Tesla has unveiled a redesigned second-generation Roadster that shifts focus from range to flight capabilities, abandoning earlier promises of 620 miles of range and sub-two-second acceleration. The vehicle, revealed at a livestreamed event, features a new design inspired by aerospace aesthetics, including references to the F-35 jet, SR-71 spy plane, and the Wet Nellie submarine from the James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me.”
Aerospace Design and Flight Claims
The Roadster’s exterior incorporates aeronautical elements, with white paint and gold-tinted windows evoking Apollo space suits. Central to its new identity is a cold thruster system using compressed air expelled through ten exhaust ports to enable maneuvering, including demonstrations of the car righting itself midair and performing flips. Tesla claims the rear thrusters generate over 80 kilonewtons of thrust, equivalent to approximately 4,500 pounds, though the system appears limited to short bursts rather than sustained flight.
The vehicle’s performance claims include a 0.81-second zero-to-60 mph time, achieved through rear-facing thrusters during the event’s live demonstration. Tesla also asserts the car can corner at greater than 2g of lateral force and reach speeds exceeding 230 mph, with CEO Elon Musk later suggesting a target of Mach 0.5 (383.64 mph), surpassing the current production car speed record.
Trim Levels and Production Timeline
The Roadster will be offered in three trims: Performance, Thrust, and Rocket. The base Performance trim lacks thrusters, potentially freeing cargo space, while the Thrust trim adds four rear thrusters. The limited Rocket trim includes all ten thrusters and an undefined “full flight system,” reportedly seating only one occupant. Production is slated to begin in 2028, though Musk acknowledged uncertainty about the demonstrations’ success, noting safety precautions were taken during testing.
Preorders reopened with $50,000 reservations, but Tesla has not addressed the fate of earlier reservations from the 2017 announcement. Critics highlight the lack of independent verification for specs and question the practicality of flight capabilities, with Musk himself acknowledging the project’s experimental nature. The demos used unmanned vehicles, and the Roadster’s departure from its original design raises unresolved concerns for those who preordered the initial model.
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The demonstrations used unmanned vehicles, and Musk himself acknowledged during the event that success is not guaranteed. Tesla showed recordings of a one-second run to 60 miles per hour, followed by a live run during which the company claimed, without live timing, that the car reached 60 mph in just 0.81 seconds. This acceleration was attributed to the rear-facing thrusters, though the demonstration vehicle appeared to be the Thrust trim based on the absence of visible downward-firing thrusters behind the front wheels that are present in promotional images.
Design Evolution and Interior Changes
Visually, the new Roadster departs entirely from the 2017 model, with Tesla citing aeronautical inspiration from the F-35 and SR-71 jets, as well as the Wet Nellie submarine from the James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me.” The exterior features white paint and gold-tinted windows meant to evoke Apollo space suits, reflecting Tesla’s connection to SpaceX. Patent drawings reveal the rear wing functions as an active aerodynamic component, extending both upward and rearward similar to other sports cars.
Under the skin, the suspension has been moved inboard, particularly in the front, potentially creating packaging space for the extensive air hose infrastructure required by the cold thruster system. The interior represents a significant shift, removing the original 2+2 grand tourer configuration in favor of a two-seater layout where both seats are molded into the car akin to the Ford GT design philosophy rather than offering traditional seating flexibility.
Trim Configurations and Thrust System
The Roadster will launch in three distinct trims based on flight capability. The base Performance trim reportedly excludes thrusters entirely, potentially freeing cargo space that would otherwise accommodate the compressed air tanks. The Thrust trim adds four rear thrusters, while the limited Rocket trim incorporates all ten thrusters plus an undefined full flight system. This highest trim allegedly seats only one occupant, suggesting the passenger side may house additional air tanks or other fantastical equipment.
At the heart of the system is a 158-gallon carbon-wrapped tank positioned behind the seats that compresses air to power ten separate exhaust ports—one in each corner for vertical movement, one on each front fender for lateral control, and four in the rear for forward propulsion.
