Elon Musk unveils Tesla’s new Roadster, and it can fly

Summary
This ABC News broadcast report, anchored in studio by Andrea Fujii with voiceover narration, covers Elon Musk and Tesla unveiling the next-generation Tesla Roadster at a SpaceX rocket test site in Texas. The segment details the vehicle’s cold-gas thruster flight capabilities, acceleration benchmarks, model tiers, and reservation pricing, while highlighting past delays since the initial 2017 announcement.

What is shown

• [00:01] White Tesla Roadster displayed on a spotlighted stage.
• [00:06] Stunt footage of the Roadster launching into the air and performing an aerial flip over a parked Tesla Semi and car with thrusters discharging.
• [00:12] Elon Musk speaking on stage wearing a black “Roadster” t-shirt.
• [00:15] Night driving footage along a test runway at a SpaceX test site in Texas.
• [00:27] Acceleration demonstration displaying an on-screen timer showing 0 to 60 mph in 1.00 second with exhaust plumes.
• [00:33] Telemetry overlay showing downforce and pitch as the car drives up a curved, over-vertical track upside-down before leaping through the air with thruster assistance.
• [00:46] Graphic card displaying the three product tiers: “Performance”, “Thrust”, and “Rocket”.
• [01:11] Archival footage of the 2017 red Tesla Roadster reveal.
• [01:22] Musk addressing the audience regarding delivery timelines.
• [01:26] ABC News anchor Andrea Fujii concluding the broadcast from the studio.

Claims & numbers

• Location and technology: Demonstrated at a SpaceX rocket test facility in Texas; utilizes compressed air thrusters derived from rocket steering technology (narrator states).
• Acceleration: Goes from 0 to 60 mph in 1.00 second (narrator states, on-screen timer displays).
• Underbody fans: Underbody suction fans hold the car to the surface, enabling upside-down driving (narrator states).
• Versions & Reservations:
  • Performance (Road Ready): Seats two, requires a $50,000 reservation deposit (narrator and graphic state).
  • Thrust: Adds rear thrusters, requires a $250,000 reservation deposit (narrator and graphic state).
  • Rocket: Capable of flight, single seat (seats one), not street-legal on public roads, available by invite only (narrator and graphic state).
• Pricing & Schedule: Musk did not announce final purchase prices; promises production will begin in 2028, following unfulfilled deposits taken after the 2017 reveal (narrator states).
• Next stunt: Presenter notes Musk proposed attempting to jump Idaho’s Snake River Canyon, referencing Evel Knievel’s failed 1974 jump (Andrea Fujii states).

Notable quotes

• [01:22] Elon Musk: “Actually. Actually... for real.”
• [01:27] Andrea Fujii: “Musk says the next stunt may be to jump the Snake River Canyon. The jump Evel Knievel failed in 1974.”

Assessment
A mainstream news report combining Tesla presentation clips, promotional stunt runs, and studio journalism. The report provides a factual overview of the demonstrated capabilities while maintaining critical skepticism regarding production timelines and past undelivered promises.

Described by gemini-3.8-flash on 2026-10-16 from the video’s audio and frames.