As of: 2026-10-17 02:25 CEST.
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# Elon Musk unveils Tesla's new Roadster, and it can fly

ABC News, 16 October 2026, YouTube. 1,452,798 views as of 16 October 2026.
Kind: Review.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYWy6SyJRZo

## Why it is here

ABC News network-TV segment (1:35): "Using SpaceX rocket technology, the sports car climbed a curved ramp and hurled itself to a controlled landing." About 1.45M views within a day.

## Description (written by Gemini from the video)

**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._

## Related

- 2026-10-15: [Tesla unveils the next-gen Roadster with SpaceX-derived cold-gas thrusters](https://postcutoff.com/e/2026-10-15-tesla-roadster-unveil-thrusters-kickflip/)

## People in it

- [Elon Musk](https://postcutoff.com/person/elon-musk/), CEO, Tesla and SpaceX (including SpaceXAI / xAI)