Mr. Musk, please take my money. (Photo via flickr.com/jurvetson)

Today is the opening of the Detroit Auto Show, and so automotive execs are making the rounds talking up their companies' latest and greatest models. Among them, according to Reuters: Tesla founder Elon Musk, who came bearing promises of profitability--or at least assurances that his firm is working on it.

Reuters reports:

"Now, the tough thing for Tesla is to actually make a profit for the first time," Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Sunday, while accepting an award in Detroit. "That's, I think, when you start being a real company."

Those are bold words from the man who's currently attempting to juggle risky ventures in aerospace, electric cars and solar power.

Whatever the answer, Mr. Musk was also cheerful about the company's prospects for righting the balance sheet in late 2013. "I'm hoping we'll have a profitable quarter this year," adding "Shame on us if we can't achieve that.

Careful not to run around letting your mouth write checks you can't cash, Mr. Musk! But at least he chose an SEC-approved mode for distributing the information this time.