GoKawiilTesla Roadster reservations hit $250,000 as delivery slips to 2028
Tesla showed its second-generation Roadster using a compressed-air thruster system for a brief airborne demonstration in mid-October, reigniting interest from buyers who have waited years for the car. Some customers, including EV dealer owner Alex Lawrence, placed new deposits on top of existing ones: $50,000 for the base model and up to $250,000 for the thruster-equipped version, while an invite-only 'Rocket' variant won't be street legal. Tesla first unveiled the Roadster in 2017 promising 2020 delivery, but now says production will begin in 2028 with no confirmed delivery date or final pricing.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The years-long gap between promise and delivery, paired with rising deposit requirements and still-undefined pricing, highlights how much speculative faith buyers are placing in Musk's roadmap rather than a finished product. For some reservation holders like Lawrence, the appeal may be less about owning the car and more about the marketing value and social-media attention it brings to their businesses, though that motive isn't confirmed by Tesla. The episode also underscores a broader pattern of Tesla announcing futuristic features well ahead of any verified timeline for mass production.
- Tesla's second-gen Roadster briefly demonstrated a compressed-air 'flight' system in mid-October.
- Reservations range from $50,000 for the base model to $250,000 for the thruster-equipped Thrust variant, with an invite-only non-street-legal 'Rocket' version.
- Originally promised for 2020 delivery, Tesla now targets 2028 production with no confirmed price or delivery date.
Source: wired.com — Aarian Marshall, 2026-10-28
Published there as: “The Men Spending $50,000 Just to Reserve a Tesla Roadster”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.