By Phil Royle – Nov. 3, 2026
When Tesla first revealed the revamped Roadster in November 2017, Elon Musk promised an electric sports car that seemingly broke all conventions with absurd acceleration and a range no one could touch. Nearly nine years later, the October 2026 re-reveal of the car that never came out has given us a new version, with this one straight out of a science-fiction movie. Yet I find myself less excited about the new car than I was about the one from 2017. Rocket thrusters, vacuum-powered downforce, and a kickflip are all spectacular party tricks, but they don’t make for a better sports car.
In my opinion, the 2017 version of the Roadster looked better. Its swoopy bodywork had the proportions and curves I want from a supercar. The 2026 version, by comparison, looks angular and edgy, like a little Cybertruck combined with a Lamborghini. This look has been done before.
Then there’s the seating. The 2017 Roadster was a 2+2, making it both a supercar and a true GT cruiser. The 2026 Roadster is a two-seater at best, with much of the rear space sacrificed to the hardware required for its headline-grabbing stunts. If you want the version that flies, the car turns into a single seater, as the passenger seat is used for more cannisters. Losing seats to accommodate rocket thrusters feels like a questionable tradeoff.
Then comes acceleration. In 2017, Tesla claimed the Roadster would sprint from zero to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, thanks in part to all-wheel drive. That was a ridiculous number back then, and while the Model S Plaid and Lucid Saphire can accelerate at that rate, it still remains impressive even today.
The latest Roadster’s estimated base-model time of 2.7 seconds (according to Engineering Explained, anyway) is considerably less mind-blowing. With rear-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive, getting all that power to the pavement becomes a challenge. We’re talking about a car reportedly producing around 1,300 hp, yet its conventional acceleration figure could be slower than that of other electric performance cars.
Tesla claims its thruster-equipped versions could get down to 1.2 seconds, or even 0.8 seconds with the vacuum turned on. But those numbers come with asterisks. The equipment is complicated and the tricks are brief.
Then there’s range. The 2017 Roadster’s claimed 600 miles was absurdly optimistic for a high-performance sports car, but as Lucid and GM have proved, it’s not far from reality. Few people need that much range, but at least it was an ambitious target aimed at making the car more useful.
The 2026 version’s rocket thrusters, meanwhile, are absurd. I’ve never wished my car could perform a kickflip. No one has.
I admire the engineering that came from SpaceX to make these stunts possible, but “spectacle” and “compelling” aren’t the same thing. The 2017 Roadster promised outrageous performance in a beautiful, usable package. The 2026 version can drive upside down in perfect conditions.
Tesla has certainly made the Roadster more spectacular. It’s also made it worse.
(Images courtesy Tesla)
