Tesla Plans Loop Track at Texas HQ for Roadster Stunts
Autonomous stunts will require the Thrust or invite-only Rocket trims, with production slated for 2027.
Tesla intends to build a looping test track at its Texas headquarters where owners of the upcoming Roadster can execute autonomous launch stunts, CEO Elon Musk said on X. The facility would allow customers to replicate maneuvers the company demonstrated recently, provided they purchase specific high-end trims of the electric sports car.
The announcement followed a post by tech commentator Robert Scoble, who wrote on X that the Roadster functions more as a computer-directed machine than a traditional vehicle. Musk responded that Tesla will have a wild looping track for customers to test their Roadster and described the car as “sentient.” He did not provide dimensions for the loops, a construction timeline, or details about safety protocols for a full-scale passenger vehicle navigating an inverted trajectory.
Executing these stunts requires hardware beyond the standard model. Tesla is currently taking $250,000 reservation deposits for the Thrust variant, which incorporates cold-gas thrusters developed by SpaceX alongside active aerodynamics and a multi-mode ground-effect suction system. The base Performance version requires a $50,000 deposit. A third tier, the Rocket, remains invite-only and features 10 cold-gas thrusters positioned around the vehicle’s perimeter.
Tesla claims the base Roadster accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 1.6 seconds. The Thrust variant cuts that figure to 0.9 seconds, while the Rocket trim achieves it in 0.59 seconds. For context, current production vehicles rarely break the two-second barrier; the Rimac Nevera holds a verified record near 1.74 seconds using conventional tire grip alone, without aerospace propulsion.
Production for the Roadster is scheduled for 2027 and 2028, according to the company. The vehicle is not yet road legal. First unveiled as a concept in 2017, the project has endured multiple delays spanning nearly a decade, pushing delivery expectations well past initial targets set during its original reveal event.
