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Table of Contents

Someone just spent $236,000,000 on a painting. Here’s why it matters for your wallet.

Late last year, a Klimt sold for the highest price ever paid for modern art at auction.

An outlier sure, but it wasn't a fluke. U.S. auction sales grew 23.1% in 2025. The $1-5mm segment even grew 40.8% YoY.

Meanwhile, Apollo’s chief economist Torsten Slok said to expect ‘zero in return in the S&P 500 over the coming decade.’

Each environment is unique, but after dot-com, post war and contemporary art grew about 24% annually for a decade. After 2008, about 11% for 12 years.

It’s also had near-zero correlation with the S&P 500 since ‘95.*

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*Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.

Does the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado Really Need Over 60” of Screens?

By: Sergiu Tudose

I’m not the first to bring this up, but I will be the first to “zag” on this issue, because I think asking whether a rugged pickup truck needs triple screens, a rear camera mirror and a head-up display, might actually be the wrong question.

So, what is the right question? Well, I’d start with trying to figure out when exactly the timeline we’re currently on got damaged. I’d like to go back to that exact point in time, Back to the Future-style, and stop whatever happened from happening. I fear it may have been Elon deciding to fit the original Model S with that massive portrait-mode infotainment screen.

There wasn’t anything like it in the industry at that time in the early 2010s and coupled with the Model S’ success in terms of sales, everyone else started using the same playbook – give the buyer a massive screen so that he or she feels as though they’re in a futuristic car. It’s as simple/silly as that.

In all seriousness now, I drove enough modern vehicles to realize that having a large screen isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It means the camera system is better, sat-nav is better, and your towing interface is better, since we’re talking about pickup trucks. Issues only arise when there aren’t enough physical buttons left for basic functions, or when the displays themselves end up tying the hands of interior designers looking to create a dynamic and/or sporty cabin.

Here’s my “zag”: I don’t think Chevy dropped the ball with the 2027 Silverado in any way.

This latest design combines a large 12.2” digital instrument cluster, an even larger 16.3” center display, an 11.5” front passenger display (on ZR2 and High Country specs), a head-up display, and a rear camera mirror. In total, you’re getting over 60” of digital displays, according to the carmaker.

But you still get physical buttons and dials for the climate control system, and buttons for the off-road modes/all-wheel drive setup. That’s basically all you need to fiddle with. Everything else is just fine if left for the infotainment screen.

We need to remember that the modern full-size pickup truck has undergone a pretty peculiar transformation. It used to be a rugged tool, a workhorse, and nothing else. Then it sort of became a pseudo-luxury vehicle with a truck bed, and today, many occupy a space somewhere between a premium SUV and an off-roader.

Also, the average Silverado buyer isn’t hauling lumber every day of the week. Many are simply commuting to work, taking road trips, towing their boats on weekends, things of that nature. I would even argue that for a modern-day pickup truck to succeed, it needs a massive central screen to manage all the towing settings, the trailer brake controller, multiple camera views, sat-nav, terrain modes, plus all the connectivity features that didn’t even exist a decade ago.

You can’t cram all that information onto a 7” display and call it a day, regardless of how much you hate touchscreens.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

Why was Polestar banned in the US and Volvo was not?

By: Cristian Agatie

On Thursday, the US car market was shocked when Polestar announced that it would soon exit the US market. The Chinese-owned Swedish carmaker announced that it couldn't secure an agreement with the US government to continue sales of its vehicles in the US. The Connected Vehicle Rule, introduced in 2025 under the Biden Administration, effectively bans Polestar from selling cars in the US starting with the 2027 model year.

The Connected Vehicle Rule goes further than just preventing sales of Chinese cars in the US. It also bans Chinese software in vehicles sold in the US starting with the 2027 model year, as well as Chinese hardware from model year 2029. Although the rule was passed during Biden's presidency, it produced effects during Trump's term, and the current administration did not want to change it.

More recently, carmakers started negotiating exemptions with the US Commerce Department. Not only foreign carmakers were affected, but also American companies, including GM and Ford. There is little information about the companies that tried to sign an agreement. Still, we know these companies include Volvo, Polestar, Ford, and GM.

Volvo announced in May that it won US approval to keep importing and selling connected vehicles. Volvo din did not offer more details of the deal except that it held "constructive discussions" with the Commerce Department and other US officials. These covered the company's governance, technology, and data security.

On the other hand, Polestar was not granted the same approval. The carmaker announced on Thursday that it would stop selling cars in the US from the 2027 model year. Many asked why Polestar was treated differently from Volvo, especially as the Polestar 3 is similar to the Volvo EX90 and built on the same production line in the US.

While we don't know all the aspects of the negotiations, we know that the Polestar 3 and Volvo EX90 are more different than they appear. Specifically, Volvo uses European data infrastructure for its connected vehicles, including the EX90. Meanwhile, Polestar relies on Geely's servers in China, which puts it on the line under the Connected Vehicle Rule.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

Ferrari, BMW, and Mercedes-AMG, Take a Look at the Brand-New Audi A6 Allroad! That’s How You Do It!

By: Aurel Niculescu

Audi has slowly but steadily brought to life a string of cool vehicles over the past few weeks: the 987-hp Nuvolari plug-in hybrid supercar, the muscular all-new Q7 mid-size crossover SUV, and now also the latest A6 Allroad, a station wagon with an enhanced ride height that basically makes some crossovers useless.

This year, the switch from the spring to the summer automotive season was met with heartbreak: Mercedes-AMG presented the GT 4-Door Coupe as a new kind of EV with up to 1,153 horsepower on tap, but also with a design that frankly didn’t inspire anyone to run to the bank and check the account to see if they can place an order. The front is too Xiaomi-like, and the rear is mostly indescribable, at least as far as I am concerned.

Then another lightning struck: Ferrari revealed the Luce, their first all-electric model they once swore they would never make. I didn’t have high hopes for this new EV sedan because I don’t like the involvement of Sir Jony Ive, the man who penned the iPhone and who left the company years ago. Not that Apple makes nice iPhones now, frankly.

But the Ferrari Luce is a big miss for the Maranello-based carmaker, and it has become the subject of countless memes in an instant. People love to despise it, even though it has a sane technical background with four motors and up to 1,035 horsepower on tap. Alas, once you see it with a mouse wire in a CGI meme, it’s impossible to unsee the Apple Mouse nickname.

To me, Mercedes-AMG and Ferrari were on top not long ago, as I even like the Amalfi and F80’s fresh styling. They easily beat BMW’s Neue Klasse design style – though not anymore. Now, I would gladly take home a BMW i3 Neue Klasse instead of a Luce and use the remaining money to buy a house, a boat, and some vacations away from the friends who laugh at the sight of my Neue Klasse EV.

So, it came as a surprise that Audi, which I consider to be one of the most boring premium automakers out there, even more so than Lexus, quietly taught everyone a masterclass in design and good technology use. They did it first with the Nuvolari, which isn’t perfect – but it’s a plug-in hybrid with a roaring V8 and 987 hp or 1,001 ps, the same figure as the original Bugatti Veyron!

It’s also decent-looking both inside and outside, which can’t be said about the AMG or Ferrari EVs. Then they doubled up with the all-new Q7, which is quirky in a good way: it has split headlights but also a muscular body thanks to the bulging fender flares, making it instantly recognizable but also very easy to set apart from the rest of the lineup or the previous iterations.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

The Slate Truck Is Unlikely to Turn Around the Stale Electric Pickup Truck Market. Here’s Why

By: Cristian Agatie

As Slate Auto debuted pre-orders of its first EVs, the appeal of a cheap-as-chips electric pickup with no bells and whistles of a modern vehicle has worn off significantly. The Slate Truck is still under $25,000 in a market where cars cost double that on average. But that price risks putting the company under water without attracting hordes of customers as Slate hoped.

In April 2025, the world saw for the first time a two-seater truck that turned out to be Slate Auto's affordable electric pickup truck. The EV startup would emerge out of stealth a couple of weeks later, revealing details about what would be an "under $20,000" electric pickup. At the time, nobody believed the marketing hype, and Slate clarified that the estimate included the $7,500 federal tax credit.

That incentive was taken off the table in September 2025, when the current administration introduced the famous Big Beautiful Bill. Slate Auto wasn't discouraged and updated the price to read "mid-twenties." To its credit, the startup kept its promise and recently started pre-orders of the Slate Truck and Slate SUV at $24,950 and $29,950, respectively.

However, what it offers for this money is more important than the price. The dream of an affordable electric pickup might not have existed to begin with. Tesla discovered this the hard way, despite having the most faithful followers in the industry. Others fared no better, and the Slate Auto doesn't seem to have what it takes to convince buyers. Here are its promises and its shortcomings.

Strike number one: utility

The Slate Truck has no screens, no power windows, and no radio, and it's a two-seater vehicle. As someone put it, the Slate Truck is a glorified golf cart with doors and a windshield. Its range is rather limited, at only 205 miles, and that only in ideal conditions. Try towing or hauling heavy stuff, not to mention in adverse weather, and you would be happy to reach 100 miles.

Experience has shown that truck people don't buy electric pickups. Even trucks with 300+ miles of range have failed to attract customers because range halves when towing. That's not the only reason, though, as truck people are also among the most reluctant to consider an electric vehicle, no matter the specs. But one that lacks in almost every way? I very much doubt that.

Let's take the second card Slate Auto plays: the possibility of turning the truck into an SUV with just an add-on structure. If you buy it upfront as an SUV, this will add $5,000 to the configuration. We still don't know how much it will cost to add it later or to have it installed by a professional. And even then, it will turn the Slate into a two-door SUV. The market has spoken long ago against such configurations. They are still available, like the Wrangler, but not very popular.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

Spy shots and renderings of the week

By: Mircea Panait

Mercedes-AMG will soon give performance-minded customers a reason to rejoice, that reason being the first-ever CLE with V8 power. Not to be confused with the CLE 63-based Mythos limited edition, the standard model has been spied with its hood up, revealing a flat-plane crankshaft V8 that is certain to shame the smaller I6 engine of the outgoing BMW M4.

Initially planned with a 2.0-liter turbo I4 plug-in hybrid powertrain, the more desirable engine breathes through a Panamericana grille that is flanked by slimmer headlights with star-motif daytime running lights. The muscular fenders accommodate staggered performance tires, while its rear end features rhomboid exhaust finishers instead of round tips for the CLE 53.

These updates will be complemented by a tech-forward interior with a selection of physical controls, including proper buttons on the steering wheel. As it stands, the CLE 63 is positioned favorably against its key German rivals. Beyond the M4, the RS 5 doesn't even count because Audi doesn't offer coupe or convertible options for its V6-powered thriller.

While Mercedes keeps the V8 alive while also giving it a flat-plane twist, the Volkswagen Group continues to prepare for the post-ICE automotive landscape. British subsidiary Bentley will soon follow in the footsteps of Porsche with an ultra-luxurious take on the Cayenne Coupe Electric, namely a sport utility vehicle that may be called either Mayon or Barnato.

Visually distinct from the Porker due to its upright face and more elegant backside, the electric high-rider is smaller than the Bentayga and a lot smarter due to its Premium Platform Electric underpinnings. But in stark contrast to the Cayenne Coupe Electric, the Bentley will be made in Crewe because this fellow requires a fair bit of handcrafting and hand assembly.

Utilizing an 800-volt electrical architecture, the yet-unnamed electric SUV promises to add 100 miles (161 kilometers) of driving range in less than 7 minutes when charged at its maximum potential. In addition to the Cayenne Turbo Coupe Electric's flowing infotainment display, Bentley may also give us a dual-motor setup with 1,139 mechanical horsepower at its disposal.

In the world of speculative renderings, two caught our attention this week, beginning with Nikita Chuyko's vision of the upcoming Chrysler Airflow crossover. This nameplate originally returned to the public eye for a 2022 concept, which Chrysler originally intended to bring to market with little in the way of stylistic updates. However, that plan went out the window.

Rendered using official teasers, the Airflow credited to Chuyko stands out with an intricate front lighting configuration that works nicely with the similarly angular sheet-metal sculpting on the sides. The rear is overly minimalist and retrofuturistic, though I suppose that Chrysler's design team could have produced a more cohesive aesthetic overall. In this form, it appears to be a combination of two vehicles rather than a unified design.

Sitting on a highly modular architecture that supports traditional ICE solutions, the Airflow represents the first wave of a broader sport utility vehicle expansion from the ailing minivan brand. With a projected starting price hovering around the $40,000 mark, it should be commercially successful as well, but only as long as the powertrain options are right.

The 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 SS RCSB from 'jlord8' does not preview a series-production street brawler. Instead, the visual artist whose real name is Jim is daydreaming about General Motors taking on the Ram truck brand's new line of Ruble Bee performance half-ton pickups and the Ford F-150 Lobo. Instead of SuperCrew or Quad Cab, the rendered truck flaunts a period-correct regular cab with a short bed for good measure.

Although the largest of the Detroit Big Three can make a regular cab with a short bed, General Motors isn't gonna due to little demand for this configuration. The biggest question mark, however, concerns what may be hiding under the hood because all gen-six V8 engines launched through June 2026 are naturally aspirated units instead of supercharged rascals.

A Roots-type supercharger is possible, though, as these lumps all feature dual injection and General Motors already produced a dual-injection supercharged V8 for the 2019 Corvette in ZR1 flavor. On the right octane, its LT5 engine generates a colossal 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet (969 Newton-meters) of twist, making it punchier than the LT4 mill of the half-ton pickup truck-based Cadillac Escalade-V sport utility vehicle.

GTA 6 Fever (Part I)

By: Bogdan Popa

What a week this has been for Grand Theft Auto fans! It all started with a price leak that many people didn’t agree with, and continued with the actual prices announced by Rockstar itself. GTA 6 will start at $79.99 for the standard version, but the disappointing news concerns collectors.

Rockstar won’t release a physical disc version of GTA 6, so the game will only be available as a digital download. A physical version might eventually land, possibly in December, according to people familiar with the matter.

Meanwhile, more Easter Eggs have been discovered in Rockstar’s announcement. For example, the 1955 Ford Crown Victoria is making its way to GTA 6, along with other goodies, such as special clothes for Lucia.

Not everybody is that excited about GTA 6, especially considering a multiplayer mode won’t be offered, but Take-Two still expects record sales.

Otherwise, the Kia Boys are still doing their thing, and a bunch of smugglers created a fake Google Maps car that was easily spotted by border police.

 

 

Congratulations for reaching the finish line!

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