This “Very Orange” Tesla Roadster has accrued only 2,000 mi (3,219 km) on the odometer in the last 12 years. Now, the current owner is ready to part ways with it. If you’re interested in owning a vehicle that will forever serve as the icon of a company that's now a major American auto manufacturer (and, possibly, even of an industry-wide movement), then don’t waste any time. Here’s what you need to know.
Although its successor is still nowhere to be seen, we refer to the first vehicle to ever wear the Tesla badge in public as the original Roadster. Now, one has popped up for sale.
The vehicle had an MSRP of $109,000, but when options and delivery charges were factored in, it rose to $139,050. In today’s money, this sum would amount to $169,639. That may be why a 2008 Tesla Roadster sold for more than $250,000 back in February.
However, this Roadster isn’t a very early model. It’s not one of the very first EVs manufactured by Tesla. But it has over $28,000 in options, which include many carbon fiber bits and pieces. And the only “modification” done to it was the paint protection film. The car is as original as it can be.
At the time of writing, the highest bid submitted is $90,000. Most auction watchers, however, agree that the final selling price will be much higher than this. So, if you’re interested, make sure the internet connection is stable and the registered credit or debit card details are correct. Things could heat up in the last hours of the auction!
The good news is that the winner will receive the mobile charging connector and an adapter, unlike today’s Tesla buyers who must pay extra to get one.
Finally, some gearheads still confuse to this day the original Tesla Roadster with the Lotus Elise of that era. That’s a tad bit wrong because the vehicles only shared a tiny number of parts. Things like the HVAC system, the rear suspension, the body panels, the drivetrain, the rear sub-frame, and the brakes were completely different.
Don’t forget – there are five days left to enter the auction if you wish to park this symbol of a vehicle in your garage. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years everyone will finally admit that it is a collectible, and today’s effort might be rewarded in the future.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News