Company melts $58,000 Teslas into busts of Elon Musk that look nothing like him – Business Insider

A Russia-based luxury accessory company is selling eight-inch-tall busts of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, which it says are made from the melted-down parts of a Tesla electric car.

The sculptures, though, bear little resemblance to the world's richest man.

The brand, Caviar, usually makes luxury smartphones. In a press release, the company said it made 27 Musk busts as part of a limited-edition set. Each one is worth $2,700, said Caviar, though its website lists the bust at $3,220.

"These new items embody the soul of Elon Musk and, therefore, they will bring their owners the success and creativity of this outstanding individual," wrote company founder Sergey Kitov in the release.

The bust material comes from the metal of a blue Tesla Model 3 (which has a starting price in Russia of around $58,000), Head of Marketing Dmitrey Stoliarov told Insider.

Stoliarov said the sculpture's likeness of Musk was crafted by a 3D artist hired by Caviar. "We didn't download it from the internet," he said.

When asked about the discrepancies between the bust design and Musk's appearance, Stoliarov said: "Our artist did not pursue the goal of creating photographic accuracy. He created an image of the inventor in which all his achievements and inventions are reflected."

As to how many busts have been sold so far, Stoliarov said sales had just started.

The company is also selling iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Max designs made from Tesla parts, starting at $5,600 a piece, it said. The designs feature a portrait of Musk on the top right corner, with an engraving made from the copper of a Tesla battery.

Only 99 such phones will be available worldwide, Caviar said.

The phone designs and statues are part of its Visionaries collection, which also include (more recognizable) busts of Alibaba founder Jack Ma and the late Apple magnate Steve Jobs, selling at $1,990 and $1,680 respectively. These busts are made of nickel-plated brass.

"We want our customers to look at the desktop bust of Elon Musk or Steve Jobs and their customized iPhone and be inspired by their example every day and build their own future," Stoliarov said.

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Company melts $58,000 Teslas into busts of Elon Musk that look nothing like him - Business Insider