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CES 2021, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, and driving the Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 PHEV | Autoblog Podcast #660

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by West Coast Editor James Riswick. They talk about driving Ford's Mustang Mach-E and F-150 plug-in hybrid, as well as the Ram TRX and Genesis GV80. They recap CES 2021, as well as the enormous display screens featured in new cars at the show. They also discuss the reveal of the new three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Lastly, they reach into the mailbag to talk about vehicle comfort. Autoblog Podcast #660 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 Rundown What we're driving2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD 2021 Ford F-150 Platinum PHEV 2021 Ram 1500 TRX 2021 Genesis GV80 Other news CES 2021 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Mailbag Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Georgia judge slashes verdict to $40M in Jeep fire case

A judge in Georgia has drastically reduced the damages that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will have to pay to the family of Remington Walden, who a court said died as a result of the unsafe design of one of its vehicles. While the jury originally awarded the family $150 million at FCA's expense, Judge J. Kevin Chason cut that amount to $40 million, the Detroit News reported. The automaker may still appeal the verdict. The case dates to March 2012, when a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee in which four-year-old Walden was riding was rear-ended by another vehicle. Due to what the jury ruled was an unsafe fuel tank, a fire erupted, and Walden died in the fire. The family's lawyers successfully argued that the automaker knew there was a problem and didn't take sufficient action to address the issue, while FCA countered that its vehicles met the applicable safety standards when they were built. The jury found FCA 99 percent responsible for the fire and Walden's death, reserving the final one percent for the driver who caused the crash. The court awarded the Waldens $150 million in damages to be paid by the automaker: $120 million for wrongful death, and a further $30 million for pain and suffering. FCA, however, argued that the damages were disproportionate to the incident, noting that the $120 million was 11 times higher and the $30 million four times higher than any comparable awards upheld on appeal in the state. Chason agreed and cut the penalties extensively. The Walden family has reportedly accepted the reduced verdict. But according to the News, company spokesman Michael Palese said, "The reduction in the damage awards does not cure the many errors that tainted this verdict and denied FCA US a fair trial. We are considering our legal options." News Source: The Detroit NewsImage Credit: Jeep Government/Legal Recalls Jeep lawsuit court

Tour the Jeep Wagoneer Icon Reformer with its creator Jonathan Ward

Icon has released a plethora of amazing machines, and has more coming down the pike. One of the company's latest creations is a Jeep Wagoneer that was done as part of Icon's Reformer line, which Jonathan Ward, the head of Icon, explains is a thorough restoration and upgrade, but with a fresh restored finish. This is in contrast to the company's Derelict series that keeps the rough exterior while upgrading everything underneath. And the level of detail in the Reformer Wagoneer is amazing, as shown by this video from The Hoonigans in which Ward gives a tour of the SUV. Starting on the outside, the truck is pretty close to stock in appearance, though the color and faux wood trim were never offered on it. Badges are a mix of originals, and a few tweaked ones for use on this Jeep. For instance, the front fender badges now feature the engine displacement of the Chevy LS V8 under the hood. Also, the round Jeep badges front and rear now have the Icon lizard badge. Inside, custom upholstery was added featuring patio furniture fabric for durability and the nifty pattern. Anything that would have been plastic, such as some of the chrome trim and the gauge cluster fascia, or vinyl, such as the door panels, have been upgraded to genuine metal or leather components. Icon even re-created a casting for the steering wheel to replace the old one. As already mentioned, this Jeep Wagoneer has a Chevy LS V8 displacing 6.2 liters. It naturally connects to a four-wheel-drive system with a Dana 60-size rear axle and 44-size front axle. The chassis was built by Art Morrison, a company known for its custom vintage car chassis. The suspension consists of coilover shocks and springs from Fox Racing and Eibach respectively. This is all just a brief overview. Check out the whole video above for all the neat details. Related Video: Image Credit: The Hoonigans / YouTube Aftermarket Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles Classics Videos icon