We tested the first Tesla Roadster to see how it compares to modern Teslas and it’s like night and day

This is the first-generation Tesla Roadster Sport, the first Tesla vehicle ever made.

It may be a Tesla, but it really only has two things in common with the modern versions.

First, it’s electric, and second, it has the same badge.

We drove one to see how it compares to today’s models, and it truly is like night and day.

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The story behind the first Tesla Roadster Sport

Tesla’s progress in Europe was gradual.

Between the late 2000s and early 2010s, the maker ran its entire European operation out of a small office in London.

Located in the Knightsbridge neighborhood, it was a five-minute walk from Harrods.

And it was so small you couldn’t fit more than two, maybe three, Teslas in it.

It expanded quite quickly after that, though. And, as crazy it sounds, it did so with only car – this small roadster – in its arsenal.

Tesla didn’t have the financial capacity to build a new car from scratch back then. So the company had to use a small British sports car as a platform.

It wasn’t exactly the most sophisticated vehicle in the world, but it had an electric engine, and that was more than enough to make it stand out.

The rest, as we know, is history.

It’s fast, but unrefined

Cybertruck aside, all current Tesla models feel and drive like smooth family cars.

However, the first-generation Tesla Roadster, especially the Tesla Roadster Sport, was different.

Like comparing a tracksuit to a tuxedo.

This is because it was built using the underpinnings and the chassis of a Lotus Elise.

The Lotus Elise is a great car, but it isn’t smooth, and it definitely isn’t comfortable.

And you can tell the first-generation Tesla Roadster is based on the Elise because it’s just as rough, just as uncomfortable but, crucially, it’s fast.

Even though it’s lot heavier than the Elise, because of the battery pack, it’s still lighter than most EVs these days – and definitely a lot lighter than the Cybertruck.

It also has plenty of power and more than enough torque to make up for the extra weight.

The model you see here makes 288HP and 295LB-FT of torque and, thanks to its instant torque, it takes off like a bullet.

Tesla did its best to make it a bit more refined, with thicker seats, a sat nav and cruise control but, when all is said and done, this feels more like a Lotus Elise than a modern-day Tesla Model 3.

The Roadster is also great in the corners, definitely a lot better than a Model 3, although it’s obviously not as a great as the Elise.

While the Elise feels like a featherweight champion, the Roadster feels like a soccer player who lost some of his speed and fitness but still has the skills.

What about the new Roadster?

Tesla has been promising a new Roadster for a few years now but it still isn’t here.

Musk made some pretty bold claims about the Roadster in 2024, but it does feel like Tesla sort of forgot about it afterwards.

The thing is, Tesla has clearly pivoted towards self-driving cars, and autonomy is now the company’s first and primary focus.

Unfortunately, this means that everything else, from the Roadster to the long-awaited ‘entry-level’ Tesla‘, is now on the back burner.

But, after all, 2025 has only just started, so there’s still hope, and maybe Tesla will indeed unveil the new Roadster this year.

Maybe.

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