Rare Tesla Roadster Hits Auction Block: What Makes The Electric Vehicle Prototype Unique?

Collectors will likely covet a rare Tesla Inc TSLA prototype currently up for auction.

What Happened: Collectors can now bid on a Tesla Roadster via an auction with Cars & Bids.

The 2011 vehicle is a development mule for a Performance Package with 31,800 miles. A new battery replaced the original that died and is said to have less than 100 miles on it.

This prototype version was never released to the public and could be one of the rarest Roadster models.

As reported by Electrek, the Roadster Sport has VIN #1124 and was bought from Tesla in 2012. The vehicle was damaged in an accident before being reacquired by Tesla. The car was at one time owned by Tesla's former VP of Service Joost de Vries.

The Roadster is currently owned by Jamison Cummings, former Tesla Chief Technician, and Carl Medlock, a former manager of Tesla's Seattle service location. Medlock currently runs a third-party Roadster repair shop.

The vehicle started as a Tesla Roadster 2.5 Sport before the accident. It was then developed into the upgraded version of the Roadster as a potential Performance Package add-on for consumers.

The performance package Roadster was never released as an option to the public. It had a reported $30,000 consumer cost for the add-on. This is the only prototype of its kind and is unique given the ties to Tesla by the past and current owners.

At the time of writing, the auction has a winning bid of $95,000 with an end date of July 15 at 1:30 p.m. ET. The auction listing has over 17,000 views and has generated plenty of comments from fans and potential bidders.

Read Also: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Says Making New Roadster Only As Fast As Model S Plaid Would Be ‘Ridiculous’

Why It's Important: The Roadster, produced from 2008 to 2012, was the first electric vehicle from Tesla.

It remains a key product in the company's history and potentially for its future with fans eagerly awaiting an updated model.

The company made around 2,500 Tesla Roadsters during the initial production run. Not all of them survived. Some were lost in a fire at a dealership.

Some unused Roadsters or early models have commanded top dollar when they go up for auction or are sold privately.

Given the unique nature of this model, it will be interesting to see what the final sale price is and potentially who the winning bidder is if they decide to make themselves public.

Read Next:

• Tesla CEO Elon Musk Says Upcoming Roadster ‘Not Even Really A Car’ And Would Be ‘Cooler Than The Cybertruck’