version requires a total reservation payment of $50,000, while the Thrust version-equipped with an acceleration thruster system-requires a total of $250,000. The single-seat Rocket version, which features what the company calls a "full flight system," is available by invitation only. Final pricing for these versions has not yet been announced, and it remains unclear whether their specialized features can be legally used on public roads. The second-generation Roadster prototype first debuted in 2017; while deliveries were originally slated to begin in 2020, the timeline has since been delayed multiple times.