Musk jokes new perfume launch to fund Twitter purchase

SAN FRANCISCO: Elon Musk now has his own musk: the Tesla founder said he has launched a new fragrance called "Burnt Hair" and sold $1 million worth of the perfume in days.

"Please buy my perfume, so I can buy Twitter," he wrote on the platform Wednesday.

Musk is expected to complete a $44-billion takeover of Twitter by the end of the month. If he fails to do so, a trial for a breach-of-contract suit in the on-again-off-again deal will take place in November.

The SpaceX founder said Wednesday night he had already sold 20,000 bottles of the scent.

"With a name like mine, getting into the fragrance business was inevitable — why did I even fight it for so long!?" he joked on Twitter.

The world's-richest man's Twitter bio now describes him as a "Perfume Salesman" and a link to the product's sale page via the website for his startup The Boring Company is included as a pinned tweet.

The ad for the perfume shows a ruby red bottle with the name engraved on the front in script.

The tagline reads, "The Essence of Repugnant Desire." Each bottle retails for $100.

Musk is no stranger to his jokes going viral online thanks to his legions of fans. The billionaire has marketed many unusual products in the past that make reference to his sense of humour.