AssetID: 56090758
Headline: Tesla debuts new Roadster 'that can fly' with futuristic demonstration
Caption: **VIDEO AVAILABLE: CONTACT INFO@COVERMG.COM TO RECEIVE** BY MARK WORGAN Tesla has unveiled its hotly anticipated second-generation Roadster - a car it claims can fly for short periods and accelerate faster than any car ever made. The new model was revealed almost nine years after it was first announced. It differs dramatically from the original concept, with Tesla offering optional ‘thrust’ and ‘rocket’ packages that use cold-gas thrusters to propel the car. The ‘thrust’ package uses the thrusters to boost acceleration, which Elon Musk’s firm claims means the Roadster can reach 0-60mph (0-97km/h) time of just 0.81 seconds, based on timing that begins after the car has already moved the first foot. The more extreme ‘rocket’ package also uses the thrusters to lift the car into the air. Tesla has stressed, however, that this version is not approved for road use. The Roadster also features a fan designed to pull the car towards the road to improve grip and an active rear wing automatically adjusts its angle to provide the appropriate level of downforce for different driving conditions. At an unveiling event in McGregor, Texas on Thursday (15October2026), Tesla demonstrated the technology by driving the Roadster towards a line-up of its existing vehicles before launching it into the air, above the cab of the company’s Semi lorry. The car performed a barrel roll in mid-air before landing on its wheels. The car also landed after driving up a vertical ramp. It remains unclear how long the Roadster can stay airborne, or whether the system is capable of sustained flight rather than brief lifts and manoeuvres such as rolls and flips.Tesla has yet to disclose full technical specifications. Tesla chief Musk said the car would be capable of reaching 230mph, but suggested he wanted the car to eventually achieve “at least half the speed of sound” – approximately 383.5mph. The styling marks a significant departure from the Roadster previously shown by the company. Its angular, geometric design is closer to the firm’s Cybertruck in looks to the previous Roadster, and has drawn comparisons with the DeLorean. The DeLorean DMC-12 car was a huge flop upon its release in the 1980s but later gained cult status due to its appearance in the Back to the Future films. In the second instalment, the time-travelling car developed flying abilities like those claimed by Tesla. Musk has said production would begin in 2028, adding that it would happen “actually, for real” after numerous delays of nearly a decade. Tesla has not confirmed final prices for the new Roadster. However, the standard ‘Performance’ model, which does not include the rocket-booster system, requires a $50,000 deposit. The ‘thrust’ version, which includes the boosters, will require a $250,000 deposit. The ‘flying’ version of the car is reportedly only available to buy by invitation - and is not road legal.
Keywords: feature, photo, video, tesla, roadster, motoring, elon musk
PersonInImage: