Tesla unveils long-awaited Roadster with flying car features in Texas showcase

Tesla has unveiled its long-awaited next-generation Roadster, drawing widespread attention online after a dramatic demonstration showed the electric sports car flipping in midair, launching off a ramp and briefly taking flight using rocket-inspired technology developed with SpaceX.

The demonstration took place at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, on Thursday (15 October 2026), nearly nine years after Tesla first introduced the Roadster concept in 2017.

Clips from the event have since circulated widely on social media, garnering millions of views as viewers watched the vehicle perform a series of gravity-defying stunts.

Roadster performs midair flip during demonstration

During the showcase, the Roadster drove up a large curved ramp and used a fan-based suction system to remain attached to the surface as it turned upside down.

Once inverted, the vehicle used compressed-gas thrusters to launch off the ramp, perform a midair flip and land back on the ground.

In another demonstration, it jumped over a line of vehicles, including a semi-truck, before landing safely on the other side.

Tesla and SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk described the demonstration as a glimpse of the future of personal transport.

“Turns out the future does have flying cars,” Musk said at the event.

Tesla vice-president of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy also remarked, “Flying cars are real.”

Tesla combines electric vehicle and rocket technology

Tesla described the Roadster on its website as a vehicle that goes beyond conventional sports car performance, highlighting its collaboration with SpaceX, the aerospace company also led by Musk.

“We already put Roadster in a rocket. Now we put a rocket in Roadster,” Tesla said.

The company says the vehicle's multi-mode fan and ground-sealing system generates suction beneath the car, producing enough downforce to hold it upside down, even when stationary.

Active aerodynamic components are designed to improve traction and cornering performance, while a steer-by-wire system adjusts steering responses to different road conditions.

The Roadster's cold-gas thrusters use pressurised gas to generate thrust, allowing rapid adjustments during aerial manoeuvres.

These systems were demonstrated together during the event to propel the vehicle off the ramp and through the air.

However, the demonstration does not establish that the Roadster can fly freely like a conventional aircraft.

Three versions include an invite-only flying model

Tesla has outlined three configurations for the Roadster, with different seating arrangements and performance features.

The Performance version is designed for two occupants and road use. The Thrust version also seats two and adds rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters to improve acceleration.

Tesla claims the Thrust version can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour (about 97km/h) in less than one second.

The most ambitious configuration is the Rocket version, an invite-only, single-seat model with thrusters positioned around the vehicle's perimeter.

Tesla says these can support forward and upward acceleration, as well as lateral and rotational movement.

The company describes the Rocket version as capable of flight but notes that it is not approved for public road use.

Tesla has also claimed the Roadster can exceed 230mph (about 370km/h).

These figures are manufacturer claims and have not been established as independently verified specifications for a production model.

Production planned for 2028

The unveiling comes nearly nine years after Tesla first presented the next-generation Roadster concept in 2017.

At Thursday's event, company executives said production is expected to begin in 2028.

A final price was not announced during the showcase.

Tesla's reservation page listed a US$50,000 reservation payment for the Performance version and US$250,000 for the Thrust version.

The Rocket model is available by invitation, although full pricing and availability details have not been disclosed.