SURPRISE! THE NEW 2020 TESLA ROADSTER MAKES WAVES

Tesla has been busy of late. With issues on its Model 3 production line causing bottleneck's, as well as the on-road testing of its new Semi Truck, news that its second-generation Roadster made its on-road debut is quite something.

Tesla’s Chief Designer, Franz von Holzhausen, posted a picture of him driving a prototype Mk2 Roadster on Twitter a few days ago which caused quite a stir.

The chaps at Tesla seem to like surprising us, shocking the automotive industry in November 2017 with the launch of its new Semi Truck and now too with the unveiling of the all-new version of its electric Roadster, which is said to be the fastest accelerating car in the world. And, to make things more interesting, Tesla boss, Elon Musk, announced a "Space X option package" for the Roadster to celebrate its launch into space.

Musk said of the Roadster, "it has been built to give a hardcore smack-down to gasoline cars,” and he's not kidding. According to him, the ‘base’ version of the Roadster does 0-60mph in 1.9 seconds and 0-100mph in just 4.2 seconds – wowzer. To put that into perspective, a BMW M4 coupé can't get from 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds...

This also translates to a standing quarter mile in a claimed 8.9 seconds, which makes it the first production car to break the 9-second barrier. But that's not all, Musk also hinted at a “beyond the base model" version which could deliver even more performance. Which is absurd.

A 200kWh battery pack and three electric motors deliver the power, with two of them turning a rear wheel each, while a single motor powers the front wheels – basically making it four-wheel-drive. According to Tesla, the Roadster produces 10,000Nm of 'wheel torque', sending it on to around a 250mph top speed, and it'll get 1,000km (620 miles) between charges.

Despite its focus on performance, Musk boasted about the abundant storage areas, although he conceded that “giant people” couldn’t fit in the back of the Roadster's 2+2 seating layout.

The public can make their reservations now with a $50,000 deposit before production begins in 2020. Prices for the base Roadster in the US start at $200,000, while a - limited to just 1,000 examples - Founders Series model will start from $250,000.