Porsche CEO Takes a Swipe at Elon Musk’s Flying Tesla Roadster: ‘We Want to Steer Clear of Effects and Shows’

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk celebrated his flying Roadster demonstration following its October 15 unveiling, but Porsche AG (OTC:POAHY) CEO Michael Leiters has pushed back against the spectacle, arguing that sports cars should showcase engineering rather than theatrical effects.

Porsche Boss Rejects Tesla’s Roadster Spectacle

"Turns out the future does have flying cars," Musk wrote in an X post after the launch, sharing footage of the Roadster performing a midair flip. He subsequently said owners could ask the vehicle to perform tricks autonomously and promised a "wild looping track" at Tesla’s Texas headquarters.

Speaking at an automotive conference in Berlin on Wednesday, Leiters said Porsche wanted to "completely steer clear from any kind of effects and shows," according to Bloomberg, as reported by Electrek. He emphasized engineering and a direct connection between driver and car, while arguing that Porsche’s Mission S and Tesla’s Roadster were aimed at different customers.

The remarks contrasted with Musk’s pre-unveiling claim that the Roadster could deliver the "greatest product demo of all time." Tesla’s prototype used Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX)-developed thrusters to perform airborne rotations, although the company still faces questions about delivering the long-delayed vehicle.

Tesla Targets 2028 Production With Rocket Technology

Tesla’s website outlines three Roadster configurations: Performance, Thrust and Rocket. The company claims the Thrust configuration can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under one second, while the invite-only Rocket version features cold-gas thrusters designed to enable flight. Tesla says the Rocket configuration is not approved for public-road use.

Tesla is targeting 2028 for Roadster production, nearly nine years after unveiling the second-generation prototype in 2017. However, the company has not announced a firm delivery timeline or final pricing.

Mission S Embodies Porsche’s Premium Strategy

Porsche unveiled its Mission S vision model on the same day as Tesla’s Roadster, October 15. The mid-engined design previews a future super-sports-car platform positioned above the 911, which Porsche intends to make a permanent addition to its lineup rather than a limited-run hypercar.

Leiters described customer interest as "overwhelming." Meanwhile, investor Ross Gerber had questioned the practicality of Tesla’s hovering technology before the unveiling, calling it a "gimmick."

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