2028 Tesla Roadster Thrust Prototype Shown at LA’s Petersen Oct 24–27

Tesla’s new Roadster is on public display in Los Angeles this weekend. The company announced the exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum, where the car is in the Main Lobby from October 24–27. This marks the first public viewing since the vehicle was unveiled earlier this month at SpaceX’s test site in McGregor, Texas. The display ends Tuesday.

Thrust Prototype, Not Rocket

The museum lists the vehicle as the 2028 Tesla Roadster Thrust Prototype. This is different from the Rocket trim showcased at the reveal, which drove upside down and flipped over Tesla’s entire lineup.

Tesla Roadster Thrust Prototype on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum

Tesla plans four versions of the Roadster. The standard car makes 1 MW, or about 1,340 hp. Performance adds suction fans, adaptive suspension, and more torque for a 0-60 time under 1.6 seconds. Thrust adds a 200-liter cold-gas thruster system with four rear nozzles, cutting 0-60 to under 0.9 seconds. Rocket is invite-only, seats just one, and adds six more nozzles and a bigger tank so it can actually fly and maneuver in the air.

The Thrust is also the trim that original Founders Series reservations were converted to. According to the museum’s description, the Roadster with its cold-gas thrusters hit 0-60 mph in under one second at the unveiling — 0.81 seconds, to be precise.

Viewing Only

The museum’s exhibit page calls the Roadster Tesla’s “last best driver’s car.” It also highlights active aero and a fan-driven suction system that create an additional 2Gs of downforce, allowing the car to adhere to surfaces upside down, even when standing still.

The display is roped off, so visitors can look and take photos but cannot get inside. The prototype lacks side mirrors, though Tesla says U.S. production cars will have them.