Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased a target top speed of “Mach .5″—or 384 mph—and production starting in 2028.
The second-generation Tesla Roadster was first teased with a sub-2-second 60-mph time upon announcement in 2017. In 2021, Tesla CEO Elon Musk talked of a “SpaceX rocket thruster option package” that would enable a 60-mph time of 1.1 seconds—almost unfathomably quick for a production automobile.
Well, the Roadster and its specs have just blasted off into the stratosphere. At a demo outside of Waco, Texas, near SpaceX’s McGregor site, the EV company’s upcoming flagship performance vehicle went where no road car has gone before.
Using a fan suction system, the Roadster drove up what skateboarders would call an “over-vert” quarter-pipe—i.e., a ramp with a lip that extends beyond 90 degrees. It then descended to its starting point, ascended again, drove off the lip roof-side down, inverted right-side-up with a burst of gas, and floated back down to the ground with help from additional boosters. You really need to see it above to believe it.
Another demo saw the Roadster use those same boosters to launch itself off of flat ground and do a barrel roll over the rest of Tesla’s lineup—including the towering electric semi-truck. The official Tesla account posted the video on X with the caption “Do a kickflip!”
A third clip was more “straightforward,” if you will, in depicting the Roadster’s dumbfounding acceleration—”0-60 mph in 0.81 seconds,” the official Tesla account captioned a 1-second video of its drag racer-rivaling blast-off.
Those who follow supercar news will naturally be most interested in the batshit 60-mph sprint time, which is far quicker than that of every current road car. But as Road & Track points out, the fan that allowed the Roadster to drive inverted could seriously contribute to on-road and track performance by generating immense downforce, literally sucking the car onto the pavement.
As the Tesla website puts it, the Roadster pushes “beyond the limits of physics. Powered fans and active wings maximize traction and cornering speeds in all conditions, achieving massive downforce at zero speed. A next-gen steer-by-wire system offers incredible feedback in various road conditions. Activate Track Mode to lower the car and transform the suspension. High downforce or low drag modes can then be used as needed on the track.”
Adding to what might be the most sensational vehicle demo of all time, Musk also said that the Roadster’s target top speed is “Mach .5, maybe a little higher.” That’s 385 mph, well past the claimed top speed of 230 mph.
Tesla’s website lists two “augments,” or packages. “Thrust,” is described as a “limited release” two-seat model featuring “a multi-mode suction system paired with cold-gas thrusters in the rear of the vehicle that propel Roadster from 0-60 in under 1 second.”
“Rocket,” which is “Invite Only,” is a one-seater featuring “a multi-mode suction system paired with cold-gas thrusters positioned around the perimeter of the vehicle that support forward and upward acceleration as well as lateral rotational movement. So yes, it can fly.”
Pricing, range, and battery details weren’t discussed, but the car is slated to “actually” enter production in 2028, according to Musk.
