The Tesla Roadster Is Back. But Don't Hold Your Breath
Nine years, countless delays and a promise of rocket thrusters. Here's what you need to know, and why you won't see one on the M2 any time soon.
This week all eyes were on Waco, Texas, where Tesla's long-awaited second-generation Roadster was finally due its big reveal. It's been a long time coming. The car first appeared in November 2017, rolling out of the back of a Tesla lorry on stage, with deliveries promised for 2020.
That date came and went. So did 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Even this year's reveal was pushed back two weeks, after high winds forced Tesla to postpone the outdoor demo (Not a Tesla App).
What Tesla has promised
The Roadster has always been more headline than hypercar, and the claims are wild:
- 0–60mph in under two seconds, with Elon Musk saying some versions could do it in under one
- A top speed of more than 250mph
- Over 600 miles of range on a single charge
- An optional “SpaceX package” with cold-gas thrusters that Musk says could let the car briefly leave the ground
Yes, a car that can fly. Sort of.
Sources: Northeast Times, Autocar.
So when can you get one?
Not soon. A reveal is not a release, and customer deliveries aren't expected until late 2027 or 2028 at the earliest (Basenor). No UK price has been confirmed either. When the car was first shown in 2017, it was priced at $200,000, with a Founders Edition at $250,000 (Northeast Times), and few expect it to land anywhere near that now.
For now, the Roadster is a dream car, and for most of us it'll stay that way.
Want serious performance without the wait?
You don't need rocket thrusters to have fun on a back road in Northern Ireland. Local dealers on Forecourt have quick, well-specced cars ready to view this weekend, with no nine-year wait and no deposit sitting in Texas. Browse cars on Forecourt →
Would you put a deposit down on a Roadster, or would you rather have something you can drive today? Let us know on our Facebook and Instagram.
Forecourt Weekly is for general information only and isn't financial, legal or insurance advice.