Public gets a peek at a prototype of the new Tesla Roadster—and it is cool

A prototype of the upcoming next-gen Tesla Roadster is currently on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. EV fans and media have been flocking thither to get an eyeful, and many have been sharing pix and videos. 

Above: Tesla Roadster on display in Los Angeles (Facebook: Peterson Automotive Museum)

It’s not clear how close the production version will be to the current prototype—Elon Musk has said that Tesla is updating the design, and that it will look “better,” and that the far-from-shabby figures previously announced (0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds, 620 miles of range), were only “the base specs.”

The SpaceX Package that Musk has promised, which will feature several cold air thrusters, one hidden behind the license plate a la James Bond, is no joke. Tesla has made it pretty clear that it absolutely plans to bring the feature to production.

Above: An in-depth look at the Tesla Roadster (YouTube: Tech IQ)

“Demonstrating the versatility of electric power and adding extra distinction to the car’s already high performance, an announced SpaceX package would outfit the Roadster with cold air rocket thrusters positioned at the rear, allowing for a 0-to-60-mph acceleration time of 1.1 seconds—largely unprecedented among modern road cars,” says Tesla.

Tesla now says the engineering of the new Roadster will be completed this year, and that it will go into production in 2022.

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Written by: Charles Morris; Source: Electrek