Tesla unveils the new Roadster with SpaceX engines. A show for Musk: the car flies

If time doesn't fly, the car does it. Almost nine years after the first model, released in 2008 and discontinued in 2012, Tesla has unveiled the new generation of its Roadster, a two-seater roadster capable of impressive performance such as 0-100 in less than one second and a maximum speed of 370 km/h. But for Elon Musk's company, it was not just any launch, and "launch" seems to be the right word in this case: the Roadster 2.0 is equipped, in addition to the most advanced technologies of the brand, with special features developed in collaboration with SpaceX, Musk's aerospace company. Namely, air-to-air rockets that can lift the car for short distances and land it like a space module, and an intake system that allows the car to stay stuck to the road even upside down. At least this is what was seen during the presentation held at a SpaceX test site in Texas. A Batmobile outside of Gotham City, a kind of science fiction vehicle like in Blade Runner, but which Tesla says will be produced in series from 2028. Elon Musk demonstrated the car's features, making it go down a ramp using an intake system, perform a rotation in the air, and then land using the integrated thrusters. In another stunt, the Roadster flew over a block composed of other Tesla vehicles, including a Semi truck, rotating in the air. "Flying cars are a reality," Musk said after the spectacular demonstration. It was not immediately specified whether these functionalities can be legally used on the roads once the car is sold; of course, no specific regulation exists yet, and so far flying cars have only been seen in movies. And besides, the inspiration models for this car, Tesla states, are not other cars but two airplanes, the SR-71 and the F-35, even if the design inevitably refers to supercars and the decisive features of the Cybertruck. Will a driver's license be enough to drive it or will a pilot's license be needed? Given all the features and peculiarities to be regulated, one wonders if this flying Roadster will ever really reach the market or if it is destined to remain a prototype like countless other vehicles presented and never appeared in lists. After the presentation, the booking page on the Tesla site showed a Performance version, for which a deposit of $50,000 is required, and a Thrust version, equipped with "acceleration thrusters," which requires a deposit of $250,000. A third variant, named Rocket, which Tesla states is available by invitation only, is described as a single-seater model equipped with a "full flight system." The intention is there; we will see if it becomes a reality. Besides, Musk has not provided any indication of the expected prices, even though almost ten years ago Tesla had announced a base price of $200,000, already surpassed by the deposit for the Thrust variant. But if it does reach the market, the Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein predicts that Tesla will sell about 2000 Roadsters per year, a small number for a boutique compared to the 1.6 million vehicles sold by the company overall last year with the Model Y and Model 3, which remain the brand's core business. The presentation of the second-generation Roadster also comes at a time when Tesla is focusing its attention also on autonomous driving technologies based on artificial intelligence and robotics, with Optimus, Robotaxis, and Cybercabs, and in which the company is definitely redefining its scope.