The second-generation Roadster was first unveiled in 2017, with Tesla taking hefty deposits for a car expected within a few years. Instead, it was repeatedly delayed as the company grappled with Model 3 production, then prioritised the Model Y and Cybertruck. By the time the project resurfaced, its defining feature was less its promised speed than its absence: one account called it “vaporware in the extreme.”¹

Musk spent the run-up to the latest reveal building anticipation, declaring that the new Roadster was “a candidate for greatest product demo of all time.”Elon Musk (elonmusk)² Tesla eventually staged the event outside Waco, Texas, after another weather-related postponement, turning the long-gestating supercar into a SpaceX-inflected spectacle.

The redesigned vehicle drove up an inverted ramp, spun and landed using a mix of fans and thrusters; it also vaulted over other Tesla models. Musk said it would be “the actual car that’s on the roads,” while Tesla claimed a 0-to-60 mph time of roughly one second.³ Engineering vice-president Lars Moravy said 10 cold-gas thrusters draw on 600 litres of compressed air, and Tesla is marketing three versions: a two-seat Performance model, a thruster-equipped Thrust trim and a single-seat, invite-only Rocket edition.

For Musk, the Roadster is deliberately excessive—a halo product he has acknowledged may not “move the needle massively” on revenue. His social-media feed amplified the stunt, reposting a claim of 0-to-60 mph in 0.81 seconds and a top speed of Mach 0.5.Elon Musk (elonmusk)⁴

But the commercial question has only sharpened. Tesla says production is due in 2028, with reservations starting at $50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust. Critics note that the debut comes as US EV sales slow, automakers scale back plans and Tesla faces weaker demand. The car may have escaped vaporware status at the show; it will not fully escape that label until customers receive it.⁵