Nearly a Decade Later, Tesla Finally Plans to Unveil Gen-2 Roadster

It’s been nine years since Tesla first announced plans for its next-generation Roadster. It finally plans to debut the supercar in a Thursday livestream. But will anyone actually care at this point? More from Headlight.News.

“Better late than never,” or so goes the old adage. But whether that holds true for the long-delayed Tesla Roadster remains to be seen.

A first-generation Roadster helped put the EV start-up on the map back in 2008, and while it generated miniscule sales it opened the doors for products to come, starting with the Model S that became the brand’s first real hit.

In November 2017, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that an all-new Roadster was in the works, declaring that, “We’re making it now.” As has been the case with a number of other Musk proclamations, however, that was far from the truth, as nine years have passed and the new supercar is only now expected to make its world debut during a Thursday livestream.

What’s new

Exactly what’s in store for the outdoor event? Tesla isn’t saying, but that should give a hint as the second-generation Roadster has a lot to live up to, Musk back in 2017 declaring, “The new Tesla Roadster will be the fastest production car ever made. Period.”

He also promised the two-seat EV will “give a hardcore smackdown to the gasoline car.” Over the years, the eccentric trillionaire has made a number of boasts and promises, among other things indicating the Roadster will be able to hit 60 in under two seconds. He even suggested the automaker will offer a rocket-powered option to deliver the sort of launch characteristics one might expect from a carrier-launched fighter jet.

The bigger question, potential buyers have wanted answered: “Will the gen-2 Roadster ever go into production? The hope is that Musk will finally have a clear answer – though those who follow the brand note that even his most precise timelines are seldom met.

One delay after another

Plans for a new Roadster actually date further back than those for the unloved Cybertruck. In fact, it was officially announced on November 16, 2017, a surprise reveal at the company’s Hawthorne, California design studio. It was the same day the company staged the twice-delayed debut of the electric Semi truck. (And for those keeping track, volume production of the Semi has only just begun.)

Time and time again, Tesla delayed Roadster v2’s launch, even though it began taking $50,000 reservations the day of the unveiling. According to an informal timeline put together by Electrek, there’ve so far been at least six delays in the debut of the production supercar.

Indeed, the event promised for Thursday could yet be pushed off. The company already canceled two events in October.

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What is the Tesla Roadster

What exactly the Tesla Roadster will be is the $64 million question. (Heck, considering Musk is a trillionaire, make it the $64 billion question.)

Considering the fastest version of the now-discontinued Tesla Model S could hit 60 in roughly 2 seconds, Musk and company were facing some challenges figuring out what to deliver in 2-seat form. At the original debut, Tesla is claimed the new Roadster will get there in 1.9 seconds with its optional “Maximum Plaid” mode – and, atone point, the CEO even suggested a number closer to 1.1 seconds. (For those not in on the joke, you’ll need to see the Mel Brooks movie, “Spaceballs.”)

The original Roadster was based on a chassis developed by Britain’s Lotus. The concept shown in 2017 was an entirely Tesla-led design project. But, considering the time that’s passed, it seems highly likely the original styling will carry forward.

Will anyone care

After its splashy 2019 debut, Tesla boasted advance reservations for the Cybertruck had passed 1 million. As we’ve seen since the first customers took delivery in November, the vast majority of those failed to translate into actual sales. So far, less than 65,000 have been delivered, according to Cox Automotive, with estimates for the third quarter of 2026 running barely 7,000 to 8,000.

After nine years, it’s far from clear how many Roadster deposits remain in place.

Sports car sales, in general, have been shrinking for the past couple decades, leading to a steady decline in product offerings. Both the BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra will vanish at the end of the 2026 model year. Whether Tesla can buck that trend with an all-electric package is far from certain. But considering the long delay, never mind the Cybertruck debacle, there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical.