After nearly a decade of anticipation, Tesla may finally unveil the next-generation Roadster this month. This vehicle isn't just about speed, it's also designed to hover.
According to a report from The Information, three sources with knowledge of the matter say Tesla is preparing a launch event for the new Roadster, potentially as early as this month. The event will feature a stunt to demonstrate the limited edition Roadster's hovering capability. The demonstration is expected to take place at SpaceX's testing facility in McGregor, Texas.
The hovering capability is derived from cold gas thrusters, a technology commonly used in rockets, jointly developed by Tesla and SpaceX. As the thrusters are extremely loud, the demonstration vehicle will be remotely controlled with no one inside, and all spectators must stand hundreds of yards away.
So far this year, Tesla Motors shares have fallen by nearly a quarter, while the Nasdaq index has risen 15%. The debut of the new Roadster is seen by outsiders as a signal from Tesla to the market: while it is heavily investing in AI and robotics, it remains a car company.
Stunt Show: Magnetic Tracks, Inverted Driving, and Hovering
According to three sources, just a few months ago, Tesla's demonstration plan was quite sci-fi: the vehicle would drive up a magnetized roller-coaster-style ramp, complete an inverted drive, right itself, and then hover in the air.
However, this plan has since been scaled back. One source said Tesla previously presented a preview to Elon Musk, but then delayed the demonstration and cut some parts. Musk recently told some Tesla employees, "This demonstration will be hard to execute perfectly, and there may be mistakes, but it will be spectacular regardless."
It is unclear whether Tesla will broadcast the event live or only release recorded footage.
From Sports Car to "Hovercraft": A Design History of Reinvention
The journey to create the new Roadster is a history of constant reinvention.
In 2017, during a semi-truck launch event, Tesla suddenly unveiled a new Roadster prototype, promising delivery within three years. Since then, the delivery timeline has been delayed at least eight times.
In 2022, the project was revived. The design team was split into two groups: one based on the Model S Plaid platform, and the other starting from scratch with an ultra-lightweight carbon fiber body structure, similar to the construction of top-tier performance cars and race cars.
Musk chose the latter, demanding the team "either do it right, or don't do it at all." This meant Tesla had to develop a brand new supercar, with limited experience in this field at the time.
To achieve this, Tesla brought in several engineers from Italy, including Stefan Nothdurfter, former engineering director at Lamborghini.
The "Hover" Command: Engineers Stare at Each Other
Musk's demands for the Roadster kept escalating. He first said to build "the fastest production car ever," then "crazier than all Bond cars combined," and finally insisted the car must be able to hover.
One person involved in the project recalled Musk saying, "It has to be crazier." Engineers looked at each other, thinking, "How the hell do we make this thing fly?"
Another source noted that the definition of "hover" itself has evolved. "The engineers' first question was, 'What does it mean to fly?'... We initially thought we were building an airplane, but what we ended up with was closer to hovering."
In 2024, the Tesla team began working closely with SpaceX's Starship propulsion team, including Bill Riley, the vice president of Starship engineering. Tesla's team handled the main engineering work for the cold gas thrusters. One of the biggest challenges was ensuring a car designed for ground driving could maintain enough stability after lifting off.
Design Language: A Fusion of Blackbird and Lamborghini
In terms of design, Tesla also took a winding path.
Design director Franz von Holzhausen initially wanted the new car to pay homage to the Lamborghini Countach, but later shifted to require the vehicle to resemble the Cold War-era Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird high-speed reconnaissance aircraft. This gave the project the internal codename "A-71."
This direction pushed the team to explore a large number of aggressive, angular shapes and unconventional designs. By 2025, the final design became more conservative, incorporating some elements of the Countach style.
According to three sources, by the end of last year, Tesla had completed a functional prototype. It is a two-seat design with butterfly doors. The standard and limited edition versions are expected to look similar.
Limited Edition: Not Road-Legal, Potential Price in the Millions
The limited edition Roadster is targeted at a very niche audience. Sources say this version is expected to not comply with road regulations and could cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
Internally, Tesla has discussed allowing some superfans to purchase demonstration versions of the vehicle. These versions would feature SpaceX branding and operate under a model similar to Ferrari's XX program, where owners drive track-only cars under supervision.
Additionally, the team considered designing the limited edition as a single-seater, replacing the passenger seat with cold gas thrusters. In the current design, it is likely that the driver cannot be in the car when the thrusters are activated, primarily due to the noise.
Waiting Nearly a Decade: Patience of Pre-Order Customers is Running Out
In 2017, Tesla opened pre-orders with a $50,000 deposit for the standard version and a $250,000 deposit for the limited edition "Founder's Series." Since then, some well-known pre-order holders have publicly cancelled their orders, including YouTuber Marques Brownlee and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Musk has often joked at shareholder events about the "long-suffering" Roadster pre-order customers.
Rick Bhowmick, an employee of a New York investment firm, pre-ordered the new Roadster in 2021. He previously owned the original Roadster and still holds hope for Tesla, but admits, "I'm quite skeptical about this actually happening, mainly due to the economics. My hope is that either it happens and I get the car of my dreams, or they cancel the project and refund everyone."
Tesla and SpaceX: The Imagined Merger Behind a Car
The new Roadster also carries another meaning: it is a physical manifestation of the deep collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX.
According to The Information, the two companies are increasingly cooperating in areas such as AI, robotics, and chip manufacturing facilities like Terafab. The possibility of a formal merger is also being discussed more frequently in the market. During a recent earnings call, Musk seemed dismissive of an analyst's question about a merger timeline, only saying that such an event would require "proper process."
For Tesla, the Roadster means more than just a car. It is the company's starting point and a personal emotional attachment for Musk. In 2018, he launched his own cherry-red original Roadster into orbit around the sun, strapped onto a SpaceX rocket.
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