Tesla’s New Roadster

Last week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk delighted fans and put other automakers on notice with a surprise reveal of its next-gen Roadster – a vehicle which, according to the automaker, can go from zero to 60 miles an hour in 1.9 seconds. Not only would those impressive specs make it the quickest-accelerating production car ever made, its reported top speed is in the same league with the fastest road cars in the world.

photo – courtesy of Tesla Motors

A ‘Smackdown’ to the Auto Industry

Tesla has already created massive disruption in the automotive industry by developing flashy, high-performance vehicles that not only boast head-turning style, but also achieve mind-blowing speed and acceleration – all without using fossil fuels. If Musk’s company can deliver on the promises he made in last Thursday’s announcement, other high-end automakers like Ferrari and Porsche have every reason to start looking over their shoulders.

Though Musk said he couldn’t confirm the top speed, he teased that it was “above 250 miles per hour.” The current world record holder, the Agera RS by Sweden’s Koenigsegg, achieved 277.9 mph.

Musk said the Roadster will have a 200kWh battery pack and a 620-mile range per charge – which, if true, would break another world record. The range would enable a driver to take a round trip from LA to San Francisco, all on one charge.

“The point of doing this is to give a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars,” Musk said.

photo – courtesy of Tesla Motors

What Are the Other Specs?

The four-seat vehicle will have all-wheel drive and torque steering. The “oomph” comes from three motors: one in the front and two in the rear.

The design is clearly inspired by other major players in the world of high-performance sports cars. While the look of the cockpit is a nod to the McLaren P1, the exterior resembles an Acura NSX. The design homages are capped off with Bugatti Chiron headlights and a rear suggestive of an Aston Martin DB10.

Oh, and It Might Also Fly

“Not saying the next gen Roadster special upgrade package *will* definitely enable it to fly short hops, but maybe…” Musk tweeted Sunday.

Musk has been dropping hints about a special option package for the Tesla Roadster that “takes it to the next level.”

“[It’s] just a question of safety,” Musk said of the possible flight option. “Rocket tech applied to a car opens up revolutionary possibilities.”

So, will 2018 be the year we finally get those flying cars we’ve all been dreaming about? Not quite. Musk seems to be implying an upgrade to the Roadster that would enable the sports car to “hop” over obstacles.

photo – courtesy of Tesla Motors

Waiting’s the Hardest Part

Musk said production on the new Roadster isn’t scheduled to start until 2020 – but that may be optimistic, given the fact that Tesla often gets delayed on their production deadlines.

Want to be one of the first to own the next-gen Roadster? All it takes to reserve your spot in line is a $50,000 down payment toward the $200,000 base price. If you’re looking to spend even more cash, you can get one of the first 1,000 Founders Series models for $250,000 up front.