---
title: "New Photos of Road-Going Tesla Roadster Surface on Social Media"
description: "A red Tesla Roadster has been spotted outside the automaker's design studio in California for several days now."
date: "2018-10-04"
modified: "2018-10-04"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/24043/news-photos-of-road-going-tesla-roadster-surface-on-social-media"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "Electric Vehicles"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Tesla News"
tags:
  - "automotive news"
  - "California"
  - "Convertible"
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "Elon Musk"
  - "Instagram"
  - "News"
  - "Tesla"
  - "Tesla Roadster"
  - "twitter"
---

# New Photos of Road-Going Tesla Roadster Surface on Social Media

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/09/20180905-tesla-roadster.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com\</em\>*

It appears that Tesla's once-secretive Roadster is now simply out there for everyone to see. Ever since the sleek convertible debuted last year, it's only been shown at this year's [Monterey Car Week](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/22981/rimac-is-bringing-a-custom-california-edition-of-its-new-hypercar-to-monterey-car-week>) and most recently at Grand Basel. However, a particular red Roadster has popped up on social media recently.

The provenance of the vehicle isn't known, and it's not clear if this is a test mule or a marketing vehicle that was simply parked there to gather attention. However, it's known that Tesla only has one fully operating Roadster that's already been shown to potential customers and the world's most famous car nerd: [Jay Leno](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/23154/jay-leno-takes-a-ride-in-the-2020-tesla-roadster>).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoVOkirjQ14

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoXbsADAtrQ

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1046919132191502336

The snaps, which were first shown on Tesla fan site [*Electrek*](<https://electrek.co/2018/10/04/tesla-roadster-2020-next-gen-rare-outting-pictures/>), were uploaded to Instagram and Twitter earlier this week. The images show the same car parked at the same facility in California, but not much else was said, with the exception of the typical accompanying hashtags. It appears that one of the [people](<https://twitter.com/scaleoutsavant>) who uploaded a photo is a SpaceX employee, but that still doesn't explain what purpose that vehicle is fulfilling.

Last month Tesla [released additional photos](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/23381/tesla-releases-more-images-of-its-smokin-roadster-tackling-mountain-roads>) of the seductive Roadster before debuting it in Switzerland, revealing new angles of its super aerodynamic body. According to CEO Elon Musk, the second-gen sports car will have 620 miles of range and do zero to 60 in just 1.9 seconds.

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)