Tesla sales have plunged in Germany over the past two months as its owner, Elon Musk, has become increasingly controversial

Musk's father, a well-known South African politician and businessman, has now responded to the attack while appearing on Arab news network, Al Arabiya, where he gave a rather unique response to the situation and said his son made the gesture to show 'he meant no harm'.

The advert displays an edited black-and-white image of Musk performing a Nazi salute, with the tagline, “Goes From 0 to 1939 In 3 Seconds.” The ad also rebrands Tesla as “The Swasticar,” a clear play on the controversial gesture and its historical association.