Tesla promised a lot when it first showed the second-generation Roadster in 2017, and the car it showed on October 15 is very different. In 2017 the promise was a 0 to 60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, a top speed above 250 mph, 620 miles of range and deliveries in 2020. The 2026 listing claims quicker acceleration, a lower top speed and about half the range. Production is now aimed at 2028.
Side by side
0 to 60 mph. 2017: 1.9 seconds. Now: under 1.6 seconds for Performance, under 0.9 for Thrust and under 0.59 for Rocket.
Top speed. 2017: above 250 mph. Now: above 230 mph, listed for the Rocket.
Range. 2017: 620 miles. Now: more than 300 miles.
Seats. 2017: four. Now: two, or one in the Rocket.
Price. 2017: $200,000 for the base car and $250,000 for the Founders Series. Now: reservation payments of $50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust, with final prices not announced.
Production. 2017: 2020. Now: 2028, though one account says 2027 or 2028.
Thrusters. 2017: none at the reveal. A SpaceX thruster package was floated later, and Musk has said it could bring 0 to 60 mph to about a second. Now: Thrust and Rocket have thrusters, and Tesla says the Rocket can fly.
Why the comparison is not exact
Tesla gives range and top speed as floors, such as more than and above, so the real figures could be higher. The new versions are also different cars, with fewer seats and added thrusters. All of the 2026 numbers are Tesla’s claims, and none has been tested by an independent party. The claims for each version are in Tesla Roadster Has Three Trims: Performance, Thrust and Rocket.
Our take: the acceleration promise went up, the range and top speed promises came down, and the delivery date moved by about eight years. Many buyers may accept that trade for a car that flips in the air, but a brochure number is not a delivered car. Reservation terms are in Tesla Roadster Reservations Open but Final Prices Are Not Set.
