Tesla Flying Car

[Eagle7]

After watching the video of the new Tesla flying car with Henry Catchpole, all I can say is.... well I can't think of anything to say that adequately describes what I just saw. Not only is it an astonishing piece of engineering, it's also beautiful!

LOTUS, if you're reading this, DO NOT try to compete! Stop thinking you're going to be a player in the six-figure car space. Instead of wasting tons of money trying to compete in that league, put the money and effort into creating fantastic analog cars that sell for LESS than six-figures. Create a proper dealer/support network. Make beautiful sporty cars that people can afford, and you'll do very well. If you throw your purse at trying to compete with Musk and what he's just revealed, you'll wind up dead on the side of the road.

 

[Kaz]

It is absolutely jaw dropping what they unveiled...and just makes any car that is trying to be about "innovation" seem silly. Oh was there a new Porsche supercar announced as well? In comparison it just didn't have enough sex appeal to overcome a flying car. So yes, the only space left is driver engagement - Lotus is great at that!

 

[kitkat]

Lotus haters will say this is AI

 

[Eagle7]

After thinking about it, I would bet money this car is going to be in a James Bond movie. I bet there's a screenwriter right now who is furiously working up a script for it.

 

[VR1]

Its unfortunate the Emira hasn't been the success volume wise that Lotus has necessarily imagined, given the huge premiums people are willing to pay for analog experiences (997, 360, Gallardo, any resto-mod, hell even used 718 4.0 are selling for 120k).

I blame the product strategy team and product marketing team for dropping the ball here. Fantastic product that has a niche, but abysmal vision, marketing, and product placement, and seemingly no motivation from corporate to try and do better. I don't see anything changing with any new model Lotus puts out. One of the reasons I like this car is b/c no one has one so not necessarily a bad thing from my POV!

 

[netsinah]

Astonishing to watch it go airborne and do flips, then just as quickly, settle onto the ground. Wow.

Impractical with the time it takes to fill a 600 litre nitrogen tank for the "flying model", which eliminates a passenger and makes it a one-seater...but they're working to reduce that to a half hour fill time. Regardless, this is an amazing start for new technology. That said, I don't see it made for regular production, given all the regulations we have for vehicles and road safety. Still, quite the show.

Imagine what we'll have in 5 years, using this as a springboard.

Thanks for the post Eagle7. I've got something to discuss at dinner tonight with my "car nut" friend, who has the dough to buy something like the regular Tesla Roadster, but knowing him, he'll already have watched the video.

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

I absolutely had my jaw on the floor when that thing started to fall off the ramp, and then flip around and land. What the actual foook! Insanely cool

 

[NicolasB]

Such a joke. Try making an electric car with a 500 mile range that would actually sell and be useful. This BS just makes them look like idiots doing stuff with their hot wheels toys as kids. They promised the actually attractive Roadster like 8 years ago and took millions of dollars in deposits, and now moved the goalposts so far out that nobody will ever get one.

#grift

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

Such a joke. Try making an electric car with a 500 mile range that would actually sell and be useful. This BS just makes them look like idiots doing stuff with their hot wheels toys as kids. They promised the actually attractive Roadster like 8 years ago and took millions of dollars in deposits, and now moved the goalposts so far out that nobody will ever get one.

#grift

 

[allenyao09]

It's very impressive that a car can flip over and land like a rocket, but I don't see the point of fitting this to a car. Basically anything can fly like that. What does this have anything to do with the Roadster 2 itself?

 

[OliverB]

Considering the US government was already doing this sort of thing 40 years ago, it is not particularly impressive. I have nothing against Elon or Tesla, but this is just marketing and that's perfectly fine I guess. Anyone who believes a manufacturer would ever sell something remotely similar is a lunatic.

 

[Kaz]

Elon is trying to merge SpaceX and Tesla so initiatives like this are important for his investment community as it raises the profile and keeps the brands top of mind. It almost doesn't matter what this costs it's meaningless in new combined value. He's wanting to combine virtual AI with robotic AI so this makes sense, plus it's freaking incredible. The lowest spec of the car without the thrusters or air capability will still be a crazy fan car that's cheaper than the Mcmurtry and that's probably the point.

 

[Jinba ittai]

It's very impressive that a car can flip over and land like a rocket, but I don't see the point of fitting this to a car. Basically anything can fly like that. What does this have anything to do with the Roadster 2 itself?

Agreed. Cool if you like rockets. If you like cars? Ehhhh…

 

[TheFiat]

The turbo boost has finally arrived. KITT, let’s meet behind the house!

 

[3A3968M]

It’s a marketing, quite expensive I might add, stunt.
Will it be the next cyber truck dumpster fire? I think so.

 

[racewithcal]

It will literally be a car shell with some thrusters and nothing else. Knowing Tesla's record, it will never actually be commercially available.

Seems like the same Musk strategy as usual, create a viral demo to soak up deposit $ and keep kicking the can down the road.

 

[Jake]

After watching the video of the new Tesla flying car with Henry Catchpole, all I can say is.... well I can't think of anything to say that adequately describes what I just saw. Not only is it an astonishing piece of engineering, it's also beautiful!

LOTUS, if you're reading this, DO NOT try to compete! Stop thinking you're going to be a player in the six-figure car space. Instead of wasting tons of money trying to compete in that league, put the money and effort into creating fantastic analog cars that sell for LESS than six-figures. Create a proper dealer/support network. Make beautiful sporty cars that people can afford, and you'll do very well. If you throw your purse at trying to compete with Musk and what he's just revealed, you'll wind up dead on the side of the road.

I’ll start by saying I’m a huge fan of Elon. I think the car is astonishing. Groundbreaking. O-60 in under one second. But, and it’s a really big one, the soul? I love electric cars, but they have no soul. I’ll take a 750s or a Miura over that roadster. IMO.