The Tesla Roadsters October reveal looks like another piece of pantomime its a shame the once ground-breaking company doesnt focus on cars anymore

Date:
Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
Teslas new Roadster could fly, but Id rather it built a car people can actually buy.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The new Tesla Roadster has been nine years in the making Some customers placed reservations for the vehicle back in 2017 Rumors suggest the EV could use gas thrusters to aid
acceleration After years of delays and multiple shuffled goalposts, it looks like the next-generation Tesla Roadster will finally make its first public outing.

The official Tesla website posted a teaser image over the weekend that shows what appears to be a taillight, a large spoiler or rear diffuser and some
sort of quad-thruster deployment spraying gas into the atmosphere. Theres
also a countdown clock, with the official Tesla account on X stating Go for launch, accompanied by the date 10.01, or October 1.

It is all typically cryptic, but some news outlets have flipped the image and said it looks more like an enormous rear spoiler with a light at the rear and thrusters beneath that, which would tally with Elon Musks claims that the sports car could use SpaceX-developed cold-gas thrusters as performance-enhancers.

Not a Tesla App is reporting that some key Tesla people, including online influencers, have started receiving their digital invitations, which suggest it will be held in Waco, Texas. Tesla has since confirmed the Waco location. You may like Tesla Cybercab finally launches but Waymo has a
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problem, and the timing couldnt be worse https://t.co/3Vexk1sa1B September
12, 2026 The Roadster is a hugely influential nameplate. After all, the all-electric model that was heavily based on a Lotus Elise was arguably the car and proof of concept that kick-started the journey for the EV company.

As a result, Tesla fans and investors rushed to place deposits on the next generation when the project was first announced back in November 2017. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Back then, it was said that it would offer 620 miles of range, a sub-two-second 0-60 mph sprint time and a 250-mph top speed, according to Electrek . Tesla still lists those figures on its Roadster website today.

Alas, a release date for the "quickest car in the world" has been pushed back multiple times , with some early investors suggesting that they had backed
out of the purchase because it was taking too long, including influential YouTuber Marques Brownlee also known as MKBHD.

In order to keep excitement levels high over the years, company founder and CEO Elon Musk has dropped several tidbits, including the fact that the Roadster could use cold-gas thrusters developed by SpaceX to achieve massive levels of straight-line performance. What to read next This Chinese EV wants to take on Tesla here's why I'm still not convinced Home appliance brand Dreame has canned its rocket-powered supercar I tested the Volvo EX60 and BMW iX3 and range anxiety is officially dead

It was even hinted that the vehicle would be able to hover or fly, with Musk telling podcast host Joe Rogan that his friend and entrepreneur Peter Thiel wanted flying cars and that his vision should be realized.

This was also backed up by a post on X, where Elon Musk responded to a poster by saying, You will get flying cars in 2026. Analysis: The crown prince of pantomime (Image credit: Tesla) Like the We, Robot event that Tesla hosted in 2024 for the launch of the companys Cybercab concept, we can expect a healthy dose of theatrics when the Roadster finally makes its public debut.

At Warner Bros. Studios in California, a select number of Cybercabs gave
their first public rides around a purpose-built film set, while Teslas
Optimus robots made drinks and interacted with the crowds that attended.

But scratch the surface and reports suggested that those Optimus robots were, in fact, tele-operated by human beings behind the scenes .

It has also been reported that the environment in which the Cybercabs
operated was carefully controlled and previously mapped to reduce any hiccups at the event.

Whatever the Roadster demonstrates next month, you can bet your bottom dollar that it wont be street legal if it does involve cold-gas thrusters, leaving many fans waiting to see if the general public will ever be able to purchase
a Tesla sports car again.

And herein lies the problem: Tesla hasnt hosted a reveal event for anything that has developed into a meaningful passenger vehicle for years.

The Cybertruck has proven itself to be a monumental sales flop , and the company now only offers two models in its core passenger car lineup.

As great as the Model 3 and Model Y are, theres just so much competition out there now that delivers more more range, more practicality, more technology.

Rather than dropping the silk sheet on a flying sports car next month, the general public would likely get more excited about an all-new model they can actually buy, be it the l ong-rumored $25,000 hatchback or genuine replacements for the Model S and Model X.

But hey, that's not the Tesla way. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/the-tesla-road sters-october-reveal-looks-like-another-piece-of-pantomime-its-a-shame-the-onc e-ground-breaking-company-doesnt-focus-on-cars-anymore


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