Tesla Made A Lot Of Bold Claims About The New Roadster, But Do You Believe Any Of Them?

Tesla says that buyers will have the option to pick from four trims: Roadster, Performance, Thrust, and Rocket. That’s key, as it seems that in plenty of cases, the only specs getting thrown around are the ones tied to the most extreme. Here’s a general idea of what Tesla seems to confirm at this point. All trims will use rear-wheel drive exclusively. 

Some trims, Tesla hasn’t said which ones specifically, will make over 1,341 horsepower (1000 kW) and 1,033 lb-ft (1,400 Nm) of torque. According to Top Gear, the base car will make a measly 1,073 hp (800 kW) and 885 lb-ft ( Nm) of torque.

Tesla says that the Performance will do 0-60 in under 1.6 seconds, Thrust will do it in under 0.9, and the Rocket will do it in under 0.59. The company told Hagerty that it’ll actually manage it in 0.55, but that’s with one foot of rollout. Frankly, at that speed, it’s almost comical that they’re considering rollout.

The company is targeting 300 miles (483 km) of range, with Top Gear reporting between 310-320 (499-515 km) depending on the model. Tesla is aiming for a final production weight of under 1,700 kg (3,748 lbs). That’s specifically for the base version, and honestly, if achieved, it would be a big plus in terms of driving dynamics. Less weight improves every aspect of vehicle dynamics regardless of powertrain.

Take away all the thruster stuff, and there’s plenty to get excited about. A rear-wheel-drive, relatively light, very powerful car that can use suction for downforce is a great recipe. It’s also quite a departure from the car revealed in 2017, so carrying old specifications forward is going to cause confusion. That all said, we’ve got to get into some of the wilder claims here.

Source: www.carscoops.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.