Elon Musk’s long-awaited hypercar, the Tesla Roadster, has been unveiled with rocket-like thrusters and a claimed 0-60 mph time of 0.81 seconds.
The demonstration took place Thursday night at SpaceX’s Rocket Development and Test Center in McGregor, Texas. The 4,000-acre site opened with a static fire of a Raptor engine before the Roadster was rolled out.
During the first demo, the Roadster accelerated up a giant curved ramp, inverted, and launched off the end. It flipped in mid-air before landing on its wheels.
“Well, it worked,” said Tesla’s VP of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy, adding that flying cars are real.
Musk described the maneuver as only a “little flight” and hinted at a longer airborne segment for future tests.
In a second sequence, the Roadster fired itself over the Tesla Semi and the rest of the current lineup, barrel-rolling as it cleared the vehicles.
The flying capability relies on ten thruster nozzles that use compressed air, a system developed in collaboration with SpaceX. Rear thrusters provide forward thrust while separate attitude control thrusters adjust pitch and yaw.
A fan beneath the car creates suction against the tarmac, generating cornering forces of more than 2 G and helping keep the vehicle planted during high-speed maneuvers.
The Roadster features by-wire steering, braking and throttle, a steering yoke, and a chassis built from magnesium, titanium and carbon-fibre. Two rear motors deliver reportedly over 1,500 bhp.
Three purchase options are outlined. The standard Performance model lacks thrusters and requires a ÂŁ50,000 deposit. The Thrust variant adds boosters, claims the sub-second acceleration, and needs a ÂŁ250,000 deposit. The Rocket version, which can fly, is invite-only, has no announced price and is not approved for road use.
Legal approval may vary by market. Musk acknowledged the Roadster might not meet regulations everywhere, and the rocket features could be unavailable in some regions. Prospective UK buyers would receive a left-hand-drive model only.
Details on top speed remain fluid; Musk first cited 230 mph and later suggested at least half the speed of sound, around 383 mph. The duration of airborne flight and final pricing have not been disclosed, and Tesla says none of the technology carries over from the 2017 Roadster.
Production is pencilled in for 2028, and Musk affirmed the project is “actually, for real.” The company has yet to release a full specifications sheet or confirm when customers might receive the vehicle.
