Elon Musk revealed Tesla’s new car, the Roadster 2, to the world at a SpaceX facility in Texas on Thursday—and what a reveal it was. The stunning vehicle drove up a curved wall until it hung upside down, flipped in midair—with the help of rocket thrusters—and briefly levitated before landing with the grace of a falling feather. It then used those same thrusters to go from 0 to 60 mph in less than a second and leap over six vehicles while performing a kickflip the legendary Tony Hawk would have been proud of.
It has yet to master the less impressive, but slightly more important, feat of arriving at a dealership. Tesla first unveiled the second-generation Roadster in 2017 and promised to deliver the car to customers in 2020. Instead, the vehicle is now set to enter production in 2028.
Oh, and you can’t buy the flying version. That’s invitation-only—and not road legal. This car is a piece of art that constitutes a fitting allegory for Trump’s America.
It grabs your attention, it’s scarcely believable, and you’ve never seen anything quite like it before. Unfortunately, it also falls short of expectations, and fails to serve the overwhelming majority of Americans. Tesla first announced the second-generation Roadster in 2017.
Musk finally demonstrated it on Thursday, nine years later, and said production will begin in 2028, eight years after the original delivery target. Not only is the car horrendously delayed, but Musk doesn’t expect it to make money. Earlier this year, he publicly admitted the new roadster probably wouldn't "move the needle massively from a revenue standpoint…But it is very cool." Tesla could use something that moves the needle.
Annual vehicle deliveries fell 9.5 percent between 2023 and 2025, from 1.81 million to 1.64 million, while automotive revenue dropped roughly 16 percent to $69.5 billion. Net income attributable to shareholders plunged 46 percent last year. Musk has talked up the Roadster’s promise for years, keeping prospective customers and shareholders enthralled with every tease.
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