Next Roadster will owe nothing to an Elise
The replacement for the Tesla Roadster electric sports car will get four seats and make a move upmarket to become a rival for the Porsche 911 Turbo.
Tesla's ever-ambitious chairman Elon Musk has said that the replacement for the Roadster, which is due in 2013, will be based on platform of the forthcoming Model S saloon. Musk has also been reported as saying that "the back seats will be capable of handling someone up to 5ft 6in tall in comfort, and the trunk space will be almost twice the size."
Although work on the new car has not yet begun, Musk has revealed that it will be available in both soft-top and coupe versions and that four-wheel drive may be an option, although rear-wheel drive is expected to be standard.
In the meantime, the current Tesla Roadster continues to sell steadily, with the company delivering its 500th example to a customer in New Jersey yesterday.
Work is also continuing on the development of the advanced Lithium-ion battery technology for the Smart EV, part of Tesla's recent deal with Daimler in which the German company bought a 10 per cent equity stake in Tesla.
Musk has also hinted at a more mainstream joint-venture zero-emissions vehicle project with Daimler. "There is also another major vehicle programme that we will be doing with Daimler and that was part of the investment deal and would also fit into the 'everyman' category." Musk told Edmunds. "Details will probably be announced around the end of this year."