You can’t just buy the flying and flipping Tesla Roadster in Rocket mode

By now, you’ve probably seen dozens of videos on social media raving about the new Tesla Roadster, especially its flying and flipping stunt. It’s an impressive feat of engineering, and something we’ve only ever seen in films and sci-fi literature. But the technology is real. Tesla has equipped the car with rocket-inspired thrusters that allow it to go airborne, flip, and land smoothly while surrounded by a cloud of white smoke.

If you think you can just go ahead and buy one, though, there’s some disappointing news in store for you. The Rocket trim of the new Roadster, which comes with a full-flight system, is invite-only. And that means only a small pool of enthusiasts (read: very rich people) who manage to snag an invite from the brand will be able to buy it. You can’t even reserve it as of now. Tesla’s reservation page currently lists the Performance and Thrust models as the two that are open for bookings.

The former can be reserved with a deposit of $50,000. The Thrust model, which comes with active aero and a multi-mode suction system alongside acceleration thrusters, requires a deposit of $250,000. That’s a steep jump, but at least it’s an option you can actually pick. The Rocket is a different story. You can’t click on the reserve button for it at all, and the “invite only” label makes it clear that only a select few individuals will get their hands on one. When exactly that will happen also remains unclear.

Tesla says the new Roadster goes into production in 2028, but there’s no word on when the Rocket trim will be available, or how many units Tesla plans to make in the first place. For a car that has already done so much of its marketing on social media, that’s a lot of unanswered questions.