Elon Musk expressed his excitement during the recent unveiling of the new Tesla supercar, “The Roadster,” which he claims can fly and accelerate to 60 mph in under a second.
The 55-year-old SpaceX founder made the announcement at a SpaceX facility in McGregor, Texas, where he described the latest electric vehicle as one that “can basically fly like a rocket,” and mentioned it has features like “rolls” and “crazy gymnastics.”
After a successful demonstration that thankfully went off without a hitch, Musk humorously remarked, “Well, it worked,” standing alongside Tesla’s Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy, and Chief Designer, Franz von Holzhausen.
Musk admitted he felt a bit “crazy” when he first pitched the Roadster 2 concept, joking that it surpasses any imagined vehicle from a James Bond movie.
He engaged the audience, saying, “We need a crowd to confirm this isn’t just AI magic,” urging them to share their experience, since they “will not believe what you see with your eyes.”
He emphasized the collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX engineers as groundbreaking, claiming, “This is something you haven’t seen in any movie.” The car demonstrated the ability to drive upside down on a curved ramp, utilizing a suction mechanism.
Moravy explained that the car has a fan suction system at its base that generates up to 2Gs of force, allowing it to invert. “We even borrowed some technology from SpaceX for the rest,” he added, humorously stating, “This car really sucks. It could suck the chrome off a trailer hitch.”
This Roadster will be Tesla’s only car that drivers can operate manually. Notably, it performed its landing using built-in thrusters and executed a kick-flip during the showcase.
The vehicle zoomed towards various Tesla models, taking flight to about 21 feet before switching direction and touching back down.
Capable of achieving a top speed of 230 mph with a minimum battery range of 300 miles, it left a cloud of smoke in its wake after soaring.
In a speed test, it went from zero to 60 mph in 0.81 seconds, but Musk speculated it could be faster than its reported top speed. “I think you got to crack halfway to the speed of sound — Mach 0.5,” he noted, prompting chuckles from Moravy and von Holzhausen.
Event attendees were astounded, with one remarking, “Elon Musk just made Turbo Boost a reality,” referencing a classic moment from the 1980s television series “Knight Rider.”
Musk later commented on social media that “the future does indeed have flying cars,” celebrating their achievement. He has hinted at the idea of flying vehicles before, previously calling a planned demonstration “unforgettable.”
Production for the new Roadster is slated to begin in 2028, with a performance model requiring a $50,000 deposit, while a “Thrust” version will need $250,000.
During the event, Musk suggested the car will eventually be seen on roads but tempered that claim with a caveat. “You know, I’m not necessarily sure it’s legal in all jurisdictions,” he qualified, adding, “There will be such a car that someone can own.” He responded to an audience question about road legality by stating it “depends on your street,” yet affirmed it would be a viable option.
This new Roadster arrives 18 years after the launch of its predecessor, the original Roadster, which was Tesla’s first electric vehicle. As Tesla pivots its focus towards AI-driven tech and robotics, the company has ceased sales of the Model S and X. Financial results for Q3 2026 are expected to be released on October 21.
