Tesla unveils new Roadster teaser ahead of October 1 reveal, hinting at design overhaul
A nine-second video released after Tesla's Semi event shows a front light bar and SpaceX branding on the upcoming Roadster, indicating a departure from the 2017 prototype. The company also reopened reservations and set an October 1 event in Waco, Texas, to disclose pricing and production details.
Tesla concluded its Nevada Semi event on Thursday night with a brief teaser for the next-generation Roadster, suggesting the production model will differ noticeably from the 2017 prototype. The clip, posted on X, opens with trailer doors swinging apart in darkness, a thin white light bar spanning the car’s nose, and flashing Tesla and SpaceX logos before ending with “See you next week.”
Engineering executive Lars Moravy introduced the video, noting that a Roadster segment was expected at a Semi event. The front light bar replaces the curved headlamp pods seen on the earlier prototype and aligns the Roadster’s styling with other upcoming models such as the Cybertruck and the refreshed Model Y. Observers also identified a partial SpaceX logo, which may relate to the optional SpaceX Package that Musk has described as using cold-gas thrusters for enhanced acceleration and brief ground-clearance.
Tesla has scheduled an October 1 unveiling in Waco, Texas, near SpaceX’s McGregor test site, where a temporary FAA flight-restriction zone is in effect. Invitations to reservation holders list the event at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. Earlier in the week, the company reopened Roadster reservations, requiring a refundable $5,000 card payment followed by a $45,000 wire transfer within ten days, bringing the total commitment to $50,000 before a price is announced.
The original Roadster specifications promised 0-to-60 mph in 1.9 seconds, 620 miles of range, and a top speed above 250 mph, with production initially slated for 2020. Those timelines have slipped, and Tesla now cites Gigafactory Texas production no earlier than 2027. The October event is expected to reveal final pricing, performance figures, and production targets.
Separately, the European Union has postponed a bloc-wide vote on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system, with the next technical committee meeting set for December. Seven EU countries have already approved the system for use, covering about 12 percent of the EU population. Tesla’s own data, not independently audited, claim the system is 4.1 times less likely to be involved in a crash than manual driving across 100 million kilometres of EU road use.
In related aerospace news, SpaceX completed a wet-dress rehearsal for its Flight 14 Starship mission, aiming for an orbital insertion burn and the deployment of 26 V3 satellites. The mission, scheduled for September 28, will also test new heat-shield tiles and engine-filtering upgrades. Google announced that its Project Suncatcher will place a satellite carrying four Tensor Processing Units into orbit on SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission next week, marking the first in-orbit test of the company’s AI chips.