Is This Insane Tesla Roadster 0-60 MPH Real?
If the official debut of the Tesla Roadster feels like it was a lifetime ago, that’s because it was. This elusive Tesla sports car broke cover all the way back in 2017 when company CEO Elon Musk boasted about its mind-boggling performance figures. At the time, the goal was to have it reach the market by sometime in 2020.
As you might imagine, no one’s 2020 went according to plan, so there’s room for forgiveness there. After literally years of zero updates, a new plaque at the Petersen Automotive Museum in California reported by CarBuzz gives us a major update. If this plaque is correct, the Roadster should hit 60 mph in 1.1 seconds.
How much is the 2020 Tesla Roadster?
Since it’s been quite some time since we’ve heard about the Tesla Roadster, let’s go over some basic stats. For starters, this electric sports car is supposed to start around $200,000, says Car and Driver. From there, you can opt for the Founder’s Edition, which should cost somewhere around $250,000. Keep in mind that since the car isn’t available, these are estimates for now.
If you want to reserve a Roadster, you can. In fact, many people did when the car was originally announced all the way back in 2017. Unlike the Cybertruck’s $100 deposit, the sports car asked for significantly more. In total, you’d need $50,000 to reserve one of these cars. Now, imagine how the reservation holders feel after paying $50,000 and receiving nothing for years.
Let’s look at some performance stats because this is where things become really interesting. According to Tesla, the Roadster can hit 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds and continue to a top speed of over 250 mph. However, it would simultaneously offer 620 miles of electric range.
Can it really hit 60 MPH in 1.1 seconds?
This brings us neatly to where the Tesla Roadster stands in 2021. After it seemingly vanished for years, this elusive electric sport is now on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in California. That’s where this latest plaque and major update comes from.
An attendee of the museum posted an image of the plaque on Twitter, revealing that the roadster could hit 60 mph in as little as 1.1 seconds. Since the car hasn’t made it into production yet, a massive performance bump sounds improbable at best.
According to the plaque, the car will achieve this run with something called the SpaceX Package, which appears to be completely brand new. Given the car’s mysterious nature, an educated guess would be that this incredible time is, in fact, not real. However, anything is possible.
When will the Tesla Roadster arrive?
That’s the $200,000 question, or the $50,000 question if you put down a deposit on a Tesla Roadster. According to Car and Driver, the sports car might arrive next year as a 2023 model. However, if its track record is anything to go by, future delays wouldn’t exactly be surprising. For now, all we can do is hope that this car will eventually make it into production and deliver on its claims.
