The stunning Tesla Roadster takes to the skies, but it’s all for show.

Last night, Elon Musk delivered a spectacle that many have been waiting for: a car scaling a multistory ramp, launching off the edge, performing a midair “kickflip” over a lineup of Teslas, and landing with the help of cold-gas thrusters. That’s what everyone wants, right? Sure, we’ve been promised flying cars, but isn’t the key word “we”? Because from what I saw, while the display was undeniably cool and impressive, it doesn’t translate into a real, production-ready vehicle you can park—or land—in your driveway.

Tesla’s late-night showcase in Waco, Texas, certainly thrilled some corners of the internet. The enthusiastic reactions and praise on social media, a platform often quick to defend Musk, were hard to miss.

Taken purely as a stunt, the demonstration was breathtaking. Equipping an electric supercar with 600 liters of compressed air, 10 directional cold-gas thruster nozzles, and a 2G suction-fan system inspired by SpaceX is undeniably impressive. Witnessing a 0-to-60 mph launch in under a second pushes the boundaries of physics—though it might come with a risk of detached retinas.

However, labeling this as a “car reveal” or considering the flying Roadster as a legitimate product that can be purchased by an independent buyer stretches the definition. Tesla claims the “Rocket” version of the Roadster, which performed all the stunts, will be “invite only.” But even that seems hard to believe. This version of the Roadster sacrifices the passenger seat for ultra-high-pressure gas tanks and prioritizes short bursts of thruster-powered flight over practical road use. Where you could actually take your flying Tesla remains unclear, as the company admits it won’t be approved for “public road use.”

For wealthy supercar enthusiasts, the event offered little in terms of concrete details. Tesla skipped over essential commercial information like pricing and battery range. The Roadster’s range estimate was slashed from 600 miles to 300 miles, and Musk casually pushed the production timeline back to 2028—more than a decade after early adopters put down $50,000 deposits.

Musk himself has referred to the Roadster as a “small potato” project that won’t significantly impact the company’s finances compared to mass-market models like the Model Y. He also described it as “the last best driver’s car,” hinting at his belief that autonomous driving will shape Tesla’s future.

Some analysts speculate that the Roadster’s reintroduction is a strategic move to pave the way for a potential Tesla-SpaceX merger. Musk’s fans on social media are eagerly hoping for it, even if it might dilute their own equity. But that’s just part of Musk’s strategy to consolidate control over his ventures.

In a way, the car had to fly to justify the past decade of missed deadlines. Tesla has already been outpaced multiple times in the electric hypercar market. Many of the Roadster’s impressive feats have already been achieved by other vehicles. There are cars that can drive upside down, jump, and accelerate at astonishing speeds.

For instance, BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme boasts four electric motors (one more than the Roadster) that generate an incredible 3,000 horsepower, reaching a top speed of 308 mph in testing—surpassing the Rimac Nevera’s record of 268 mph. Meanwhile, the McMurtry Spéirling single-seater holds the record for the fastest acceleration from 0 to 60 mph at 1.35 seconds. The Roadster could potentially beat that, but we’ll need independent testing to confirm.

Yet, no one puts on a show quite like Elon Musk. If the aim was to achieve a PR win, dominate social media, and solidify Tesla’s image as a tech pioneer, then the Roadster demo was a triumph. Competitors like Rimac, Porsche, and BYD will continue to deliver real, track-ready hypercars while Tesla spends the next few years refining its rocket-boosted prototype.

It may not be a viable product, but as a 30-minute display of engineering prowess, it was truly a sight to behold.