Tesla Motors on Monday denied rumors the company was preparing to delay the production and delivery of its sexy all-electric sports car.

A spokesperson said Tesla's much anticipated two-seat Roadster was still expected to hit the streets this fall, despite an executive shuffle that had some bloggers suggesting the company had run into production problems that might delay the delivery of the car.

Tesla co-founder and CEO Martin Eberhard stepped down from the helm of the San Carlos, California-based startup, and was replaced by Michael Marks, an early investor in the company and a former CEO of manufacturing firm Flextronics. Mr. Marks will serve as interim CEO until the company can find a permanent replacement

Auto blog site Jalopnik.com on Saturday posted a letter sent by Mr. Eberhard on Saturday to customers informing them of the role change and updating them on the status of one of the world’s most anticipated cars.

Mr. Eberhard said the Roadster is currently undergoing crash- and durability-testing and Tesla still plans to start production by the end of September and to deliver the first cars this fall – according to revised goals reportedly announced in December.

“We’re in the final 5% now and the end is in sight,” he wrote. But he also cautioned customers that “there is always the chance that something unpredictable occurs causing us not to pass this time, in which case we would incur a delay to address the issues.”

That caveat is nothing new, according to Darryl Siry, Tesla’s VP of sales, marketing, and service. “Until you actually crash the cars and then get the check that you have passed, you can’t say, ‘We’re done. We’re ready for production.” Ten Roadsters are being tested, he said.

Tesla’s waiting list now includes more than 600 customers, who have shelled out one-third to one-half of the Roadster’s $98,000 asking price in advance. That puts the company in the odd position of keeping customer’s informed about the car’s progress.

“I can tell you absolutely there’s nothing that we know of today that I’m not disclosing to you that’s going to cause a delay," Mr. Siry said. We’re not holding any information back.”

Mr. Eberhard will move into the position of President of Technology, not to be confused with that of CTO, which is held by J.B. Straubel. The replacement has been in the works since the beginning of the year, according to Mr. Siry, who said the company is searching for “someone who can lead the company to where it needs to be: a multi-billion-dollar company.”

“It’s quite typical and normal that the person who’s the founder and the visionary doesn’t have the experience to run a large global corporation,” Mr. Siry said.

Prior to founding Tesla Motors in 2003 with Marc Tarpenning, Mr. Eberhard co-founded and helped run two startups, NuvoMedia and Network Computer Devices. Neither of the companies grew as large as Tesla Motors -- which now has 250 employees -- before he left or sold them, Mr. Siry said.