It's been a long road for the second-generation Tesla Roadster. First revealed in 2017 as a 2020 model, the car has faced numerous delays, with critics wondering if Tesla would ever deliver. Now, the company has a new version, which it showed off with a truly shocking demonstration at its event in McGregor, Texas.

The event started with the new Roadster driving upside down on a massive ramp, thanks to its suction fans. In case that wasn't enough, it then flipped off the ramp, doing a mid-air barrel roll with its cold gas thrusters to land right-side up. It was quite shocking.

"By the way, success is not guaranteed," CEO Elon Musk said before the demo. "It'll probably work," he added.

Tesla Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy said that the Roadster can generate up to 2Gs of suction. According to Musk, that extra downforce will enable it to shatter track records.

But the thrusters are the more impressive part. Right after the first demo, the company showed the Roadster hopping over a lineup of Tesla vehicles, doing another barrel roll in the process.

“So it can basically fly like a rocket. I can do rolls, it can do like crazy gymnastics, whatever you want, really," he said.

Musk said the system can fill its own thruster tanks with compressed air, recharging its own capabilities. The system uses 10 nozzles and 250 kg of compressed gas for propellant, the company says. It'll allow the car to corner at up to 2G of force, far more than any existing car.

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