As you may or may not be aware, Volkswagen is reviving an iconic American off-roader as a VW-produced electric vehicle and now owns the rights to the name ‘Scout,’ an SUV produced from 1960 to 1980 by the International Harvester Company, a manufacturer specializing in farm equipment and pickup trucks. Scout Motors will hit the market in 2026, but before this happens, the new company will introduce its first two vehicles in 2023. Its first model will feature an SUV body with a shape that reminds us of the current Land Rover Defender. Next, an electric pickup will follow and compete with models on the electric truck market, such as the Rivian R1T or even the Tesla Cybetruck.
The resurrected Scout has begun to make its first moves since last year, including releasing a series of teasers of its two upcoming models. And, while we have exceptional combustion off-road specimens like the Ford Bronco and the Jeep Wrangler, many hope that Scout will be the off-road brand the EV market desperately needs.
The Scout Brand Will Operate Independently Within The Volkswagen Group
Shot of Scott Keogh CEO at Scout Motors
According to Arno Antlitz, CFO of Volkswagen AG, Scout will be a separate unit and brand within the group to be managed independently. The new Scout company will produce two electric cars: a rugged SUV with a retro design and a pickup. The German firm’s bet is significant since it will allocate 1,000 million dollars to this project and will look for further investment later. Volkswagen wants Scout to achieve annual sales of 250,000 copies in the United States. Of course, these numbers would be a lofty goal for any new EV brand, but Scout is a “startup” with support from a giant automaker, an engaging brand history, and a loyal following. Additionally, it is ideally situated to allow Volkswagen access to the most popular markets in America. Whether this new EV brand will land in Europe has yet to be revealed.
Scout Pays Tribute To The Original International Harvester Scout
A shot of the International Harvester Scout II family
This new EV company from the Volkswagen Group was conceived initially as International Harvester Scout (IHC) in the 1960s and quickly became an icon for the most die-hard fans of the off-road sector in the United States. After observing the popularity of military surplus Jeeps as fun off-road cars, IHC developed the original Scout to combine the capability of those vehicles with car-like luxury. The original Scout was released in 1961 as the world’s first utility vehicle capable of off-road adventure and family duty. It became a revelation for off-road enthusiasts and forced Jeep, Ford, and General Motors quickly reply with the first Wagoneer, Bronco, and Chevy Blazer respectively.
The Scout II, released in 1971 and even more well-liked than the first-generation Scout, was initially intended to be equipped as either a light pickup or an SUV with a removable top. Unfortunately, IHC’s financial and labor-related issues led to the company being compelled to sell the niche product to an Indiana RV manufacturer in May 1980 but the OPEC crisis and the 1980 recession abruptly ended production later that year.
Teaser illustration of the new Scout Motors EV lineup
Now the Scout is being reborn as a division of the Volkswagen Group. As a result, it will have total autonomy in developing and manufacturing these new models since they will not be related to other electric cars in the group. But VW promises to honor the Scout’s iconic legacy, unlike other famous off-road revivals like the new Ford Bronco, which for some will never live up to the Bronco legacy. Scout has begun to move to interact with the brand’s original fan base by creating a specific forum within its new official website ScoutMotors.com. In this portal, you can learn details about the history and future of the electric SUV company, become a member of the Scout community be up-to-date with the latest Scout news.
The New Scout Company Will Involve Brand Enthusiasts In The Design Process
Through the Scout forum, the company’s leadership will keep in mind the opinion of the fondest of the original brand. In fact, recently, Jeff Bade, a member of the Scout Vintage community, was invited to the Scout facilities and spent some time talking with some of the engineers and designers in charge of bringing the idea to life and had the opportunity to see early prototypes. “Rarely do they have the opportunity to engage consumers this early in the design process,” explained Scott Keogh, CEO of Scout. “We started this forum to encourage open dialogue among community members, to hear what they expect from new vehicles, and to create a bond between past, present, and future enthusiasts.”
The New Scout Resembles The Current Land Rover Defender
Based on the Scout teasers you can find online, we notice similarities with the current Land Rover Defender. First, a very square structure, with a high front or large wheels focused on driving off-road. Also noteworthy are some rearview mirrors with a square design. Also, the cabin shows a significant separation between the front seats, suggesting the vehicle’s great width.
Some teaser images released of the front end could be of either of its two projected models since the main difference will be the B pillar. Regarding aesthetics, for the moment, little else is known about these new electric SUVs beyond the sketch that the company shared a few months ago. Technically both will feature “a new concept of the electric platform,” thus avoiding using the well-known MEB platform of the Volkswagen Group for electric cars. This will mean a significant distance from the current models of the automotive group.
Although the Scout is by no means will be the first EV off-roader considering the Jeep Recon EV is set to debut in 2024 or the Alpha Wolf pickup truck will start production of its prototype, Scout Motors has the resources and heritage to position itself as the reference EV brand in the off-road market, at least in the United States. Not having to create a legacy for themselves from scratch and instead taking up where the original Scout left off will give this new VW brand the upper hand.
