1987 Jeep Wrangler on 2040-cars

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Anton Yelchin's family suing FCA over the actor's death

UPDATE: Anton Yelchin received a recall notification for his Grand Cherokee a week after his death, family attorney Gary Dordick told Variety at a press conference. Dordick called FCA's recall "way too little and way too late." The family of actor Anton Yelchin is suing FCA for negligence and product liability, according to Automotive News. Yelchin was killed in June when his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled away, pinning him against a brick pillar and a gate. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, along with 1.1 million other FCA products, is currently under recall for a poorly designed shifter that may lead drivers to believe the car is in park when it isn't. Vehicles affected by the recall are at risk of rolling away. The recall was issued two months before Yelchin's death on June 19. It's believed that this is the first wrongful death lawsuit related to the recall. Although the shifter recall is linked to hundreds of injuries, Yelchin's death is currently the only fatality. There is a class-action lawsuit currently being filed against the automaker. FCA, in a statement to Automotive News, declined to comment and said it had not been served with a lawsuit. The automaker continues to urge drivers to follow the instructions in their owner's manual and become familiar with the instructions that were included with the recall notice. Related Video:

Autoblog Podcast #523 | BMWs, Trackhawk and Mazda's new engine technology

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. We discuss a couple of BMWs, the upcoming BMW X7 three-row SUV and our short-term BMW M760i with a turbocharged, 600-horsepower V12. We also cover the week's news, including Mazda's nifty engine technology it will roll out in the next few years, as well as pricing on the new Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast@autoblog.com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And if you have other questions or comments, please send those too. Autoblog Podcast #523The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Topics and stories we mention Rundown BMW X7 Spy Shots Volkswagen Passat GT Mazda's future engine technology Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Pricing BMW M760i driving Ram 2500 driving Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes

Why the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk really exists

"But really, what do we do for Jeep? We listen to our customers, that's our job. We give them what they want. So the reason why is, they ask. Lots of them asked." – Darryl Smith "Why not?" It's a simple-enough explanation and one that should resonate with any car lover who views the absurd and the gloriously pointless as fundamental principles of their passion. And putting a ridiculously powerful engine into a vehicle that would normally not have one is perhaps the pinnacle of that. It's the reason that so many of us view a Mercedes-AMG E63 wagon as far cooler than an SLS AMG with roughly the same engine. With that in mind that we sat down with two of the men responsible for the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, the latest entry into the absurd and gloriously pointless segment. We wanted to find out from Darryl Smith, director for SRT engineering, and Paul Mackiewicz, vehicle development manager, if there were actual market-based reasons for the Trackhawk's creation. Effectively, why'd they actually do it? "Why not?" Smith immediately offered during an interview at the New York Auto Show, clearly possessing a similar mindset. "But really, what do we do for Jeep? We listen to our customers, that's our job. We give them what they want. So the reason why is, they ask. Lots of them asked." View 24 Photos If "lots" of people are asking for a 707-horsepower, 645-pound-feet, off-road-capable, luxury-lined, five-person SUV, then perhaps we shouldn't be too worried about the demise of the human-driven automobile after all. "There is a very defined customer base out there that want a sport SUV," Mackiewicz said. "They want a sports car with the capabilities of having an SUV, of being able to tow, of being able to drive their sports car all year round. And that's what this car enables. It is ultimate performance, all year round, in any condition." If BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and even Maserati can produce high-performance SUVs, doesn't it seem fitting that the father of all SUV brands should top them all under the hood? Of course, expanding the 6.2-liter Hellcat engine beyond the Challenger and Charger is clearly a smart business case in the current SUV-obsessed marketplace. FCA had a lust-worthy engine, and it had a solid performance base in the existing Grand Cherokee SRT, so it can be argued that marrying the two made sense and that it could be done with minimal fuss — even if in practical terms, it's absurd.