At the very end of a presentation focused on a truck, a single line of light stole the spotlight. In a few seconds, Tesla launched a new signal around its forthcoming Roadster. A teaser more enigmatic than ever, broadcast a week before its big Texas show.
This new video clip centers on a full-width LED bar. It announces the unveiling of the Tesla Roadster on October 1, 2026 in Waco, Texas, near SpaceX’s McGregor site. Meanwhile, the automaker reopened reservations for the Tesla Roadster with the most eager buyers. With a sizable deposit, still described as refundable. But for now, Tesla shows mainly glints and promises, far more than the car itself.
A full-width LED bar and a “See you next week” for the Tesla Roadster
The new teaser appeared at the end of an event devoted to the electric Semi truck. The image plunges the car into shadow, leaving visible only a horizontal light bar across the full width of the bow. On X, Tesla accompanies this short clip with the message “See you next week”. Behind it, the Roadster logo flickers briefly, with no other bodywork details sketched.
This flash of light complements an earlier teaser released mid-September, paired with the slogan “Go for launch” and the date “10.01”. By playing with the brightness of the image, fans spotted additional elements: a pronounced rear wing, a massive diffuser, and a full-width light bar that seem to lurk in the shadows. The text “WHERE WE’RE GOING…” also appears in the visual. It echoes the Back to the Future line “Where we’re going, we don’t need roads”. With this new clip focused on light, Tesla doubles down on the Roadster’s visual signature. The company still has not revealed the final silhouette.
SpaceX Propulsion: what’s brewing around the Roadster
In the background, Elon Musk has talked for years about a SpaceX pack for the Roadster. The idea: around a dozen cold-gas thrusters mounted where the rear seats would be. They’re intended to aid acceleration and cornering by manipulating airflow and mass transfer. The stated goal: to go from 0 to 60 mph in under a second. None of this has been validated for production. Tesla has published neither a technical sheet, nor pricing, nor a production timeline for these thrusters.
Another clue: the U.S. aviation authority established a temporary flight restriction around McGregor. The zone, about 1.5 nautical miles wide, is closed from September 18 to October 2. That’s enough to fuel chatter about a dramatic thruster demonstration, though no program details have been confirmed. Meanwhile, the most concrete element remains the deposit of roughly $41,000 requested from Roadster reservation holders. Tesla outlines a $4,000 payment by credit card, to be complemented by about $41,000 sent by bank transfer within ten days.
Back in the day, the base version was pegged at around €200,000. A Founder’s Series was expected to approach €234,000. Figures floated in 2017 also spoke of 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds, with a range nearing 1,000 km (about 620 miles). That second Roadster was announced as early as 2017, nearly nine years before this Texas rendezvous. Since then, the manufacturer has not confirmed these price points or provided updated numbers or a production timeline. While the Roadster continues to surface only in teasers, Tesla has begun delivering its Semi trucks.
