Tesla Roadster Jumps, Reaches 60 MPH In Less Than A Second, And Is Confirmed For The Philippines

In 2017, Tesla first unveiled the second-generation Roadster in prototype form, but unfortunately, the vehicle was delayed for years, and its production plans were put on the back burner. Today, it’s moving forward with a completely different Roadster, this time with technologies inherited from SpaceX.

Does it mean it can fly? Sort of. The new Roadster has ultra-powerful cold-gas thrusters, which enable the Roadster to do stunts and flip in the air, but based on their website, this is not approved for public road use. We can only imagine how this feature will be a nuisance in the wrong hands. If you want the Roadster with the nozzles surrounding the vehicle, this is for the Rocket variant, which Tesla says on their website is invite-only.

On another note, there are also four rear-facing thrusters whose purpose is to send the Roadster from 0-60 mph (96 kph) in less than 1 second. Insane, right? Those rear-facing thrusters produce a total force of 80 kN, which works in tandem with the electric motors to deliver that brutal acceleration. If you check out the video, the blast from the thrusters is pretty much at supersonic speed, which is why you’ll see Mach diamonds from the back. Now, if you want the Roadster with just the rear-facing thrusters, this is for the Thrust variant, which will only be in limited release.

Meanwhile, serving as the “standard” version of the Roadster is the Performance model. This will be the mass-produced model that anyone can purchase. Though it lacks the thrusters of the other two variants, the Performance gets the fundamentals like the hidden active aero, which includes the large active rear wing that integrates into the bodywork.

The wing, however, is just a piece of the puzzle for its immense downforce. That’s because every Roadster will come with the multi-mode fan and ground sealing system, which sucks all the air out of the ground and produces more than 2,000 kilos of downforce. The Roadster literally sucks, in this case.

Since this is a pre-production car, other technical details have not yet been revealed, such as horsepower, torque, battery size, range, and how many electric motors it uses. What we do know is that its yoke steering uses steer-by-wire, which Tesla promises still offers plenty of feedback and accuracy. Based on what we’re also seeing in the photos, the Roadster also gets what looks like pushrod suspension for the flattest body possible when cornering.

As for its exterior design, Tesla has looked into the world’s most striking vehicles in pop culture, such as the Lotus Esprit that can go underwater that James Bond used and the SR-71 Blackbird supersonic plane. The headlights stay hidden and concealed, and the triangular panel only opens discreetly when the headlights are needed.

The striking wedge-shaped silhouette can be finished in a new Ano White paint, which takes inspiration from aerospace techniques of UV and cryogenic protection. Meanwhile, the rear end contains full-width LED taillights, while a large portion of the rear fascia can lift up as part of the active rear spoiler.

Moving inside the Tesla Roadster, you’ll see an Ultrawhite interior with microsuede accents. The center touchscreen is supported by two smaller forward displays. The seats are directly mounted into the chassis as a weight-saving measure. Most adjustment methods in the Roadster are also manual as part of this weight-saving initiative, too. Adding drama to the cockpit experience are its scissor doors.

More technical details will likely be revealed as its 2028 production date draws nearer. What you need to know is that, yes, it is on its way to the Philippines, too, and you can now place a reservation through the Tesla Philippines website. Both the base Performance and Thrust models have an initial P350,000 fully refundable deposit, while a P3,150,000 deposit for the Performance, or P17,150,000 for the Thrust, is due 10 days after the initial deposit. Meanwhile, ownership of the Rocket variant is invite-only.