250MPH TESLA ROADSTER IS ‘ENTRY-LEVEL’

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says that the ludicrously fast sports car his company revealed last week is actually an entry-level model, with an even quicker version on the way.

The new Roadster was revealed to much surprise at the launch of the new Tesla Semi truck, with some astonishing performance claims – 0-60mph in 1.9 seconds, a 620-mile all-electric range and a top speed of 250mph.

However, Musk has now announced that the $200,000 (circa £178k) sports car, which already claims to have better performance than a Bugatti Chiron hypercar, will have a go-faster option.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Should clarify that this is the base model performance. There will be a special option package that takes it to the next level.

“Not saying the next-gen Roadster special upgrade package *will* definitely enable it to fly short hops, but maybe…

“Certainly possible. Just a question of safety. Rocket tech applied to a car opens up revolutionary possibilities.”

It’s unclear whether Musk was joking with the follow-up tweet about flight, as he has a history of having fun with the media. For example, at the launch of the Tesla Semi he revealed that the glass was thermo-nuclear explosion-proof, before adding: “Well, it’s close. It survives a nuclear explosion or you get a refund!”

It was widely reported that the Semi could survive a nuclear explosion.

The Tesla Roadster has a production date target of 2020. However, historically the California-based electric car maker has struggled to hit deadlines. The Model X SUV saw huge delays, driven in particular by the overly complex falcon doors, while manufacturing of the new Model 3 saloon has been slower than projected because of “production hell”, according to Musk.