Black 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport
A black 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport arriving at and leaving Cars and Chronos at Hing Wa Lee Plaza. Introduced in prototype form in July 2006, the first-generation Roadster was Tesla’s first production car. Utilizing a Lotus Elise chassis, it was the first mass-produced fully electric car to use lithium-ion batteries and the first fully electric car with a range of over 200 miles on a single charge. In Sport trim, the Roadster can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 125 mph. Around 2,450 Roadsters were sold in over 30 countries between 2008 and 2012. A second-generation Roadster was shown in November 2017 but ultimately did not reach production after numerous delays. On October 15, 2026, Tesla introduced a redesigned Roadster prototype featuring a fan system for increased downforce and airflow, SpaceX thrusters enabling flight and airborne maneuvers, a 0-60 mph time of under one second, and a top speed of over 230 mph. Tesla expects to begin production of the new car in 2028.
Rocket boosters and barrel rolls? 0-60 mph in 0.81 seconds? A top speed target of half the speed of sound? This is what pretty much every car enthusiast is now talking about after Tesla put on a wild show last night to introduce its latest Roadster prototype. But let's take a journey back in time to the company's humble beginnings, along with the original Roadster that introduced it to the world.
A decade ago, the Tesla name had yet to be affiliated with politics, garish Cybertrucks, controversial robotaxis, and repeatedly delayed promises. The successful Model S had proven to the world that having a practical daily EV in the garage was no longer just a fantasy, and the new Model X was beginning to wow passersby in grocery store parking lots with its fancy vertical doors, which, looking back now, was probably the first public sign of Elon Musk's less-than-orthodox way of thinking. But before Tesla achieved mainstream attention and success, there was this car - a little Lotus-based sportster catered to wealthy automotive enthusiasts eager to embrace and experience a car that drives and feels like nothing else on the road. Some people may now consider it obsolete thanks to rapidly improving EV technology. But whether you're a fan of the Tesla brand or not, there's no denying this car will always hold an important place in automotive history as having paved the way for one of the most successful startup companies of all time. Now let's wait and see if the new Roadster actually makes it to production by 2028...
On a side note, I'm glad the driver of this Roadster has a good sense of humor with those sound effects, knowing he'd be driving the only car at the event that naturally made pretty much no sound. Let's just hope the police sounds don't actually land him in any trouble!
Do you think the introduction of the new Tesla Roadster prototype will help boost interest in (and the value of) the first-generation Roadster? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!