Tesla (TSLA.US) Roadster launch event scheduled for Thursday, Musk adds suspense with "timing is everything" statement

According to Jinse Finance APP, Tesla (TSLA.US) announced on the X platform on Wednesday that the Roadster launch event will be streamed live at 7:55 PM Central Time (8:55 AM Beijing Time on Friday). Elon Musk reposted this news, adding the caption “Timing is everything,” adding further suspense to this repeatedly delayed sports car.

As of publication, before the U.S. stock market opened on Wednesday, Tesla was up 0.15%, trading at $375.775.

Roadster Event Returns After Delay Due to Strong Winds

Tesla stated on X: “The Roadster event will be streamed live this Thursday at 7:55 PM (Central Time).” Musk added an intriguing note: “Timing is everything.”

This announcement provides fans and those who have reserved a Roadster with a new date to follow developments for Tesla’s model, first showcased nearly nine years ago. Tesla initially planned the event for October 1st, but postponed it to October 15th due to severe weather forecasts. In the rescheduling notice, the company stated it had been tracking weather conditions with local meteorologists and explained the event could only be held outdoors.

Musk later pointed out the specific obstacle. He said on X: “Due to strong winds, the new Roadster demo has been postponed by two weeks.”

Release Timing Echoes ‘Back to the Future’

Musk’s “Timing is everything” reply may imply a tribute to ‘Back to the Future.’ 7:55 PM written in 24-hour format is 19:55, echoing 1955—the year Marty McFly travels to in the original film.

This connection isn’t unfounded. In 2019, Musk responded to an animation of a DeLorean sports car flying, stating: “The new Roadster will actually do something similar.” Later that year, when responding to a Back to the Future-style Roadster artwork, he said: “SpaceX thruster components will be very subtle, hidden behind the license plate.”

Musk’s tributes to ‘Back to the Future’ go beyond the car itself. In 2022, he quoted a line from the movie: “Wait, Doc. Are you telling me you built a time machine out of a DeLorean?” In 2025, he said: “1.21 gigawatts of training compute! (Actually, just a bit higher),” apparently referencing the power needs for the film’s time machine.

Thruster Package Sparks Flying Car Anticipation

The possibility of unconventional demonstrations stems from Musk’s own description of the Roadster. In 2018, he proposed a SpaceX optional package containing about 10 small rocket thrusters, intended to improve acceleration, top speed, braking, and cornering. He added: “Maybe they’ll even allow Tesla to fly…”

Tesla first unveiled the next-generation Roadster in November 2017 as a surprise during the Semi truck launch event, with initial plans to begin production in 2020. Since then, the car has been repeatedly delayed.

At its first appearance, Tesla positioned the Roadster as an electric sports car capable of challenging high-performance gasoline cars. Preparing for mass production remains a key issue. Tesla’s latest quarterly manufacturing update still lists the Roadster as in the “design and development” stage, with manufacturing location marked as undetermined.

Retail Investors Turn Bearish, Wall Street Remains Bullish

On Stocktwits, retail investor sentiment for Tesla shifted from “bullish” a week ago to “bearish,” with message volume at “normal” levels.

Tipranks data shows that, overall, Wall Street analysts remain optimistic about Tesla, with a consensus rating of “moderate buy” and an average price target of $404.87—8% higher than the latest closing price.

Year-to-date, Tesla’s stock price has fallen by about 17%, making it the worst performer among the seven giants of U.S. stocks.