New Tesla Roadster preview: it’s really happening this time, promise

It’s been nine years since the Tesla Roadster concept was first unveiled, and after many delays and a few significant changes, the production version will be revealed this week. The covers were meant to come off on October 1, but some stormy weather in Texas put a stop to that.

But now Tesla is really, seriously, honestly going to reveal this car in the early hours of Friday morning, and Elon Musk has made some pretty crazy promises about the Roadster. These include rocket thrusters and a sub-second 0-60mph time.

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

New Tesla Roadster design

This silhouette is your first proper look at the new Roadster, and you can already tell that it’s pretty different to the concept from 2017. That car had separate tail lights, whereas this has a full-width rear light bar.

There’s a massive wing as well, and if you turn the brightness all the way up you can see a hidden message – “Where we’re going”. That’s likely to be a Back to the Future reference – “Where we’re going, we don’t need roads”.

Elon Musk has suggested multiple times that the new Roadster will be able to fly, at least to some extent, so this quote seems apt.

Those four jets also look like exhausts, but this is an electric car. They could actually have something to do with another insane package which Tesla claims will be available.

New Tesla Roadster motors and performance

When the Roadster concept was first revealed, it was meant to do 0-60mph in under 2.0 seconds. Since then, Tesla has made the Model S Plaid – a saloon car with the same level of performance.

So the Roadster needed to up its game in order to wow people, so Musk posted on X in 2024 saying there would be an optional Rocket Thruster Package to bring the 0-60mph time down to under 1.0 second. That would make it the fastest-accelerating roadgoing car in the world by quite some margin.

But remember, Musk did also say that the Tesla Cybertruck would be “waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat”, and that functionality never came to reality.

All will be revealed on October 16, so stay tuned to find out just how bonkers this new electric supercar is after nine years of waiting.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

Want to see the latest car content first? Add Carwow as a preferred source here. Click here to follow us on Reddit, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos.