A few days back, prior to shareholders endorsing his substantial compensation package, Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed that the next-generation Tesla Roadster would “hopefully” debut “before the year’s end.” However, at Tesla’s Annual Shareholder Meeting on Thursday, Musk proclaimed that the Roadster 2 would be unveiled on “April 1 of next year.” He amusingly remarked, “I have some deniability because I can say I was just kidding,” and emphasized that they are targeting April 1 for what he anticipates will be the most thrilling product demonstration ever, irrespective of its outcome.

While this delay is considerable, the production timeline is even longer, with Musk suggesting it will likely take place “approximately 12-18 months after that,” placing it around mid-to-late 2027. Even though it hasn’t been released yet, Tesla’s second-generation Roadster remains one of its most distinctive offerings. First announced in November 2017, the vehicle has encountered persistent delays, even as numerous customers have placed pre-orders with a $50,000 deposit. Musk has set progressively ambitious targets for the car, most recently informing Joe Rogan, “If you combined all the James Bond cars, it’s more extravagant than that,” and hinting it might even have the capability to fly.

Tesla and Musk still refer to the car as the “second-generation Roadster,” although it likely has little in common with the original second-generation Roadster revealed eight years prior. That prototype was unveiled in November 2017, showcasing a 0-60mph acceleration time of 2.1 seconds. Later, Musk implied it might include an optional cold gas thruster to improve its velocity. Most recently, he asserted that the vehicle could go from 0-60mph in under one second. Let’s hope this saga wraps up next April, before Musk starts claiming the car can time travel.