Tesla finally showed the long-awaited second-generation Roadster on October 15, 2026, and the demo lived up to months of teasing. At a livestreamed event held at a SpaceX test site near Waco / McGregor, Texas, a prototype used SpaceX-supplied cold-gas thrusters and a multi-mode fan/suction system to drive up an inverted ramp, barrel-roll in the air, and leap over a lineup that included a Cybercab, Cybertruck, Semi, Model Y, and Model 3.
@Tesla posted highlight clips the same night, including “Real life, baby,” “Do a kickflip!,” and a claimed 0–60 mph in 0.81 seconds run. In follow-up posts, Tesla described the Roadster as “a true pilot’s car” with active aerodynamics, a multi-mode suction system, and cold-gas thrusters, plus lightweight materials such as magnesium, titanium, and carbon fiber.
Three trims: Performance, Thrust, and Rocket
According to coverage from TechCrunch and Car and Driver, Tesla is offering three configurations:
- Performance (“road ready”): two seats, active aerodynamics, multi-mode suction system
- Thrust (“race ready”): two seats, adds rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters for sub-one-second 0–60 mph acceleration
- Rocket (“air ready”): single seat, adds perimeter thrusters; invite-only
All three are described as having about 300 miles of range and a top speed above 230 mph. Tesla’s site showed reservation deposits of US$50,000 for Performance and US$250,000 for Thrust. Elon Musk said production is targeted for 2028, while noting legality may vary by jurisdiction for some thruster-enabled maneuvers.
Attendee @SawyerMerritt called it the most insane product demo he had ever seen and later reported that existing Roadster reservations were auto-converted to Performance trim, with an option to upgrade.
For Canadian owners watching from the sidelines, this is still a halo car years from delivery—not an everyday Model 3/Y update. Still, the demo underlines how closely Tesla and SpaceX engineering are overlapping on hardware that would have sounded like science fiction a decade ago.
Sources: TechCrunch, Car and Driver, @Tesla on X, @SawyerMerritt on X