This is not investment advice. G.L.A INVE$T RE$EARCH is not an investment advisory or brokerage. We are a private research company that helps retail investors make informed decisions. The author (Coach Kyle) is a former broker and is not currently licensed or a registered investment adviser.
BREAKING NEWS: Tesla Reveals the Next-Gen Roadster, "The Last Best Driver's Car"
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The next-gen Roadster. Source: official @Tesla post on X, Oct 15, 2026.
What Happened
After nearly nine years of delays, Tesla finally showed the second-generation Roadster tonight in a livestream from SpaceX's rocket test site near Waco. Elon Musk was joined on stage by design chief Franz von Holzhausen and vehicle engineering VP Lars Moravy (per CNBC).
"You're going to see the results of what happens when you have a collaboration with the world's best car company and the world's best rocket company," - Elon Musk
The details we need to know.
Cold-gas thrusters from SpaceX. Tesla says the thruster system "generates 4 to 5x the force the tires can." Every usable void in the car is packed with carbon fiber overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) holding compressed gas.
A multi-mode fan and ground sealing system that Tesla says creates enough suction to hold the car upside down while stationary.
Track Mode with active aero, which Tesla calls "the best passive downforce package of any road car (approaching F1 levels!)," with wings driven by the Optimus actuator system.
Steer-by-wire with a yoke, manual controls and a fixed seat to save weight, plus magnesium, titanium and carbon fiber construction.
Design inspired by the SR-71 and F-35, Ano White paint and gold tinted glass.
"So...yes, it can fly." The top Rocket configuration is "air ready," seats one, and Tesla.com notes it is "not approved for public road use."
Per CNBC, the car raced up a curved ramp, hung upside down, vaulted off, flipped and hovered before landing. Moravy demonstrated a 0-60 run of under one second on Tesla's timer.
The Roadster on stage at McGregor. Source: frame from Tesla's official "Roadster Event" livestream (YouTube, qt5p-_tE8d0).
The Specs
Item | What Tesla / reporters said | Status |
|---|---|---|
Configurations | Performance (road ready, 2 seats), Thrust (race ready, 2 seats, rear thrusters), Rocket (air ready, 1 seat, perimeter thrusters) | Verified: @Tesla, Tesla.com |
Availability | Performance "By Reservation," Thrust "Limited Release," Rocket "Invite Only" | Verified: Tesla.com |
0-60 mph | Performance under 1.6 s; Thrust under 0.9 s; Rocket under 0.59 s | Verified: @Tesla post |
Top speed | Over 230 mph (Rocket) | Verified: @Tesla post |
Range | Over 300 miles | Verified: @Tesla post (config not specified) |
Price | Not announced | Confirmed not announced (CNBC) |
Production | 2028, per Musk on stage | Reported by CNBC; not yet in a Tesla written post |
SpaceX package | Cold-gas thrusters with all-electric actuators, COPVs | Verified: Tesla.com, @Tesla |
Deposits | $50,000 deposits in the U.S., Canada and China | Reported by CNBC; structure ($5,000 then a $45,000 wire within 10 days) reported by Yahoo Finance, not confirmed by us on Tesla.com |
Rocket road use | "Not approved for public road use" | Verified: Tesla.com |
For context, the 2017 Roadster promise was 0-60 in 1.9 s, 620 miles of range, 250+ mph and a $250,000 Founder's Series. Tonight's range (over 300 miles) and top speed (over 230 mph) are below those 2017 targets, while acceleration is far beyond them.
Track Mode with active aero. Source: @Tesla post on X.
Three takeaways:
Brand and talent, not revenue. A low-volume halo car will not move the income statement. It does show that Tesla can still ship engineering spectacle.
Tesla x SpaceX. This is the clearest public product link between the two Musk companies so far, with SpaceX hardware inside a Tesla. Investors should watch for any related-party disclosures.
Credibility test. Tesla has missed every prior Roadster date since 2020. A 2028 production target with no price is a promise, not a delivery.
OUR VIEW (short term, into Q3 earnings Oct 21): We see the Roadster as a showpiece. We do not expect it to change the earnings picture. Next Wednesday's Q3 report, margins, and the FSD and robotaxi update matter far more for the stock than tonight's flips and hovers.
OUR VIEW (long term, through 2030): We continue to see a path for TSLA toward $4,000 by 2030, driven by FSD, Cybercab and the robotaxi network, not by sports cars. The Roadster supports the story of an engineering and AI company, but autonomy is what has to deliver. .
"Roadster is inspired by the SR-71 & F-35." Source: @Tesla post on X.
What We Are Watching
Official pricing for each configuration
Whether Tesla puts the 2028 production date in writing
Friday's premarket reaction
Q3 earnings on Wednesday, Oct 21, after the close
GOAT Quote of the Day
"Predicting rain doesn't count; building arks does."
Why it matters today: Tonight was a dazzling forecast. For investors, what counts is Tesla actually building it, on time, and turning autonomy into earnings.
This is not investment advice. G.L.A INVE$T RE$EARCH is not an investment advisory or brokerage. We are a private research company that helps retail investors make informed decisions. G.L.A INVE$T RE$EARCH is independent educational research; the author is a former broker and is not currently licensed or a registered investment adviser.