No one commenting on the Flying Tesla?

Flying-ish is right! It would be cool to see one, but not going to be street legal and people will be allowed to purchase it by invitation only.

The lesser versions are pretty impressive. They don't fly, but will be fast. $250K deposit for the mid-level car, with estimates of $350K or higher puts me out of the market!
 
Well, the forum's been down for most of the time since before the event.

I watched it live. Didn't know what to expect. Pretty crazy.

Three trim levels showing on the website.

Performance - (Entry level). Has multi-mode suction system (fans) that can provide 2g of down-force for traction control. That's what allowed the car to climb vertically and drive upside down. The practical application is corning as traction is the limiting factor which other cars increase with their spoilers. Should allow significantly faster track times. 0-60mph is 1.6s.

Thrust - Adds rear cold gas thrusters for acceleration. 0-60mph is <0.9s.

Rocket - The version that performed the demo has 10 cold gas thrusters. It is listed as "by invitation only" and for track and off-road use.0-60 <0.59s.

I guess my 2026 Model 3 with full-self driving is now old technology.
 
steingar said:
To quote someone far more famous than I:

and if me mother had wheel she'd be a wagon
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The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier 'tis to stop up the drains.....

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from an AI hallucination.....

Ron "That one was mine" Wanttaja
 
The last time Elon strapped rocket boosters to a Tesla it ended up in space.

Having an unlimited budget (money and engineering) for something like this must be awesome!
 
I have to admit the engineering that went into the demo was impressive. Great use of the space tech for this.
 
I think the whole thing is a publicity stunt.

That "car" may very likely have been a very visually accurate, lite weight representation of an actual car he wants to sell in the future in which you will not be able to do snap rolls because why would you want to do that liability aside?

Look at the people in your neighborhood, at your church, in the grocery store parking lot, in the mirror... You think all these people should be doing skateboard tricks in a 2000 lb lithium ion battery on wheels?

I'm certain the roadster (sans air jets) will be available to people with amazing portfolios soon.
 
Domenick said:
One question: Was there a driver in the car?
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No. They were quite clear about that.

Focus on the car that people will actually buy, the Performance trim. 0-60 in <1.6sec, no thrusters, and the Multi-Mode Suction System to improve traction for cornering and acceleration.

Add the rear-facing cold gas thrusters for the limited availability Thrust trim level for 0-60 in under 0.9sec.

The Rocket trim, as demonstrated, is by "invitation only" and is not road legal. Other exotic car manufacturers also make a very small number of cars that are track-only for very wealthy clients.
 
One question: Was there a driver in the car?

If there was, it was a dummy. Regardless if it was alive and breathing, a Dummy.

Presumably full self driving mode to assure perfect on and off of the magical features at the right split second.

Driving upside down provided by 2 fans sucking the air from underneath, increasing the downforce by 2 G's. What happens if you drive on a dirty road?

At the price point, just driven on a rented race track, carefully vacuumed to immaculate for the drive.

Tesla certainly retains the ability to set the current top speed, at any time it wishes, and all performance data is Starlinked to the company computer.

The speed sensors doubtless note the speed limit for the road driven, and no matter how straight, kills your 0 to 60 demo at limit plus 10.
 
Looking forward to seeing it at IAC Nationals next year.

Was that an immelman or half cuban?
 
I’m not convinced it was real. I’m not saying it wasn’t, but there was one detail that just bugs me. When the car was upside down and accelerated off the ramp, the nose seemed to not drop even a little bit, even after the nose could no longer have been supported by a vacuum, yet there were no thrusters on top of the car.
 
Salty said:
I’m not convinced it was real. I’m not saying it wasn’t, but there was one detail that just bugs me. When the car was upside down and accelerated off the ramp, the nose seemed to not drop even a little bit, even after the nose could no longer have been supported by a vacuum, yet there were no thrusters on top of the car.
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The physics while inverted seemed different than I would expect.
It "seemed" to hang wylie coyote style off the inverted portion.

I am willing to be wrong.

Screenshot 2026-10-17 205540.png
 
Lindberg said:
It has a fan capable of generating two times its weight in suction. It's basically hovering.
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Interesting so like a ducted fan but sucking itself up versus pushing itself up?
Where is the outflow? I don't see any evidence of thrust coming from the top.

As stated before I am 100% willing to be wrong. I am just trying to figure out the physics.
 
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Lindberg said:
It has a fan capable of generating two times its weight in suction. It's basically hovering.
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suction is not hovering. It’s not a multi rotor helicopter. In the pic that 6pc posted the nose has nothing to suck on. Seems like the nose should have been dropping already in that picture, yet it does indeed appear to hover.

You can lift your vacuum hose with suction while it’s stuck to your hand, but at soon as it loses contact with your hand it doesn’t “hover”.
 
Salty said:
I’m not convinced it was real. I’m not saying it wasn’t, but there was one detail that just bugs me. When the car was upside down and accelerated off the ramp, the nose seemed to not drop even a little bit, even after the nose could no longer have been supported by a vacuum, yet there were no thrusters on top of the car.
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The car didn't leave the ramp in a horizontal attitude. The ramp ends still with a slight upward angle launching the car at a slight nose-up angle.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Where is the outflow? I don't see any evidence of thrust coming from the top.
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The four fans are on the back, below the four thrusters. They are angled up, as viewed when the car is sitting on the ground. They draw air from an area between the front and aft wheel wells that is enclosed by a skirt system.

Lars was in a video that came out yesterday saying that there will a Basic version, which isn't currently listed on the website. It will not have multi-mode fan and ground sealing system.
 
Sorry, but all I can think of is "flat-tailed tech-bro killer". That and where does one paint the 12" N number.
 
Lindberg said:
What is the difference?

What is the difference?
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I already have an example. Your vacuum hose doesn’t levitate when it’s sucking. But if you seal up the end with your hand you can lift it. Without the structure of your hand (the ramp) you can’t lift the hose (car) with suction.

Said another way, suction is not thrust.
 
Salty said:
Said another way, suction is not thrust.
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Thinking about the physics of it:

Thrust produces force by an opposing reaction to the movement of the air mass.

Suction produces force by outside air pressure against a partial vacuum.

Amirite?
 
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