The NEW Tesla Roadster: My Honest Reaction

Summary

Marques Brownlee analyzes Tesla’s redesigned Roadster reveal, separating its headline-grabbing demonstrations from the specifications and engineering claims discussed in follow-up videos and on Tesla’s updated website.

Design and demonstrations

The redesigned Roadster looks markedly different from the 2017 concept. It has an angular, “cyber” interpretation of a supercar, with upward-opening doors, light bars, and a large moving rear wing. Brownlee preferred the earlier design and is unsure about the new one.

At Tesla’s event, the car was shown driving up a ramp and upside down, then flipping through the air and landing on its wheels. Brownlee describes this as an autonomous, pre-scripted demonstration—not evidence that the car is ready for ordinary driving or that the stunts have practical use. He sees the spectacle as impressive engineering, but also as a marketing distraction from the car’s more relevant specifications.

Proposed versions

Brownlee says the Roadster is described as having four versions:

1. Base: A version without the additional performance systems. It was mentioned in a MotorTrend interview but is not listed on Tesla’s website.
2. Performance: Adds a fan-based downforce system. Tesla reportedly calls this version “road ready.”
3. Thrust: Adds rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters alongside the fan system.
4. Rocket: Adds more thrusters and a larger compressed-gas tank, making it a one-seater. Tesla says this version is not approved for public-road use and will be available by invitation.

Fan system and performance claims

The fan system is intended to draw air from beneath the car, creating a low-pressure area that pushes the vehicle toward the road. Unlike conventional aerodynamic downforce, which generally increases with speed, a fan system can provide downforce at low speeds.

Brownlee compares the concept to the McMurtry Spéirling, an electric track car whose fan system helps it generate substantial grip and accelerate quickly. Tesla claims the Roadster can reach 60 mph in 1.6 seconds with the fan-equipped setup.

Brownlee notes potential road-use concerns: the car’s flexible skirts may scrape on imperfect roads, while the fans could pull in debris and blow smaller material out behind the car.

Tesla says the Thrust version can reach 60 mph in under a second. Its rear thrusters reportedly use compressed nitrogen stored at around 10,000 psi. Brownlee raises questions about noise, road legality, and crash safety—particularly the consequences of carrying a high-pressure tank near the driver.

The Rocket version is claimed to reach 60 mph in 0.6 seconds and perform jumps and flips using additional thrusters. Brownlee doubts it will become a usable public-road vehicle and sees the stunts as having little direct everyday performance value.

Other claimed specifications and features

Details from Tesla’s website and the MotorTrend, Hagerty, and Top Gear videos include:

• Carbon-fiber body panels and a target weight under 1,700 kg
• Rear-wheel drive, with approximately 1,300 horsepower and 1,400 Nm of torque from two rear motors
• A claimed range of 300+ miles, down from the earlier 600-mile figure
• Claimed 500-kW Supercharging, with a 15–80% charge in 10 minutes
• A claimed 25–30 minutes of maximum-power track driving, which Brownlee considers notable for an EV
• Active aerodynamic components, double-wishbone suspension, brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire, and an adjustable pedal box

Brownlee distinguishes the fan system—which could improve grip, handling, and lap times—from the thrusters and aerial stunts, which he sees as more spectacle than practical performance. He also notes that the Thrust system’s burst is said to last only a few seconds, with refilling taking several hours, according to the Hagerty video.

Delivery outlook

Tesla said the Roadster is expected to ship in 2028, but Brownlee is skeptical. He points to the original Roadster’s long delay, Tesla’s other priorities, and the company’s reservation agreement, which says delivery timing is not guaranteed and the vehicle may never be delivered.

He considers the base or fan-equipped versions more plausible than the Rocket version, but does not expect the Roadster to become a major company priority.

Overall assessment

Brownlee calls the reveal a successful engineering spectacle and marketing event, but argues that the stunts overshadowed the more useful product information. He is impressed by the fan-car concept while remaining doubtful that the most extreme features—or the promised delivery schedule—will translate into a broadly available production car.

Main speakers and sources

• Marques Brownlee (MKBHD): Presenter and primary analyst
• Tesla representatives, including Franz von Holzhausen: Sources for some configuration and feature claims, as reported in the cited videos
• MotorTrend, Hagerty, and Top Gear: Follow-up video sources Brownlee uses to discuss specifications and engineering
• Henry Catchpole (Hagerty): His interpretation, as relayed by Brownlee, is that Tesla may have shifted from a conventional fast EV toward the more attention-grabbing idea of a flying car.