Elon Musk wasn’t kidding when he said this event was full of surprise. He delivered, to say the least. Introducing the return of the Roaster. Musk took the stage to go over and highlight some of the best Tesla has to offer in the return of the Roadster. This electric vehicle is by no means just a repeat in performance, rather is jaw-dropping in many aspects.
The four-seater roadster boasts some monstrous numbers. If you match them up to what Musk was claiming, Tesla will make the world’s fastest production car. Musk describes it as a “smack down” to the fuel-addicted automotive industry.
Elon Musk introduced the new Roadster with a wide grin and proud to show everyone. This new Roadster will surely make Ferraro and Porsche break a sweat.
A SPEED DEMON
Musk begins by claiming that the base model of the Roadster will do 0 to 60 in 1.9 seconds. Let that sink in, 1.9 seconds. If what Musk said is true, that would make the electric car the first time a production vehicle has cracked the two-second threshold. Musk further added that it will go from 0 to 100 in 4.2 seconds, and will finish the quarter mile in 8.9 seconds (anyone thinking to take this Roadster to the track for a drag race?).
“It’ll be faster than the jet over there,” Musk said as an airplane scored over the crowd crammed Tesla Hawthorne, California facility. Musk didn’t confirm the top speed for the Roadster, but hinted that it was “above 250 mph.” We can compare this to the Agera RS by Sweden’s Koenigsegg, which currently holds the world record at 277.9 mph.
ROADSTER LONG-RANGE
It’s good to see that Tesla’s Roadster is fast and all, but what does that mean for the range of the car? Musk said that it boasts a 200 kWh battery pack and has a ridiculous 620-mile range per charge, or over 1,000 kilometers. Musk again claims to have shattered another world record, or so he claims. Musk teased by saying that imagine driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back on a single charge, without having to worry of charging your car.
ROADSTER INTERNALS & DESIGN
Tesla’s Roadster has three motors. One motor is in the front and two in the rear. It also rocks all-wheel drive, and torque steering. Looking at the design of the car, it’s a clear difference and strike against the sports car industry. The car takes inspiration from several different players, including Acura NSX’s exterior, McLaren P1’s cockpit, a Targa-like roof, Bugatti’s Chiron headlights, and a rear that reminds us of an Aston Martin DB10. No doubt Musk took inspiration from several different automakers to bring this electrifying beauty to everyone.
“The point of doing this is to give a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars,” Musk said. And honestly, he did that. He not only brought electric option to the market but also brought the beauty and design aspects with it.
ROADSTER PRICE
With all of the new features introduced in Tesla’s comeback Roadster, price is something we have yet to discuss. With great design and power comes a high price tag and Tesla’s Roadster won’t be making it to just anyone’s hands anytime soon.
The Roadster’s base model price will be a whopping $200,000, and reserving a spot for the car will cost you $50,000. This car is meant to compete with the likes of other high-brands such as Bugatti and McLaren. Considering that Bugatti is a seven-figure car, Tesla’s Roadster price starting at $200,000 is a pretty good deal.
A ROADSTER COMBACK
It should be know that Tesla doesn’t just want to make the best electric cars around, it wants to make the best cars, period. Tesla continues to shine in the electric car world. They introduced a brand new electric Semi truck that boasts a great design, great power, and targets a rather specific market. Roadster was first introduced in 2008 and was built to 2012. Those were the early days of Tesla where they wanted to show that electric cars aren’t just cool, they can be the best around. Elon Musk is now making things happen. He brought a more affordable model by introducing the Model 3. Musk is trying to cater from more affordable options to the most expensive tastes.
One thing we should keep in mind is that Tesla does have a history of over-promising and delivering late. Model 3 production has been really behind and continues to suffer. While you may put that $50,000 down to reserve your Roadster, don’t expect to get it on time, unless Tesla has a real breakthrough in its production problems.
