Tesla has a surprise reveal for Grand Basel show; is it the production Roadster?
The Grand Basel show in Switzerland will play host to a new Tesla reveal, the electric car manufacturer confirmed Friday.
Tesla sent invites to owners declaring it has a "surprise" to showcase at the show that celebrates all things design, as well as "automotive masterpieces."
Noting the show's theme, the production version of the Tesla's second-generation Roadster is the most likely candidate for a debut, unless the company is prepared to show off something truly surprising. CEO Elon Musk pulled a classic Steve Jobs "one more thing" moment during the reveal of the Tesla Semi and surprised with the Roadster concept car last November.
At its reveal, Tesla said the 2020 Roadster would pack a 200-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack for a touted range of 620 miles feeding three electric motors—one at the front and two at the rear. However, we don't know how much power the new Roadster will make. The company didn't share horsepower estimates at the concept's debut, but did say the Roadster makes 7,375 pound-feet of torque and will reach 60 mph in 1.9 seconds. Said figure is represented in wheel torque, though, which is calculated with drive ratios. The car's powertrain torque remains unknown.
Also discussed at the Roadster concept's reveal was its $250,000 launch price. The first production series will be known as the Founder Series and require a $50,000 deposit. The base price for regular Roadsters will sit at $200,000. Musk said production of the Roadster is expected to start in 2020, though the company is notorious for delays.
If the surprise debut is the Roadster, we may learn more about its performance specifications then and we'll get a chance to see how true the production car's design stays to the rather handsome looking concept car. The inaugural Grand Basel show opens on September 7 in Basel, Switzerland.
