Steve McQueen's son Chad McQueen has died aged 63

His family confirmed his passing to Variety, telling the outlet in an emotional statement: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our father, Chad McQueen.

"His remarkable journey as a loving father to us, along with his unwavering commitment to our mother, truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication."

Referencing his late actor father's love of car racing, they added: "His passion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent but also served as a way to honour his father's legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him.

"He passed his passion, knowledge and dedication down to us, and we will continue not only his legacy but our grandfather's as well.

"As a family, we need to navigate this difficult time, and we kindly ask for privacy as we remember and celebrate his extraordinary life."

Chad reportedly died from organ failure that came following a racing injury a few years ago, according to TMZ.

The outlet added when he died he was with his wife Jeanie Galbraith, his two children Chase McQueen and Madison McQueen and his attorney.

He played martial arts thug Dutch in 1984's 'The Karate Kid', and 'The Karate Kid Part II', which was released two years later.

Dutch was a member of the Cobra Kai mob, and he was said to have been set to play the character in the 'Karate Kid' spin-off show 'Cobra Kai', but it never materialised.

Chad's other notable film roles included parts in 'Red Line' and 'New York Cop', and he competed in racing events such as 24 Hours of Le Mans.

His McQueen Racing company developed high-performance cars and motorbikes and he suffered a near-fatal crash in 2006 while practicing for the Daytona International Speedway Rolex 24 event.