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Tesla Roadster "Longtail" Is the Hypercar We've Been Expecting

It was 2017 when Tesla introduced the prototype for its Roadster 2.0, a hypercar that would pick up where the original Roadster, the first product of the automaker, left off. And while we're waiting for the production version (more on this below), we've brought along a rendering that portrays the vehicle this might need to become.
2021 tesla roadster racecar (rendering) 6 photos
Photo: hakosan_design/instagram
2021 tesla roadster racecar (rendering)2021 tesla roadster racecar (rendering)2021 tesla roadster racecar (rendering)2021 tesla roadster racecar (rendering)2021 tesla roadster racecar (rendering)
The digital creation sitting before us can easily be set apart from the actual Palo Alto show car thanks to its aero upgrades. The elongated rear section, which shows one of the largest active wings we've seen, is the first that catches the eye. And yet we can talk about a fierce battle for attention here.

That's because there are other aspects of the car that capture the imagination. For one, the widebody approach is impressive not just thanks to the meaner look, but also thanks to the smooth integration (we can't say the same about the otherwise badass downforce-heavy front splitter or the scoop adorning the carbon roof, though).

In fact, Hakosan Design, the digital label behind the work, deserves a round of applause for the said integration. This pixel exercise is described as a road-going version of a Tesla Roadster Le Mans racer dream, a scheme not unlike the one used by starting-in-2021 Le Mans Hypercar class (no full-electric competitors there, though). This will see the current LMP1 top-tier prototypes retiring in favor of racecars whose "homologation special" siblings will land on the street.

The current battery technology limitations mean EVs still need serious development before becoming accomplished endurance racers. However, you can regard these added-aggression styling cues as a metaphor for the necessity of an upgraded Tesla Roadster.

You see, by the time the production version of the Roadster arrives (2022 seems like a reasonable estimate right now), the electric propulsion technology will have moved forward.

Of course, the automaker is well aware of the matter. And this is why the tri-motor Plaid upgrade for the Model S, whose development is shared with the Roadster, should arrive before the latter.

You can already preorder the Model S Plaid on the Tesla website: listed at $139,990, this will feature the structural battery and more efficient 4,680 cells presented during last month's Battery Day Event. The numbers for the family car? 1,100 horsepower, 0 to 60 mph time of under 2 seconds, and 520+ miles (837 km) of range.

Keep in mind that the advertised figures for the Roadster involve a starting price of $200,000, a range of 620 miles (998 km), 2.1s 0-60 mph time (make that 1.9s with the optional SpaceX package that should include 10 small thrusters), and a top speed of over 250 mph (402 kph).

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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