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ICON FOUNDER JONATHAN WARD PONDERS A CHEVROLET CAMARO PROJECT, AND MORE

Ward Was Recently On The Joe Rogan Experience, And The Dialogue Was Fantastic

Chevrolet Camaro
The first production 1967 Camaro. Photo via Chevrolet

Comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan has a podcast that’s bigger than every talk show on television right now. As a result, his long-form show has attracted huge names to speak into the mic. Presidential candidates like Bernie Sanders, celebrity billionaires like Elon Musk, motivational figures like David Goggins, entrenched subject matter experts like Robert Schoch, various UFC fighters, and everything in between. Rogan also likes cars. Muscle cars, specifically. Currently, he parks a 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray next to his Tesla P100D, but he also owns a very special vintage SUV: a 1971 Ford Bronco done up by Icon. If you haven’t heard of Icon, they’re an incredibly high-end bespoke restoration brand out of California that started out with old Toyota J40 Land Cruisers. From there came a Ford Bronco program, and several one-off projects like the various Derelict vehicles. The person behind it all is founder Jonathan Ward, and his love for artisanal craftsmanship seems to know zero bounds.

Recently, Joe Rogan had Jonathan Ward on the JRE podcast, and the conversation went everywhere. Below is the two-hour-fifteen-minute video recording, in full:

There’s a fair bit of dialogue regarding secondary interests like watches. But overall the discussion sticks to cars, Icon as a company, and what Jonathan Ward might be cooking up next. He mentions that the original Chevrolet Camaro has been “getting under his skin” lately, and mentioned that the original design team looked at European sports cars of that era for inspiration. Ward cites the Ferrari 275, as one example. The bold summary of such a concept appears to be this: what it look like if the European coach builder made the Chevrolet Camaro instead? What a thought, indeed.

Ward wouldn’t say whether or not if he would start the project any time soon. But we wouldn’t be surprised to see an Icon Chevrolet Camaro at a booth at an upcoming SEMA Show.

Jonathan Ward

Written by Manoli Katakis

Muscle Cars & Trucks was founded by Manoli Katakis - an automotive media veteran that has been covering the latest car news since 2009. His journalism has uncovered dozens of major product changes, updates, plans, and cancellations long before automakers were ready to make things official.

Some highlights over the years of his reporting include the uncovering of the Zora trademark before anybody else reported on the coming of a mid-engine Corvette, as well as the dead-accurate reporting of the coming of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, two years before it hit the market, and even before the debut of the concept vehicle. This type of reporting has immediately continued here, with reports of the original seventh-generation Camaro plans being shelved, as well as what's in store for the Chevrolet Silverado.

Some of his work can be found on massive automotive media outlets, such as Motor1. He also has been a guest on the 910AM Radio Station with Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne, as well as the enthusiast-oriented Camaro Show podcast.

Over the years, Manoli has interviewed various automotive industry titans, leaders, and people that make things happen otherwise. These include figureheads such as GM CEO Mary Barra, GM President Mark Reuss, automotive aftermarket icon Ken Lingenfelter, Dodge firebrand Tim Kuniskis, along with various chief engineers of vehicles such as the Ford F-150 & Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro & Corvette, and many more.

At MC&T, Manoli is taking his journalism expertise, deeply planted sources, driving abilities, and automotive industry knowledge to new levels, covering more vehicles and brands than ever before. This is the place where you will continue to read groundbreaking stories about American performance vehicles, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Here is where you’ll also read insights and quotes from various automotive subject matter experts on the latest relevant products, as well as some of the latest official news from their manufacturers.

Fun facts: he also once beat Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner in an autocross with a Chevrolet Bolt EV. The biggest vehicle he’s ever driven is a John Deere mining truck. Besides a go-kart, the smallest vehicle he’s driven has been a Hyundai i10. He’s also spent time in the cockpit of various American performance vehicle icons, including the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Dodge Challenger Demon, and Ford Mustang GT350R. He has reviewed dozens of trucks, SUVs, and performance vehicles over the years.

One of his favorite new vehicles on the market today happens to be the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. He is also a card carrying member of the Sports Car Club of America, and regularly participates in Detroit Region autocross events.

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