Ex-Tesla president: Roadster delay is SpaceX merger push
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- Jon McNeill, Tesla's president from 2015 to 2018, said the next-gen Roadster's delay is tied to SpaceX "hovering" technology — a cold-gas thruster system internally code-named A71 that points toward the ground to lift the car.
- McNeill called the Roadster a "probably not-so-hidden attempt to further knit Tesla and SpaceX's futures together," predicting the two companies "are going to come together, probably sooner rather than later."
- Tesla unveiled the new Roadster in November 2017 with production promised for 2020; reservation holders put down up to $50,000, while Founders Series buyers wired the full $250,000.
- The original Roadster specs required no rocket thrusters — 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds, top speed above 250 mph, and a 620-mile range; the SpaceX thruster package was added later to cut 0-60 to roughly 1.1 seconds.
- The "flying" Roadster demo could happen this month and would be remotely operated with no one inside, because the thrusters are loud enough to damage the hearing of anyone nearby.
- The car has been delayed at least nine times, with the demo alone slipping from April 1, 2026 to August 2026; once-planned features like racing up a magnetized ramp and driving upside down were cut after Musk reviewed them.
- TSLA is down roughly 25% year-to-date, the worst performer among the "Magnificent Seven," as Tesla's core auto business shrinks under competitive pressure.
Why it matters: McNeill's framing reframes the Roadster from a product story into a merger-rumor story — if Tesla and SpaceX come together soon, Tesla's struggling car business (TSLA down ~25% YTD, worst in the Magnificent Seven) becomes leverage for a single major shareholder. Meanwhile, reservation holders who paid $250,000 nine years ago are still waiting for a car whose original specs already made it the quickest production car ever announced, no rockets required.
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