Is The Tesla Roadster BS?

Or is it marketing genius for a company that doesn't want to build cars anymore?

Author

Bernardo Montes de Oca
October 20, 2026

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Four Wheel Trends Automotive Newsletter
Issue #220

​Today, we’re discussing the Tesla Roadster and why it’s important, not only for the company, but for the automotive sector.

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In The Know

We Need to Talk About The Tesla Roadster

Yes, yes, the car flipped in midair, then landed smoothly amidst smoke and flashy thrusters. From an engineering perspective, what the Tesla Roadster did is fascinating. If you don't know what I mean, watch this video. 

The new Tesla Roadster is coming. Well, Tesla CEO Elon Musk hints at it, but he also says it might not happen. This back-and-forth and secrecy around the new Tesla Roadster isn’t new. In fact, it’s been going on for years, if you don’t recall. He’s been promising a new Roadster since 2017, as you can read here.

But then again, he has consistently delayed the Roadster's release for a multitude of reasons, including the weather, as this article reports.

So, when Tesla announced that it was actually finally releasing the famed Roadster, the world was pumped. Reservations poured in, and everyone was excited. That is, until you read the fine print. The hefty reservation (no defined amount, but it has to be as close to $250,000 as possible) doesn’t guarantee you'll get a car.

It’s not just an opportunity for when the Roadster is released, but for when it hits the market. The reality is that we might never get a Tesla Roadster, and that’s fine, but for Musk, it’s actually a crucial strategy.

Tesla lives off hype. It has done so before, and we shouldn’t be surprised. However, if it hits the market, the Tesla Roadster will also matter to the automotive sector.

In an age when cars all look the same, this flip presentation was so impactful that many actually believed other automakers couldn’t compete. You know you messed up when you reveal your new sports car, and people don’t talk about it. Instead, they talk about choosing the wrong day to do it, as you can read here.

Let’s face it: the Porsche Mission S looks amazing, but can it fly? That’s how powerful Tesla marketing is, even though hype has rarely lived up to expectations. 

Take a look at the Cybertruck: it was delayed by two years, and now sales have slumped. It never lived up to expectations and now hasn’t even reached 13% of the global goals.

Why? It overpromised and underdelivered.

The EV under $25,000 still doesn't exist, and the Tesla Semi truck is also a work of snake oil and ether. So, the Roadster is not a flagship vehicle, even if it has the theoretical performance to dethrone many of the legendary sports car brands, nor one that could help Tesla financially, as Musk has said. It’s not even road legal.  

At the same time, Musk has insisted that Tesla will distance itself from vehicles, and wants to focus on robotics and automation.

So, what is it? It’s hype.  After the demonstration, the stock went up, and that’s all that matters.