During the demonstration, the car launched vertically, performed a mid-air barrel roll over parked Tesla vehicles and landed on its wheels.
“A friend of mine, Peter Thiel, once said the future promised us flying cars, but instead we got 140 characters,” Musk told cheering fans, referring to Twitter’s former character limit.
“Well, not anymore.”
The Roadster, in development for a decade, uses thrusters developed by Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, and is expected to enter production in 2028.
Musk said the vehicle could accelerate to 60 miles per hour in less than a second and reach a top speed of 230mph with thruster assistance, while acknowledging that it might not meet safety requirements or be legal in every jurisdiction.
The launch follows repeated delays, with deliveries initially promised for 2020. Customers paid $50,000 to join the waiting list, including OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman, who sought a refund last year after waiting more than seven years.
The unveiling comes as Tesla faces declining deliveries and shifts its focus towards autonomous taxis and robotics. Deliveries fell 2 per cent in the third quarter, partly reflecting weaker US demand after President Donald Trump ended a $7,500 electric-vehicle tax credit.
Most Tesla sales come from the Model 3 and Model Y, while the company has discontinued its premium Model S and Model X vehicles as it redirects resources towards its Cybercab autonomous taxi and Optimus humanoid robot.
Musk has downplayed the Roadster’s financial significance, saying sales are unlikely to “move the needle in a major way financially”.
Tim Levin, a senior editor at InsideEVs, said the vehicle could help restore Tesla’s reputation as an innovator, but questioned whether it would have the same impact as when it was first announced, given changes in the electric-vehicle market.