Tesla has scheduled the unveiling of the new-generation Roadster – an electric supercar that Elon Musk first revealed back in 2017 – for 1 October. The company has published a cryptic teaser featuring the phrase «Go for launch», and Musk has confirmed that this refers specifically to the new Roadster. The wording and the image featuring trails resembling jet streams have once again fuelled anticipation surrounding the long-promised package of SpaceX technologies.
- Tesla will unveil the new generation Roadster on 1 October.
- The model was first unveiled back in 2017, and production has been postponed on several occasions.
- The «Go for launch» teaser hints at SpaceX’s technology.
- A demonstration of a version fitted with gas-powered micro-engines is expected.
Tesla has confirmed that the Roadster will be unveiled on 1 October
On 12 September, Tesla posted a short teaser on X revealing the date 10.01 and the phrase «Go for launch». At the same time, a countdown timer to 1 October has appeared on the official Roadster page.
Elon Musk He subsequently confirmed outright that the company would be unveiling the new Tesla Roadster. This refers specifically to the unveiling or demonstration of the car, not to the start of its mass production.
The news attracted particular attention because of the style of the announcement. The phrase «Go for launch» is traditionally associated with rocket launches, and the teaser shows a car with several bright streaks above the rear of the bodywork.
This immediately brought the discussion back to Musk’s promise SpaceX package for the Roadster.
The Roadster may feature «rocket-powered» accelerators
Reuters, citing The Information, reports that a limited version of the Roadster may be unveiled at the presentation, featuring gas turbine engines, developed using technology SpaceX.
According to the publication, the demonstration could take place on test site SpaceX in McGregor, Texas. Tesla has not yet officially confirmed the location or specifications of this version.
Musk has been talking about a system like this for many years. Back in 2018, he stated that a special Roadster package could feature around ten small gas-powered thrusters, designed to improve acceleration, braking and cornering.
At the time, Musk even suggested that such a system would, in theory, allow a car to lift off the ground briefly.
That is precisely why the latest «space-themed» teaser is being seen as a possible hint that Tesla will finally showcase this technology in person.
They’ve been waiting for the Roadster for almost nine years
The second-generation Tesla Roadster was first unveiled in November 2017.
Tesla had originally planned to start deliveries around 2020, but the project has been postponed on several occasions.
As far back as Tesla’s quarterly report for the first quarter of 2026, the Roadster was listed as having the status Design development, whilst the location of its future production was marked as TBD — that is, yet to be determined.
In April, Musk told investors that Tesla might unveil the car «in a month or so», but the unveiling never took place.
At the same time, he described the upcoming launch as one of the most spectacular in the company’s history and acknowledged that, in terms of revenue, the Roadster is unlikely to become one of Tesla’s key products.
In other words, for the company, the Roadster is, first and foremost, a prestige supercar, designed to showcase the brand’s technological capabilities.
Specifications are subject to change
Tesla’s official website still lists specifications that largely date back to the 2017 concept car:
- 0–60 mph acceleration — 1.9 seconds;
- maximum speed — over 250 miles per hour;
- range — approximately 620 miles;
- a four-seater saloon.
However, these figures should not automatically be regarded as the final specifications of a production car.
The Roadster project itself may have changed significantly in recent years. Reuters reports that the current car may in fact already be a new carbon-fibre hypercar, rather than simply a further development of the prototype unveiled nine years ago.
Therefore, one of the main points of interest on 1 October will be not only the Roadster’s design, but also which of Musk’s long-standing promises Tesla is actually ready to deliver on.
The announcement has reignited talk about Tesla and SpaceX
Bloomberg points out that the use of space-related terminology could further fuel speculation about the future relationship between Tesla and SpaceX. At the same time There is no confirmed decision regarding a merger between the two companies, so for the time being these are merely market speculations.
Musk has continued to actively cross-promote his two brands.
In 2018, Musk’s own Tesla Roadster was launched into space as a demonstration payload on the first Falcon Heavy rocket.
The connection could now become even more direct if Tesla does indeed unveil a Roadster featuring SpaceX’s gas engine technology.
The main question is: when will production of the Roadster actually begin?
Even after the presentation on 1 October, the story of the Roadster may be far from over.
TechCrunch notes that Musk had previously suggested a further 12–18 months between the demonstration and the start of production.
Therefore, 1 October will most likely mark the Roadster’s second debut, but not necessarily the start of sales.
For Tesla, this presentation is of particular significance: for almost ten years, the company has been promising a car that is set to become the brand’s technological showcase. Expectations are now so high that a standard fast electric car may no longer be enough.
Musk himself raised the bar back in the spring, promising one of Tesla’s most spectacular demonstrations. On 1 October, we will find out whether the words «Go for launch» really do refer to an extraordinary Roadster — or whether this is just another stage in a long wait.
