Tesla is preparing to unveil the new version of the Roadster on October 1, 2026, more than eight years after the model was first shown in 2017. A teaser clip released by the company suggests that the production version may receive a design treatment inspired by the “Cyber” family, while Elon Musk has promised “radical” design changes. However, the core of Electrek’s criticism is that the Roadster needed to reach production lines more than it needed a redesign.
From Sports Car to an Extension of the Cyber Design Language
The author describes the Roadster design revealed in 2017 as low, clean, and fast, and believes it still looks good after eight years. In the author’s view, the fact that the design remains compelling even now exposes Tesla’s problem more than it reveals a need for a radical change to the car.
The article places this in the context of Tesla’s later designs. The Model Y arrived in 2020 and became the best-selling car in the world, but the author describes it as a practical development of the Model 3, with a higher roof and a rear hatch, rather than a major design leap. The company then moved, according to the article, toward a “Cyber” design language in the Cybertruck, Cybercab, and Robovan, with angular surfaces and a science-fiction-inspired appearance. The new teaser suggests that this language may be transferred to the Roadster through a full-width front light bar and a sharper design.
The SpaceX Package Between Performance and Spectacle
The most prominent element of the upcoming presentation is the SpaceX package, which uses compressed and cooled cold-gas thrusters to deliver short bursts of acceleration. According to the material, Musk says the car will accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than two seconds without the thrusters, and in less than one second when they are used.
However, the article points out that talk of a “flying car” has receded into a brief hovering demonstration. It also states that the demonstration car will not, according to the reports cited, be street-legal, and that Tesla intends to operate it remotely without a driver inside because of the noise-related risks associated with the thrusters.
In practice, the author believes the thrusters will provide a limited number of activations before the tank needs to be refilled, will have no role in everyday driving, and will add weight, complexity, and cost to a car that is already expected to be expensive. The author therefore describes them as an appealing spectacle for the launch video, but not something of practical benefit for most uses.
What Were Buyers Promised?
When it was first unveiled in 2017, Tesla promised a range of up to 620 miles, acceleration from zero to 60 miles per hour in 1.9 seconds, a top speed exceeding 250 miles per hour, seating for four people, and a base price of $200,000. Buyers also paid a $50,000 deposit, while the Founders Series was sold for $250,000 in full.
The article states that the announced 2020 production date was delayed at least eight times, according to Electrek’s tally, and that some known reservation holders, such as Marques Brownlee and Sam Altman, canceled their reservations. It also cites a former Tesla executive’s explanation linking the delays to an attempt to connect the Roadster’s story with SpaceX ahead of a possible merger, a point presented in the article as a reported explanation rather than an established fact.
Why Does This News Matter?
The actual change customers are waiting for is not a new light bar or an experimental hovering capability, but knowing whether Tesla will move from promises to delivering a car that has been reserved for years. Every technological addition to the Roadster could increase complexity and cost, while the fundamental questions remain open: Will the car retain the range, acceleration, and speed figures announced in 2017? Will the price remain close to the price at which it was reserved? And which specifications will actually reach the public-road version?
The author’s proposal is to produce an updated version of the 2017 design, with a range exceeding 600 miles, acceleration of less than two seconds, four seats, integration of the FSD system, and no thrusters, hovering mode, or redesign inspired by the robotaxi. These are not specifications confirmed by Tesla, but rather the article’s conclusion about the path that would have given the product greater value. Electrek’s central message is that novelty does not necessarily mean improvement, and that the biggest challenge facing the Roadster is execution and adherence to what was promised, not adding new spectacular effects.