Tesla’s Big Surprise Debut at the Grand Basel Was Just the Same Prototype We’ve Seen Before

TopSpeed

By Jonathan Lopez

Published Sep 4, 2018

Where’s the pickup, Tesla? Could it show tomorrow?

Last November, Tesla dropped a bombshell with the debut of its upcoming second-generation Roadster, surprising everyone by tagging the reveal at the end of the debut for its new all-electric semi truck. Now, it looks like the California-based automaker is trying to ride that hype wave all the way into shore, as its latest “surprise” is the same Roadster prototype we’ve already seen on numerous occasions.

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Which makes the appearance of the Roadster 2.0 at the Grand Basel auto show in Switzerland a bit odd, no?

Not necessarily. Slathered in a white-and-black color scheme, this is the same prototype that appeared at Tesla’s shareholder meeting back in June. It also looks more or less unchanged compared to the first prototype that launched last November.

Unlike the first red prototype seen in 2017, this “new” one is just a rolling shell, which apparently is offered to show off the car’s stunning exterior design.

That said, we can’t wait to get our hands on the real thing, as Tesla is claiming some insane specs for its second-gen Roadster. Here’s just a few: 1.9 seconds to hit 60 mph, with the quarter-mile completed in 8.9 seconds and more than 250 mph at the top end.

Making it all possible is a new 200-kWh battery pack that juices three electric motors and a high-performance AWD handling system.

When it finally does hit public roads, the new Roadster is expected to be not only the fastest, most powerful all-electric passenger vehicle out there, but also the quickest passenger vehicle to 60 mph of any propulsion type. Ever.

Reservations are currently going for $200,000 for the base model and $250,000 for the limited Founder Series model

Impressive stuff, no doubt, but again, we want to see something new, Tesla. Something like the new pickup you’ve been teasing.

Of course, it’s possible Tesla still has something up its sleeves for Switzerland, as another debut is planned for tomorrow. Unfortunately, a pickup doesn’t seem like an appropriate choice for the venue, but it’s not impossible. Alternatively, Tesla might choose to reveal the Model Y, its upcoming compact crossover, but again, we think this new debut is probably just the Roadster in its full production guise.

Tune in tomorrow to find out.

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