Unfortunately traditionally rocket design and car design fields were not sexy enough. This is the first time a PR savvy guy has invested so much into either companies and he is spending good money to promote himself as some kind of demi God.

I am from India and I know how this works in India too. A lot of government officials who are in charge of our space programs, defense programs become "rocket scientists" or get a mention next to "Tesla and Newton" in school textbooks as great scientists while in reality their role was merely administrative.

This is not to say they are ordinary and deserve no credit but it depends on how they project themselves on people's mind.