Tesla Roadster flies, flips and hits 60 mph in a flash

Key Points:

• Tesla unveiled its redesigned Roadster on October 15, 2026, showcasing dramatic stunts including driving upside down on a curved ramp and brief airborne maneuvers using SpaceX-developed cold-gas thrusters and a suction system for tire grip.
• The Roadster boasts extraordinary performance claims, including a zero to 60 mph acceleration in approximately 0.81 seconds with thrusters, and projected top speeds exceeding 230 mph, though these figures await independent verification and production vehicle testing.
• Tesla plans three Roadster versions: Performance (conventional driving), Thrust (adds four thrusters for sub-0.9 second 0-60 mph acceleration), and Rocket (ten thrusters, single-seat, under 0.59 seconds 0-60 mph, not street-legal and by invitation only).
• Reservations require substantial upfront payments—$50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust—with no disclosed final prices or guaranteed delivery dates; production is targeted for 2028, eight years after the initially promised 2020 launch.
• Elon Musk indicated the Roadster might be among Tesla's last human-driven cars amid the company's focus on autonomous vehicles, highlighting a tension between high-performance manual driving and the future of self-driving technology.