# Tesla's flying Roadster takes off at livestream event

> Elon Musk unveiled a new Roadster that can travel upside down, launching debate about whether it's engineering marvel or marketing stunt.
- Title: Tesla's flying Roadster takes off at livestream event
- Summary: Elon Musk unveiled a new Roadster that can travel upside down, launching debate about whether it's engineering marvel or marketing stunt. Tesla revealed a…
- Keywords: tesla, elon musk, roadster, flying car, spacex, electric vehicles, automotive technology, business, technology, Tesla's, flying, takes
- Source: Business Insider — https://businessinsider.com/reactions-elon-musk-roadster-flying-car-2026-10
- Author: Aditi Bharade
- Published: 2026-10-16T11:01:07.402+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: tesla, elon musk, roadster, flying car, spacex, electric vehicles, automotive technology, business, technology
## Tesla's Roadster launches into the air
At a livestreamed event Thursday night, Tesla's new Roadster climbed a curved ramp until upside down, launched into the air, flipped, and landed on its wheels, apparently aided by thrusters beneath the vehicle.
## Musk confirms the demonstration worked
Elon Musk said during the livestream, "Well, it worked." Tesla and SpaceX engineers collaborated on the car, which uses high-pressure air and thrusters to lift itself off the ground.

> Well, it worked
## The Roadster reaches extreme acceleration
Tesla showed a recorded demonstration in which the Roadster reached sixty miles per hour in zero point eighty-one seconds. The legality of such a device on public roads remains in question.
## Angel investor sees science fiction potential
Angel investor Jason Calacanis said the videos looked like science fiction. He asked what if the car could stay airborne for five minutes, ten minutes, or thirty minutes instead of seconds.
## Tech analyst sees engineering flex, not commerce
Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, said it was an engineering flex with no commercial value beyond embarrassing traditional car makers and signaled Musk's ambition to merge Tesla and SpaceX.
## YouTuber questions whether it's a prank
Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee, known as MKBHD, appeared incredulous. Tesla claimed a four thousand plus pound car can do flips and go half the speed of sound at three hundred eighty plus miles per hour…

> This is a prank, right?
## Musk credited with restoring sense of wonder
David Marcus, former PayPal president and Meta executive, credited Musk with bringing back an age of wonder and excitement to humanity, calling the demonstration jaw-dropping awesome with screams and wide open mouths in the audience.

> The thing I'm most grateful to Elon for is bringing back an age of wonder and excitement to humanity
## Key takeaway

Tesla revealed a Roadster that uses thrusters to fly, sparking reactions from tech leaders ranging from awe to skepticism about its practical value.