Tesla finally showed its next-generation Roadster on Thursday, October 15, 2026, and it came with a flying demo. The car launched over a row of vehicles, did a midair flip, and landed on the other side. Elon Musk told the crowd at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, “Turns out the future does have flying cars.”
It has been almost a decade since Tesla first teased this car. There is still no price, and production is not due until 2028.
Rocket-Like Performance
Tesla first showed the next-gen Roadster as a prototype in November 2017 and promised production in 2020. That date passed, along with several others. This year alone, the unveil slipped from April to August to October 1 before Tesla streamed it.
The event looked more like a rocket test than a car launch. Tesla showed the Roadster going airborne, flipping in the air, and hitting 60 mph in under a second.
Key Details
The “flying” part comes from SpaceX technology. The car uses cold-gas thrusters, with compressed gas stored in carbon-fiber pressure vessels packed into every usable gap in the body. Tesla claims the thrusters produce four to five times the force the tires can handle.
A second system works the opposite way. Underbody fans pull air from beneath the car, and Tesla says they can hold it upside down even when it is parked. Musk joked the fans could suck the chrome off a trailer hitch.
Three Versions of the Roadster
Tesla revealed the configurations in a post on X after the livestream. There are three:
- Performance: The road-ready version seats two and has active aero. Tesla claims 0-60 mph in under 1.6 seconds, and it is available by reservation.
- Thrust: This race-ready version adds rear thrusters, with 0-60 mph in under 0.9 seconds claimed. Tesla calls it a limited release.
- Rocket: This one-seater adds thrusters around the car for upward and rotational movement. Tesla claims 0-60 in under 0.59 seconds and a top speed above 230 mph. It is invite-only.
Not every outlet reports the same numbers. Axios reported a 0.8-second 0-60 time, while Electrek’s trim breakdown puts the Rocket under 0.59 seconds. All of these are Tesla’s own claims, not independent tests.
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Design and Interior
Tesla says the design draws on the SR-71 and the F-35. It has hidden headlights, a full-length taillight and flush aero. Inside, there is a yoke built for steer-by-wire, a center touchscreen, two smaller driver displays, and a fixed seat position. Tesla uses magnesium, titanium and carbon fiber to save weight. In Track Mode, the car lowers itself and deploys active wings. Tesla claims downforce “approaching F1 levels.”
Price and Reservations
Tesla has not announced a price for any version. It has reopened reservations at $50,000: $5,000 up front, which Tesla calls fully refundable, and $45,000 more within 10 days or the reservation is canceled.
Availability
Musk said the car would enter production in 2028. One important limit: Tesla acknowledges the flying version is not approved for public roads.
Why It Matters
This is Tesla’s halo car, and the specs have changed a lot since 2017:
- Range: 620 miles was promised then. The new target is over 300 miles.
- Top speed: Over 250 mph was promised then. The Rocket trim now claims over 230 mph.
- Seating: It was a four-seat 2+2 then. It is now two seats at most.
- Acceleration: The base Performance trim beats the 1.9-second 0-60 time promised in 2017.
Early depositors may feel the range cut most. Electrek points out that Tesla took deposits of $50,000 to $250,000 back then based on the old specs.
Industry Impact
Nobody else sells a car like this. Electrek says the Thrust and Rocket claims go well beyond anything on the market, including the Rimac Nevera. But it also doubts Tesla will sell more than a handful of the thruster versions, since they are not road legal. Axios notes it is hard to see what practical purpose a flying sports car would serve.
The event also tied Tesla closer to SpaceX. Electrek said the launch felt like an effort to build a link between the two companies ahead of an expected merger. That is Electrek’s reading, not something Tesla has said.
Final Thoughts
The engineering is impressive, but the headline stunts come from the invite-only and limited versions. The version most buyers could drive is the Performance trim, and it has no price or delivery date yet. Until Tesla confirms both, treat the 2028 timeline with caution. This car has missed every deadline so far.
