Tesla's latest Roadster reveal centered on an upside-down driving stunt, made possible by a powered fan and ground-sealing system that the company calls a "downforce generator." As Engadget notes, the trick is not new. The 1970 Chaparral 2J used fans adapted from a military tank engine, and the 1978 Brabham BT46 Formula One car later applied the same suction approach. Tesla says the Roadster can generate up to 2g of downforce, while the Chaparral produced roughly 1.25g to 1.5g.
The commercial stakes are visible in the reaction from McMurtry Automotive, which responded to Tesla's reveal with a cheeky "Welcome to the club." McMurtry's electric Spéirling has also been shown clinging upside down, and its production version, the Spéirling Pure, uses similar suction to corner at more than 3g. Only 100 will be built, with a $132,300 starting price and first deliveries expected before the end of the year. Tesla's Roadster, by contrast, is slated for 2028 production, with a $50,000 reservation for the base model and $250,000 for the Thrust trim that includes the suction system and acceleration thrusters.