Tesla unveils flying Roadster with SpaceX rocket thrusters that 'break physics'

The long-awaited Tesla Roadster is a collaboration between the "world's best car company and the world's best rocket company", Musk noted, having first been announced by the world's richest man in 2017.

Elon Musk confirmed the Tesla Roadster can fly, flip and accelerate from 0 to 60mph in less than a second. It is also the first and only Tesla to have manual transmission.

Impressive displays at the SpaceX site saw the Roadster drive upside down on a large inverted ramp, using fan systems and rocket boosters to stay attached to the track.

The technology uses cold-gas thrusters, with the Roadster filmed driving up a ramp before remaining stationary above a massive overhang.

It then accelerates to drive off the ramp before the cold-gas thrusters kick in, allowing the Roadster to complete a flip and land safely, without any damage to the flashy electric sports car.

Musk then teased the crowd, saying there was more to come, as hundreds of enthusiasts showed their excitement for the new Tesla model.

He said: "The downforce of the car means you can corner incredibly well. It looks like you're breaking physics because the car sticks to the ground so hard.

"Acceleration, cornering, it's going to crush every track record that has ever existed."

Tesla explained that the advanced cold-gas thrusters use all-electric actuators to offer precise thrust, allowing micro-adjustments to be completed "within a fraction of a second".

Musk clarified that it can "basically fly like a rocket", including completing rolls, flips and "crazy gymnastics".

He joked that the Roadster was not optimised for safety, but was designed to be fun, before cutting to another demonstration of its flying capabilities.

The Roadster used the thrusters to jump and flip over all Tesla models, including the Semi truck, which stands at more than four metres tall.

It will come in three variants, notably the Performance, which can be reserved already, the Thrust, which will be limited release, and the invite-only Rocket.

The Performance and Thrust models have two seats, with the latter being paired with the cold-gas thrusters to propel the Roadster from 0-60 in under one second.

While drivers around the world will be excited to finally get their hands on a flying car, the Tesla website explains that the one-seater Rocket variant is not approved for public road use.

A live demonstration at the SpaceX HQ showed the Roadster accelerating from 0-60mph on a track in just 0.81 seconds, complete with a huge plume of smoke from the thrusters, garnering a cheer from the audience.

Production of the Roadster is expected to begin in 2028, complete with a top speed of 230 miles per hour, although Musk called for it to be "much faster than that", suggesting that it should "crack halfway to the speed of sound".

Musk even called for the Roadster to take on Evil Knieval's legendary jump over Snake River Canyon to display its speed and flying capabilities.

Pricing has not yet been announced, although reservation costs on the Tesla website total $50,000 (£37,531).