Kenny Schachter on Art, Cars, and the Electric Mercedes G Wagon

Kenny Schachter's Multifaceted Passions

• 🎨 Kenny Schachter is an artist, writer, lecturer, and investigative journalist for the art world, viewing contemporary art as a reflection of societal, political, economic, and technological times.
• 📰 He finds inspiration for his work in news, particularly valuing Bloomberg's objective reporting for its unbiased market and world insights.
• 🚗 Schachter's journey into art was facilitated by his early passion for cars and their industrial design, seeing a non-hierarchical connection between art, aesthetics, and well-crafted objects.

The Electric Mercedes G Wagon: A Surprising Endorsement

• ⚡ Matt Miller, initially skeptical of EVs, expresses shock at his newfound appreciation for the electric Mercedes-Benz G580, finding it superior to its gas-powered predecessor.
• 🏔️ The G580 is praised for maintaining the G Wagon's iconic design and robust feel while offering impressive performance, with nearly 600 horsepower and 859 lb-ft of torque.
• 🏡 For those who can afford it, the electric G Wagon is considered the 'right tool' and a perfect fit for urban and suburban use, offering a refined, quiet, and powerful driving experience.

Art Collecting and Market Dynamics

• 🖼️ Schachter views collecting cars similarly to art, emphasizing provenance and documentation as crucial elements that tell a vehicle's narrative story.
• 💰 He notes that both the art and classic car markets, while significant, operate with a zero-sum mentality due to limited opportunities and high demand.
• 🤫 The art world, like crypto, can be characterized by secrecy and opacity, contrasting with Schachter's advocacy for transparency in his own work and in financial markets.

The Evolution of Automotive Culture

• 🚗 Schachter laments the potential loss of the visceral, hands-on relationship younger generations have with cars, citing the rise of car services and a decreased interest in manual transmissions.
• 💡 He highlights the Porsche 2.7 RS lightweight as an iconic masterpiece, ticking boxes for speed, rawness, and understated design, making it an everyday supercar.
• 🔋 Schachter expresses a strong dislike for electric cars, citing concerns about battery production, plastics, and battery lifespan, advocating for the preservation of existing vehicles to benefit the planet.