Tesla Unveils Second-Generation Roadster With SpaceX Thrusters After Nine-Year Wait
Key Takeaways
- •The second-generation Roadster was revealed at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, after weather pushed the event back from its planned October 1 date.
- •The car's stunts relied on a suction-based downforce system capable of up to 2G and compressed-air thrusters developed with SpaceX that drive 10 nozzles to jump, rotate, and accelerate the vehicle.
- •The demonstration recorded a 0-60 mph time of 0.81 seconds, while Tesla quotes a top speed above 230 mph and a range of more than 300 miles.
- •The Roadster comes in Performance, Thrust, and Rocket trims, but only Performance is open for reservations at $50,000, Thrust requires a $250,000 reservation, and no trim has a listed price or delivery date, though Musk said production starts in 2028.
- •Musk has downplayed the Roadster's financial impact, and Morningstar projects roughly 2,000 annual sales compared with the 1.6 million vehicles Tesla sold last year, with the car positioned as Tesla's only remaining human-driven model.
Tesla revealed its second-generation Roadster, fitted with SpaceX-built thrusters, during a livestreamed event on Thursday. The showcase took place at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, just outside Waco, and featured a driverless prototype climbing a curved ramp, flipping off the end of it, and landing smoothly on its wheels. The car also used its thrusters to hop over a lineup of five Teslas, including the Semi and the Cybercab.
Tesla (@Tesla) on X, October 16, 2026:
Real life, baby pic.twitter.com/3QEqn18wig
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 16, 2026
The event arrived two weeks later than planned. Tesla had originally scheduled the reveal for October 1, but weather at the site forced a reschedule. Musk first teased the car in November 2017, with deliveries initially expected to begin in 2020. Nearly nine years and at least six production targets later, the vehicle has finally been shown to the public.
The Stunts Ran on SpaceX-Built Thrusters
Two systems did most of the work during the demonstration. The first is a suction-based downforce system: Tesla engineering VP Lars Moravy said it can generate up to 2G of suction, enough to keep the prototype pinned to an inverted ramp. Musk pitched the same downforce as a way to break track records.
The second is a set of compressed-air thrusters developed with SpaceX. Air stored in high-pressure tanks is pushed through 10 nozzles to jump, rotate, and accelerate the car. Musk said the tanks can be recharged while the car is driving, and Tesla noted the system runs entirely on compressed air, with no fuel involved.
The thrusters also produced the event's standout number. The demonstration showed the next-generation Roadster accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 0.81 seconds. Tesla quotes a top speed of over 230 mph and a range of more than 300 miles.
Short, Controlled Hops Rather Than Sustained Flight
The demonstration showed the car bouncing off the ground and landing smoothly, rather than hovering or cruising. Tesla has not said much about how the thruster-equipped version would work on public roads. Musk made no attempt to market the Roadster as a family car, telling the crowd at one point that it was "not necessarily a safety-optimized car."
Musk Says the Roadster Won't Move Revenue
Musk has never pretended the car matters to Tesla's balance sheet. Back in 2023, he called it a "small potato situation" for the company's finances. Morningstar expects around 2,000 Roadster sales a year, against the 1.6 million vehicles Tesla sold last year.
The car's role is mostly symbolic. Musk confirmed it will be the only Tesla that stays human-driven going forward, at a time when the company's attention has shifted to robotaxis, Full Self-Driving, and Optimus. Tesla's own post on X pitched it as the best of the last cars people will drive themselves.
Tesla (@Tesla) on X, October 16, 2026:
Roadster
The last best driver's car pic.twitter.com/WURiDjgcPD
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 16, 2026
Reservation and Tier Details
The Roadster is being split into three trims. The base Performance car seats two, uses active aero and the suction system, and hits 60 mph in under 1.6 seconds. Thrust adds rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters and cuts that to under 0.9 seconds. Rocket seats one, adds thrusters around the body for jumps and rotation, and is quoted at under 0.59 seconds with a top speed above 230 mph. The demonstration's 0.81-second run sits between the Thrust and Rocket quotes.
Only the Performance car is open for reservations. Thrust will be a limited release, while Rocket is invite-only. None of the three trims has a price yet.
According to Tesla's reservation page, a Performance reservation costs $50,000, split into a $5,000 refundable payment upfront and $45,000 due within 10 days. A Thrust reservation costs $250,000, with a $5,000 refundable payment and $245,000 due within 10 days. On stage, Musk said the car enters production in 2028, but Tesla gave no delivery date. The open items to watch from here are pricing for all three trims, delivery timing beyond the 2028 production start, and any detail on how the thruster-equipped versions would operate on public roads.
