Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the upcoming Roadster “will be incredible” in a response on X Thursday to tech reviewer Marques Brownlee, who reacted to news that the company will discontinue the Model S and Model X by commenting “Oh Roadster is so cooked.”
Brownlee, who has more than 20.5 million YouTube subscribers and previously called the Model S “the best daily driver in the world,” made the comment while sharing a report about Tesla ending production of its flagship sedan and SUV to make room for Optimus robot manufacturing.
Musk’s comment comes less than 24 hours after he confirmed to analysts during Tesla‘s fourth-quarter earnings call that the company will “hopefully” debut the Roadster in April.
“I really think long-term, the only vehicles that we’ll make will be autonomous vehicles with the exception of the next generation Roadster which we’re hoping to debut in April,” Musk said Wednesday. “It’s gonna be something out of this world. Fantastic.”
The second-generation Roadster was first announced nearly a decade ago. Tesla‘s original Roadster, the company’s first production vehicle, launched in 2008 and was sold until 2012.
The new Roadster has faced repeated delays since its initial unveiling in 2017, when Tesla began accepting $50,000 deposits for the $200,000 base model and $250,000 for the Founders Series.
Model S and X Wind Down
Brownlee’s reaction followed Musk’s announcement during the same earnings call that Tesla will end production of the Model S and Model X, its oldest and most expensive vehicles — which were revamped last year.
“I guess I have one, not exactly bad news, but it’s time to bring the Model S and X programs to an end with an honorable discharge,” Musk said. “We are really moving into a future that is based on autonomy.”
“If you are interested in buying a Model S and X, now would be the time to order it because we expect to wind down S and X production next quarter and basically stop production of Model S and X next quarter,” he added.
Musk said Tesla will convert the Model S and X production space at its Fremont factory into an Optimus robot facility, with a long-term goal of producing one million units annually.
“We will obviously continue to support the Model S and X programs for as long as people have the vehicles,” Musk said.
April Unveiling Planned
Tesla held its Annual Shareholder Meeting in November, where Musk announced a demonstration event for the Roadster scheduled for April 1, 2026.
“So, we’re aiming for April 1 of next year,” Musk said, adding jokingly, “I have some deniability because, like, I could say I was just kidding.”
The CEO described the event as potentially “the most exciting, whether it works or not, demo ever of any product.”
On the Joe Rogan Experience podcast in late October, Musk elaborated on his ambitions for the unveiling.
“Whether it’s good or bad, it will be unforgettable,” he said. “My friend Peter Thiel once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I think if Peter wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one. I think it has a shot at being the most memorable product unveil ever.”
“The new Roadster is something special beyond a car,” Musk wrote on X last September.
Hiring Push
In early December, Tesla posted three new job listings for its upcoming Roadster model as it prepares for the April unveiling.
The Technical Program Manager position, based in Fremont, focuses on managing program execution from product design to factory operations.
The Manufacturing Engineer role, also in Fremont, involves developing battery manufacturing equipment from concept through launch.
Musk said last year that production of the Roadster is expected to begin in mid-to-late 2027, approximately 12 to 18 months after the demonstration event.
“I guess production is probably about, you know, 12 to 18 months after that,” he said at the shareholder meeting, referring to the demo event.
