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$40M award for boy's death in Jeep fire upheld by Georgia high court

The Georgia Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously upheld a $40 million award to the family of a 4-year-old boy killed in 2012 when the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee in which he was riding was rear-ended and burst into flames. A lower court in 2015 reduced a jury verdict from nearly $150 million to $40 million. Fiat Chrysler spokesman Michael Palese said the company was "disappointed in this decision. We are considering our legal options." The Jeep's fuel tank was placed near the back of the vehicle, which plaintiffs said made it vulnerable to rear-end collisions. The Supreme Court ruling said "evidence showed that Chrysler had long known that mounting a gas tank behind the rear axle was dangerous. Evidence also showed that Chrysler's placement of the gas tank behind the rear axle was contrary to industry trends, which favored placing tanks in front of the rear axle." Fiat Chrysler lawyers said during the trial that the fire did not cause Walden's death and blamed the driver of the pickup truck that hit the vehicle. The company said Thursday it "continues to extend sympathies to the family of Remi Walden for their loss." On appeal, the company contended it was prejudicial to raise Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne's compensation, which totaled more than $68 million, according to a company executive who testified at trial. The automaker had denied there was a safety issue and has said the vehicles were no more dangerous than comparable SUVs built at the time. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) linked more than 50 deaths to the Jeep fuel-tank issue. Under government pressure, Fiat Chrysler recalled 1.56 million 2002-07 Jeep Liberty and 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs in June 2013 to address fire risks and agreed to install trailer hitches to protect the gas tanks. The recall and a "customer satisfaction campaign" that covered the Jeep in the fatal Georgia crash occurred after Marchionne held private talks with senior U.S. Transportation Department officials in 2013. The Georgia Supreme Court opinion said the award was proper in part because Marchionne was "alleged to have specifically interjected himself in a federal safety investigation to the detriment" of the Walden family. In 2015, NHTSA announced Fiat Chrysler would pay a then-record $105 million civil penalty over lapses in safety recalls involving millions of vehicles, including older Jeep SUVs for fire risks. Reporting by David ShepardsonRelated Video:

Fiat Chrysler to pay $800M in Jeep, Ram emissions cheating case

WASHINGTON — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV has agreed to a settlement worth about $800 million to resolve claims from the U.S. Justice Department and state of California that it used illegal software that produced false results on diesel-emissions tests, but still faces an ongoing criminal probe. The hefty penalty is the latest fallout from the U.S. government's stepped-up enforcement of vehicle emissions rules after Volkswagen AG admitted in September 2015 to intentionally evading emissions rules. The Fiat Chrysler settlement includes $311 million in total civil penalties to U.S. and California regulators, up to $280 million to resolve claims from diesel owners, and extended warranties worth $105 million. It covers 104,000 Fiat Chrysler 2014-16 Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee diesels, the Justice Department said. Regulators said Fiat Chrysler used "defeat devices" to cheat emissions tests in real-world driving. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement that "the settlements do not change the Company's position that it did not engage in any deliberate scheme to install defeat devices to cheat emissions tests." The company did not admit liability. "You wouldn't pay $311 million total dollars to the federal government in civil penalties if there were not a serious problem," U.S. assistant attorney general Jeff Clark told a news conference. The settlement also includes $72.5 million for state civil penalties, and $33.5 million in payments to California to offset excess emissions and consumer claims. German auto supplier Robert Bosch GmbH, which provided the emissions control software for the vehicles, also agreed to pay $27.5 million to resolve claims from diesel owners. Owners will receive an average of $2,800 to obtain software updates as part of the emissions recall, Fiat Chrysler said. Elizabeth Cabraser, a lawyer for the owners, said the "substantial cash compensation" will ensure that consumers get the recall fix. Bosch, which also provided diesel emissions software to Volkswagen, also agreed to pay $103.5 million to settle claims with 47 U.S. states that said the supplier "enabled" the cheating and should have known its customers would use the software improperly, the New York Attorney General's Office said.

Jeep Renegade gets new duds courtesy of Mopar

In a uncommon move, Jeep has found itself with customized versions of a car we've become quite familiar seeing on auto show floors well before it's actual on-sale date. But that's okay – we're pretty fond of the little Renegade, and we're even more keen to get behind the wheel, something that's scheduled to take place in just a few weeks. The two Renegade models you see here have been blessed with bits and pieces from the Mopar parts catalog. These Jeep Performance Parts and Authentic Accessories will be made available to buyers of the Renegade who want to add some factory-backed custom flair to their rough-and-tumble baby crossovers, whether they plan to stay on the asphalt or head off the beaten path. Starting on the street, the Urban Jeep Renegade doesn't really have any major modifications, its factory-spec bike carrier, mirror caps, grille rings, taillamp surrounds and roof rails in Omaha Orange paint over an Anvil-color base serving more to make it stand out from the crowd than actually offer any additional capability. The interior of the Urban Renegade also gets Omaha Orange highlights to go along with Katzkin leather seats. On the dirtier side of the crossover equation, the Commando Green off-road Mopar-modded Renegade gets concept skid plate, prototype rock rails, rear valance and production roof rails provide some added protection and carrying capabilities. X-shaped graphics mimic the jerry can-style motif of the Renegade's tail lamps. Inside, Commando Green bits again join Katzkin leather. Take a good look at all the images above, and feel free to read more about the Mopar-spec Jeep Renegade models below. Mopar to Showcase Trio of Customized Vehicles at NAIAS 2015 - Mopar display at 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit to spotlight how Mopar parts help customers personalize their rides - Off-road Mopar-equipped Jeep® Renegade makes Trailhawk model of Jeep brand's all-new small SUV even more trail tough using Jeep Performance Parts - Urban Mopar-equipped Jeep Renegade enhances city-sized proportions and versatility of the all-new 2015 Renegade with selections from Jeep Authentic Accessories catalog - Dodge Challenger T/A Concept blends vintage design cues with cutting-edge Mopar performance mods January 9, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich.