We’ve been covering the tale of the abandoned Tesla Roadsters for months, and after delays from weather, customs agencies, and other bottlenecks, they are finally here in the U.S. and in the hands of Gruber Motor Company, who handled the bidding war for the three original Roadster units.

Tesla Roadster trio found in shipping containers accumulates massive bids

According to Pete Gruber, CEO of Gruber Motor Company, these units arrived in the United States earlier this week and are already being examined by him and his team of engineers. He said on the company’s website:

“THEY ARE HERE, unloaded 3 sea containers from China with a 45-ton crane.  Next week, the Roadsters will be carefully removed, connected to laptops, diagnostics run, odometer readings recorded, and analyzed for main battery condition after 13 years of slumber. Stay tuned!”

The Roadsters are in impeccable condition, as they have been sitting inside shipping crates in China for the last 13 years.

Credit: Pete Gruber

Gruber explains the condition of the vehicles currently, including this one, which is VIN 1107:

“Despite some PPF hiccups, it seems like the clear coat is still good! Tires from 2010, squeaky clean trunk latches, and a glimpse of aging PPF above the letters.”

There is some evidence of rodent mischief, as Gruber calls it, as some electrical wiring is slightly damaged due to being chewed up by mice and rats that made their way into the shipping containers during the 13 years these units sat.

Credit: Pete Gruber | Facebook

The Roadsters were put into an auction that Gruber Motor Company was in control of, and currently, the top bid is still $2 million for the three units. However, that bidder was not able to find insurance coverage on the three vehicles, and he told Teslarati last month that there were some issues with finding coverage for the cars as parts were not available, and the owner planned to lease the units.

Although he didn’t agree with the idea, he said that he believes the auction for the three cars will reignite in the coming months as they are going to attract more lucrative buyers. Now that they’re in the U.S. and people can come to see them, there may be plenty of bids well north of $2 million.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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The three Roadsters that were purchased by a Chinese OEM over a decade ago for Research and Development purposes sat stagnated in shipping crates as the company went bankrupt. Earlier this year, they were uncovered, and Gruber was put in charge of handling a bidding war and shipping for the three cars.

They were set to arrive in Long Beach, California, on August 17. Teslarati reached out to Gruber late last week to see if the vehicles had made it safely as Hurricane Hillary landed in Southern California. Shipping was delayed due to the storm, and the vehicles currently are on a ship that is off the coast of Vietnam.

However, Gruber also said that the bidder who placed a $2 million offer for the three vehicles had backed out.

According to Gruber, the bidder had plans to put the three vehicles on the road as part of an EV leasing company out of Canada. The $2 million price tag seemed to be a reasonable deal considering the money people would pay to take a spin in Tesla’s original vehicle.

However, not everyone was supportive of the idea.

Credit: Gruber Motors

Gruber was against the idea and felt that these cars should be museum pieces as they are the first “barn find” EVs, he told me. His opinions did not influence the decision of the buyer. “As a dating service, we have to limit our advice to tech support and leave personal opinions and preferences out of the equation,” he told me.

Instead, the issue with finding an insurance carrier that would have a policy to cover three cars that are more than ten years old and deal with the lack of availability for parts for a Roadster was more of a challenge than initially thought. This made the bidder back out of their commitment.

However, the Roadsters are set to arrive in the U.S. on September 5th.

Gruber told me that after the vehicles arrive in the U.S., they are cleaned and dispositioned, his company expects the auction to pick back up and the bidding “frenzy to reignite.”

Gruber put this update up on his website as well:

“The new estimated arrival date to the Long Beach port is 9/5.

Anticipating other ships waiting to unload, we have not yet been advised what, if any, delays will be encountered with ships ahead of ours waiting to unload (remember Covid days and ships in the queue waiting to unload).

We will keep updating this thread as new details emerge.
The sellers are again accepting bids.  The cars will be fully dispositioned soon at GMC with full tech analysis, many more images, and a complete inventory, allowing bidders to make more informed decisions.”

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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For the past few months, we have been covering the developments regarding the three original Tesla Roadsters that were found in shipping containers.

After being put up for auction in May, they were bid on by numerous people and have reached a peak bid of $2 million for all three units.

However, the auction is now listed as “indefinite,” so bids are still being accepted.

The vehicles were purchased years ago by a now-defunct car company in China, which intended to use them for R&D purposes. The cars have sat in a container for a decade untouched, and Gruber was picked as the company to be held responsible for the auction.

Recently, Gruber issued several updates regarding the fate of the Roadsters, and it has been revealed they were removed from their respective shipping containers and sealed in new sea containers by customs.

New pictures of the Roadsters were taken as the vehicles made their way to the new boxes they would be placed in for transport to the U.S.:

Credit: Gruber Motors

Credit: Gruber Motors

Credit: Gruber Motors

Today, on July 18, Gruber issued a new update regarding the trio of Tesla Roadsters, stating the three vehicles are en route and are expected to arrive in the United States on August 17:

“Here are the latest developments:

Containers are on the Ocean going ship now headed towards the USA.

The estimated arrival date to the Long Beach port is 8/17.

Arrangements have been made with a customs broker to clear them.  They advised that the process shouldn’t take long, maybe 2 days unless customs decides to put a random hold and request a physical inspection.

They advised that they rarely do that, but in the event that an inspection is requested, the process should add about a week or so. We will post updates.”

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla’s OG Roadster was the first vehicle the company created, and for years, it has been a highly-sought after car model that historians and collectors have wanted in their repertoire. Many of the units that are still available for purchase are in great condition but have miles on them.

In May, Gruber Motors became aware of a trio of three Roadsters that were left in an abandoned container in China. The odometers are extremely low but it was not known what condition the battery packs were in. After years of stagnation, it is believed they are more than likely beyond operational function, but it is still not known.

Details about the vehicles have come forward, and it was revealed the three vehicles were purchased by a now-defunct automaker in China, which intended to use them for Research and Development purposes. The business ran out of money and closed, and the cars have sat in this container for the past decade.

Bidding is being handled by Gruber Motors, and the most recent bid for the trio of Roadsters is $2 million. Bidding was set to end on June 2nd, but now, it is being extended for the second time, with no end date in sight.

Tesla Roadster trio in China swells to $2M ahead of potential auction closure

Bidding is being extended “indefinitely,” Gruber writes, as it plans to transfer the cars to Dubai so bidders can look at the vehicles without red tape:

“Many thanks to all the bidders.  Due to the recent preparations for moving the cars to Dubai, which will allow immediate bidder viewing without red tape and permits, all of which will take about 2-3 weeks with transport, and loading/unloading, we are extending the bid closure date to indefinite at this time.

We are continuing to accept bids at this time, and if the cars have not sold before arriving in Dubai, we will post if and when the cars are available for viewing at the free zone in Dubai.”

Bidding is set to continue for the foreseeable future, and the vehicles will continue to increase in price, and it is obvious why: these three cars are a piece of electric vehicle history and with no miles on their odometers, they are in perfect, original condition.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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The Tesla Roadsters were found in a supply container in China, and Gruber Motors has been handling bidding for the owner, which started in early May. The auction was expected to end last weekend, but due to several $1M+ bids flooding in from various potential buyers, Gruber extended the bidding.

At the time of the initial auction end date, bids had only reached $800,000, which was relatively low for three Roadsters, along with an additional unit that was taken apart and in crates.

Single units with miles on the odometer had sold for well over $1M several years ago, and these units are fresh with no miles driven. The condition of the battery packs, after being stagnant for so long, is unknown.

Bidding is set to end tonight at midnight, and the several $1M+ bids that were received in late May have been vetted, with the top bid coming in at $2M. Gruber updated the list of bids, which is as follows:

• Bid 05/02/2023 – $50K ea total $150K
• Bid 05/02/2023 – $70K Red VIN 1107
• Bid 05/02/2023 – $76K Red VIN 1107
• Bid 05/03/2023 – $60K Orange Sport VIN 1120
• Bid 05/03/2023 – $200K All three
• Bid 05/04/2023 – $225K All three
• Bid 05/05/2023 – $500K All three
• Bid 05/06/2023 – $600K All three
• Bid 05/08/2023 – $220K Red VIN 1107
• Bid 05/08/2023 – $700K All three
• Bid 05/08/2023 – $750K All three
• Bid 05/24/2023 – $800K All three
• Bid 05/30/2023 – $2M All three

The Roadsters have also been transported to new sea containers and will be shipped either directly to the buyer or to Dubai, which is a free zone, “without the constraints for viewing permits required for prospective buyers wishing to examine the Roadsters,” Gruber said.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with tips! Email us at tips@teslarati.com, or you can email me directly at joey@teslarati.com.

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We’ve written several articles regarding the trio of original Tesla Roadster vehicles that were discovered in China in an abandoned shipping container with no miles.

Bidding was expected to end on May 26, and a final bid came in on May 24 at $800,000, $50,000 higher than the previous high bid of $750,000. More details flooded in through Gruber Motors last week, including the recipient of the three vehicles, which was an R&D arm of a Chinese automaker that went bankrupt.

Gruber said:

“The original purchaser was an R&D center for a Chinese auto company, that subsequently went bankrupt, and the assumption is these were purchased for reverse engineering to be disassembled.  In 2010, the Tesla Roadster was after all a state-of-the-art EV, before the Model S even came out, and would have been of enormous value to an emerging EV company.”

There was even a fourth disassembled vehicle that was recovered in a variety of shipping crates.

Tesla Roadster Trio in China gets new high bid, and new details

Gruber Motors had extended the bidding until June 2, and it may be due to the fact that the company is still receiving bids, and they are being vetted because they are over $1 million.

According to Fox News, there are actually “several” bids over $1 million, and Pete Gruber himself confirmed this.

It was interesting that the three vehicles had only obtained a bid of $800,000 by the time the original end date had rolled around, especially considering another auction of an original Roadster with some miles driven on it had accumulated bids of nearly $1.5 million, and this was only for a single unit.

Bidding will end on June 2, as of now, and we will keep you updated with any further developments.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with tips! Email us at tips@teslarati.com, or you can email me directly at joey@teslarati.com.

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Bidding for a trio of abandoned Tesla Roadsters has been extended until June 2.

Gruber Motors was responsible for the three vehicles and the bidding, as the Tesla Roadsters were found in a shipping container in China with no miles on the odometer.

Early on, details regarding the three vehicles remain slim. However, a few days ago, Gruber found new information regarding the three OG Roadsters. They were bought by a Chinese automotive group that is now defunct and were likely headed there for research and development purposes.

Bidding for the three Roadsters started earlier this month and quickly swelled to a sum of over a half million dollars. However, the group of cars’ most recent bid was received on May 24 at $800,000.

Interestingly, there is evidence that a fourth vehicle was supposed to be included in the shipment, but it appears to be disassembled as a group or shared multiple images of Roadster parts wrapped in bubble wrap.

Credit: Gruber Motors

The sum of $800,000 for the three cars and a disassemble fourth seems relatively low. We thought the three vehicles would go for well over $1 million, especially considering the last one ever built went for roughly $1.5 million.

The OG Tesla Roadster is a crucial part of the company’s history. CEO Elon Musk detailed the vehicle years ago with Jay Leno, stating it was simply a Lotus body with an EV battery.

But the Roadster was an integral part of Tesla’s history, as it was somewhat of a fundraising campaign for future vehicle designs. Its quarter-million dollar price tag in 2008 essentially reserved it for the rich and famous, and it was bought by many celebrities.

Tesla sparred with production issues of the vehicle as it nearly bankrupt the company. However, investors put more money into the electric automaker, which kept the operation going.

Today, Tesla is the most valuable automaker on Earth, and none of it would’ve been possible without the Roadster.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with tips! Email us at tips@teslarati.com, or you can email me directly at joey@teslarati.com.

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The Tesla Roadster continues to be one of the most elusive products in Tesla’s lineup, and it seems that those people who have put the $50,000 deposit, or won it through the Referral Program years ago, will be waiting.

CEO Elon Musk said on a Twitter Spaces yesterday that the Roadster will reach production by the end of 2024, as the final design and engineering of the vehicle will be completed by the end of this year.

“We are certainly testing the patience of our reservation holders,” Musk remarked, which is a bit of an understatement considering how many times the vehicle has been delayed.

Elon Musk sets expectations for next-gen Tesla Roadster production

First unveiled in 2017, the Tesla Roadster was a surprise addition to the Semi event in November of that year. The concept of the vehicle was to truly revolutionize that of the EV and make driving a gas car “feel like a steam engine with a side of quiche,” Musk said.

Nevertheless, the car is still in development and has been for several years, and after it has been slated to begin production for several years, Tesla has always pushed it back, citing other priorities.

Most recently, the Roadster was pushed back because Tesla has a large goal for its yearly production in 2023. The vehicle is going to be extremely low volume and will not necessarily contribute to Tesla’s goal of transitioning the world to sustainable energy. However, it is something that many people would agree is definitely a cherry on top of Tesla’s other efforts to develop mass-market cars.

Tesla Roadster delayed as company focuses on ‘mass electrification’

The large production goal that Tesla has set out for this year will require the ultimate attention of the automaker to its biggest contributors, the Model 3 and Model Y. The Roadster simply does not fit into this mold.

Undeniably, the Roadster will be a huge hit when it begins production and Tesla starts deliveries. Until then, it remains an elusive and incredibly sought-after vehicle that will undoubtedly cater to those with a thirst for speed and adrenaline.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with tips! Email us at tips@teslarati.com, or you can email me directly at joey@teslarati.com.

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However, some additional details regarding the three vehicles have been uncovered by Gruber Motors, the company that is responsible for handling the bids for the ultra-rare cars.

Yesterday, a bidder topped the $750,000 high by offering $800,000 for all three vehicles that were located in storage in China. The trio of Roadsters we’re set to be delivered to a research and development center for a Chinese automotive company.

However, new details uncovered by Gruber reveal that the company went bankrupt before it could assumptively reverse engineer the three early model electric vehicles.

Abandoned Tesla Roadster Trio reaches $750k with just four bidding days left

Gruber writes:

“The original purchaser was an R&D center for a Chinese auto company, that subsequently went bankrupt, and the assumption is these were purchased for reverse engineering to be disassembled.  In 2010, the Tesla Roadster was after all a state-of-the-art EV, before the Model S even came out, and would have been of enormous value to an emerging EV company.”

As of yesterday, two crates that came with the cars have already been opened and are having their contents examined. Gruber notes that there are bubble-wrapped items within the contents of the packaging that reference a missing VIN of 1185.

The crates contained large parts such as wheels and tires, complete door assemblies, headlight assemblies, and “many other small body trim parts, not yet unwrapped.”

Credit: Gruber Motors

Credit: Gruber Motors

Additionally, the keys for the three Roadsters that are fully assembled and are located in storage were held by a manager who had passed away, and they cannot be currently located. Whoever wins the bidding war for the three Roadsters will have the keys replenished by the seller.

Shipping information seen by Gruber shows that all for Tesla VINs, including the three assembled 1107, 1120, and 1146, along with the missing 1185, we’re set to be delivered by the now-defunct Chinese automotive company.

With bidding moving toward $1 million for the trio and disassembled fourth vehicle, there is still one more day for a prospective buyer to top the $800,000 currently-winning bid.

Gruber has gained a reputation for having some of the best OG Roadsters for prospective buyers.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with tips! Email us at tips@teslarati.com, or you can email me directly at joey@teslarati.com.

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In early May, Gruber Motors reached out to Teslarati to tell us they had learned about three original Roadsters that had been sitting in untouched sea containers for the last 13 years.

Tesla Roadster trio found in shipping containers accumulates massive bids

In 2010, a buyer in China purchased the vehicles, but when they arrived, that buyer never claimed them.

In 2010, a buyer in China purchased three Tesla Roadsters. They were shipped and arrived, but they were abandoned by the buyer.

These have been sitting in sealed sea containers since. pic.twitter.com/tSwjwRQ3rA

— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) May 2, 2023

The seller of the three vehicles is going to handle the storage charges, but the fleet of Roadsters is already set to go for nearly $1 million, as a bidding war that ignited for the vehicles on May 2 has accumulated over ten bids which have put the set at $750,000.

Gruber has not listed any new bids since May 8, so there is an extreme possibility that whoever put in the $750,000 bid will end up with the vehicles.

According to images shared by Gruber, two of the cars are Very Orange, and the other in Radiant Red. They are all likely to have zero miles on their odometers, although Gruber wrote in its posting:

“We also do not know how many, if any, miles were on odometers from testing/delivery of the new Roadsters.”

Don’t hesitate to contact us with tips! Email us at tips@teslarati.com, or you can email me directly at joey@teslarati.com.

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