Elon Musk Unveils Tesla Roadster That Can Fly, Drive Upside Down and Barrel Roll With SpaceX Thrusters Badar Shaikh Fri, October 16, 2026 at 12:34 AM EDT 3 min read TSLA -1.29% SPCX -2.33% Explore stocks on Coinbase Trading disclosure Trading disclosure The above button links to Coinbase. Yahoo Finance is not a broker-dealer or investment adviser and does not offer securities or cryptocurrencies for sale or facilitate trading. Coinbase pays us for certain activity generated through this link. Prices displayed are informational.
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has officially unveiled the awaited Roadster high-performance vehicle, showing off the car's hovering capabilities powered by thrusters from Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX).
In a post on the social media platform X following the Roadster debut event, Musk shared a clip of the vehicle launching itself over a row of Tesla's Cybercab, Cybertruck, the Semi, the Model 3 and the Model Y.
The clip showcased the Roadster's thrusters making the car do a 'barrel roll' mid-air like an aircraft. "Turns out the future does have flying cars," Musk said in the post.
Read Also:Elon Musk Says SpaceX Could Top $100 Trillion Within a Decade, Dwarfing Ron Baron's $50 Trillion Forecast — But There's a Catch
Influencer and Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt also shared a clip from the Roadster event, which showcased the car climbing up a 90-degree road before it was upside down at the top and flew off the ramp, doing a barrel roll mid-flight, with the thrusters helping to stabilize the car's landing.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 16, 2026
The Roadster features an angular design, which is not as aggressively futuristic as the Cybertruck. The reveal car features an aerospace-inspired 'Ano White' finish, gold-tinted glass and a white interior with a touchscreen infotainment system in the center.
The Roadster, according to Tesla's official website, is available in three trim levels: Performance, Thrust and Rocket. The Performance trim is the base trim with the multi-mode suction system and active aero. It does not feature cold-gas thrusters.
Tesla's U.S. reservation page requires a $50,000 reservation payment for the Performance version, consisting of $5,000 upfront and another $45,000 within 10 days.
On the other hand, Tesla says that the Thrust trim, which will be a limited release, will feature seating for two and its multi-mode suction system paired with cold-gas thrusters that result in an under-1-second 0-60 mph time.
The Rocket trim is currently not approved for public-road use and will feature seating for one and have cold-gas thrusters in the periphery of the vehicle to support "forward" and "upward acceleration" as well as "lateral rotational movement." Tesla says that the trim will also feature the multi-mode suction system and is invite-only.
The multi-mode suction system, according to the automaker, is a "downforce generator" that pulls air out from beneath the vehicle, providing enough "suction to hold the vehicle upside down, even when stationary."
CEO Musk, during the launch event, said that the Roadster will enter production in 2028. Tesla also said that the car will feature a range of more than 300 miles and a redesigned steer-by-wire system with a steering yoke.
Tesla also said that the thrusters work with electric actuators and complete "micro adjustments within a fraction of a second" to help stabilize the vehicle in flight.
Price Action: TSLA shares were up 2.93% to $373.06 during overnight trading on Thursday.
Read Also:When Can You Buy a Tesla Cybercab? Investors Press Elon Musk on Robotaxis, HW3 FSD and More Ahead of TSLA's Q3 Earnings
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