A Tesla patent for an active rear wing may provide the clearest look yet at the company’s long-delayed next-generation Roadster, although the vehicle shown in the filing is not identified as the production model.

The patent illustrates a low-slung, two-door sports car fitted with an adjustable rear wing capable of multiple aerodynamic configurations. Tesla’s documentation describes a DRS setting intended to produce zero downforce, while the most aggressive mode could generate up to 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds) of downforce at top speed.

The filing discusses the high-downforce operation at speeds above 100 mph (161 km/h). If achieved as described, the wing alone would provide a substantial aerodynamic load for a road car. The patent’s figure is close to the 800 kg (1,764 lbs) of total downforce quoted for the road-legal McLaren Senna at 155 mph (250 km/h).

A detailed sports car illustration

The vehicle surrounding the patented hardware appears substantially more developed than a generic outline. Its design includes pronounced rear haunches, a sweeping fastback greenhouse, full-width rear lighting, a large rear diffuser, sculpted side surfaces, and distinct wheel and window designs.

Unlike the removable-roof 2+2 prototype Tesla unveiled in 2017, the car in the patent appears to be a fixed-roof coupe. The illustrations also show a design that evolves beyond the earlier prototype rather than simply reproducing it.

The filing does not, however, establish that the illustrated vehicle is the production Roadster. Its title is “Deployable and Active Rear Wing Assembly with Safety Features,” and the application is focused on protecting the aerodynamic system rather than documenting the car’s exterior design.

Patent leaves the Roadster connection unconfirmed

US 2026/0285418 A1 was filed in August 2025 as a continuation of an application submitted in March 2025. The United States Patent and Trademark Office published it on September 24.

Tesla has not identified the car shown in the document as the Roadster. The design could therefore be an illustration created to demonstrate the wing technology. Even so, the level of detail in the vehicle depiction has renewed attention around the sports car Tesla is expected to show on October 15.