Today’s a big day for pickup trucks and SUVs in America, as a beloved brand is coming back from the dead. For more than two years, we’ve been eagerly awaiting the revival of the Scout brand, and today we find out a whole lot more about a brand new incoming pickup truck and SUV. It’s all being revealed on a livestream, and we’re doing a liveblog as it happens.
As I previously detailed, a diesel emissions scandal here in America at Navistar International led to Volkswagen acquiring the Scout brand, and now we’re about to see the fruits of the group’s labor. So, what can we expect?
Well, judging by past teasers, expect retro-inspired design on both a pickup truck and an SUV. Scout is a big heritage play, and it has some great styling language to play with. At the same time, expect body-on-frame construction, as CEO Scott Keogh previously detailed in a blog post. It’s an unusual play, mostly because we also know that the incoming Scout models will use electric motors to drive their wheels. However, it’s also a rugged one that should appeal to Americans.
We also know that the new Scout models will be built in South Carolina, potentially to take advantage of IRA tax credits. A brand new plant is expected to crank out 200,000 vehicles a year, so this is a mass-market play, as reaching that capacity requires serious ambition.
Regardless, let’s tune into this livestream and find out what’s about to happen. Obviously, since this is a liveblog, I’ll be updating this regularly, but you’re about to find out what’s happening as I’m about to find out what’s happening. Cowabunga it is, dudes, dudettes, and those who identify as neither.
Update #1: Huh, so it seems that the actual show is starting at 4:30 p.m. central time, but on the plus side, the thumbnail for the livestream suggests that at least one of the new Scout models might be available with a sweet roof-mounted compass. I guess we’ll find out in half an hour or so.
Update #2: It’s 37 minutes past and nothing’s happened yet, so, uhh, stay tuned, I guess?
Update #3: 5:50 p.m. ET, it’s finally happening!
Update #4: Lots of talk about the new Carolinian plant, targeting a claimed 4,000 employees. Scout also plans on being profitable after one year of operations, so let’s see how that shakes out. More than 50 percent of suppliers are expected to be within 200 miles of the Blythewood, S.C. plant, which makes sense from a timeliness perspective.
Update #5: Here we are! Look at that, an SUV and a pickup truck and they’re both damn good looking. The SUV is called the Traveller, the truck is called the Terra. Check out the massive moonroof on the Traveller, and that fantastic shade of orange. So far, so promising.
Also, check out the external spare tire carrier on the Traveller. It looks to be a separate swinging assembly from the tailgate, so it’ll be interesting to see how big of a tire it can hold.
Little details: Apparently the little hole in each front tow hook is made for a climbing hook. Nifty. Also, there’s a C-pillar grab handle for the 5.5-foot bed on the Terra. Nice touch.
Next up, the interior. There are a ton of physical controls here — knobs, buttons, and toggle switches. Scout claims that key functions like adjusting the stereo and the climate control are all managed through real controls, and that’s a breath of fresh air. The dashboard looks upscale, there’s an optional cool box in the console, and both models will be offered with a front bench seat instead of a center console.
Look at that bench seat right there. Hell yeah.
Also, the dial on the right side of the screen is the volume control for the passengers, presumably since there’s a volume control on the steering wheel for the driver.
Scout has confirmed that both models ride on galvanized separate frames, along with capabilities of 10,000 pounds towing on the Terra and 7,000 pounds of towing on the Traveller. Also, 2,000 pounds of payload on the Terra, 35-inch tires, locking front and rear differentials, and 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque. Hot damn. As for power on-board, the Terra sports 120-volt and 240-volt outlets. That ought to help with tailgating. Oh, and both vehicles ride on an 800-volt architecture, will feature NACS ports to use Tesla Supercharger stations, and claim to offer a projected 350 miles of EV range.
Oh snap, a split tailgate on the Traveller, that’s fire. Every SUV should have a split tailgate.
Mic-drop: You’ll be able to get either Scout model with a gasoline-powered range extender called the Harvester. Expect 500 miles of total range that works much like a BMW i3. Engine powers motors, motors power wheels.
Base price? Scout claims around $50,000 after incentives, or below $60,000 without incentives. Considering what a GMC Hummer EV SUV or a Rivian R1T goes for, that’s aggressive. Let’s see if Scout can stick to it when production’s expected to start in 2027.
(Photo credits: Scout Motors)
This dude running for congress or something?
Blah, blah, blah.
It’s not like MEB hints at this being promising
“Franklin was a manwhore, and we here at Scout will whore our selves out to you!”
With this much fluffing they need to work on their whoring skills.
They got two speeds: Blue Balls and throughly Flaccid
It’s a brand announcement, it’s going to have fluff
How many minutes of fluff do you think we’ll get before we see at least one of the vehicles?
My guess is 5 minutes minimum
My former employer rolled out a ‘new’ service, that was essentially the same thing we had been doing for three years, just with a fancy new name, a flashier website and (of course) a higher price tag. Seventy-Five-Fucking-Minutes of fluff. 500+ employees were glues to their screen for 75 minutes for some recycled BS.
Both the person who came up with the ‘new’ service and the marketing guy who created the presentation were both canned within two months.
A story with a happy ending that will bring a tear of joy to your eye.
Well, they can’t start the show until David crawls out from underneath the Prototype.
haha make it so
It’s called Scout, not Scoot, no wonder it’s taking so damn long.
The prototypes rusted to nothing during shipping just like the originals, and they have nothing to show.
These guys can’t tell time, but they’re going to make an EV?
Honestly at this point I hope I see all the blurry people pushing the broke down heavy POS onto the screen since it apparently can’t get there under it’s own power into frame
jesus imagine if that’s what it is
I just want to see them push it a little too hard and it slowly starts rolling down that hill while a bunch of people run after it.
Everytime the music changes I get a little excited, only to hear more HQ hold music.
LOOK AT ALL THE BLURRY PEOPLE
Looks like they’re Scouting out the best vantage point for the reveal.
Dude you have a paper bag to breathe into?
I’ve pissed out kidney stones in less time than this reveal has been delayed.
My hopes of seeing this live in the next few mins is disappearing faster than the original Scouts did when they drove on salt.
Come on, Scott! We’ve been waiting way too long already.
4:36 PM.
Where’s my truck, Scout?!
First they said the reveal would be at 4 CT, then the Reveal stream said 4:30 CT
Now it’s 4:35 CT and it’s still blurry video of random people walking around the set…
this bodes….poorly
“Hopefully the cars are faster than their press team!”
Volkswagen behavior.
…a sweet roof-mounted compass.
A few years ago I picked up a vintage Noisom Auto Compass that’s designed to be mounted upside-down on the inside of the roof, then read via a mirror positioned below it. This accounts for the way it’s marked:
https://live.staticflickr.com/2841/10230336004_c90e7bc409_c.jpg
Cool! Does it have a battery or USB plug?
Nope. It’s wireless, relying entirely on inductive data collection.
The hashtag “#THEWORLDNEEDSSCOUTS” is an interesting choice. The Army and Navy have been well aware for years by now.
they are leaning into that sort of motif, for sure
Uniformed prediction time!
-Aggressive pricing with the base model SUV starting at $47k before rebate and fancy one costing $83k
-Retro styling that makes us say “didn’t Bronco do that”?
-Two batteries with range from 270 miles to 370 miles
-A 3-cylandar range extender option for $6000
-15 mentions of “Heritage” or “Legacy”
-Shockingly good approach and departure angles slightly better than Wrangler and Rubicon
-Available factory 35s
-Someone will say “the future of mobility”
-Nifty off-road driving modes with crawl control / crab walk / tank turn
-A highlight on green materials
-Shared components from Rivian
I don’t feel like drinking or playing a drinking game (how often do they say “heritage”), yes to all of this
I’d be shocked if it starts at less than $60k.
I have been wrong many times. My thought process is that the high end on EV SUVs and pickups is already pretty crowded. VW tends to play more at the “premium value” end of the pool. Since these things are going to be lifestyle vehicles, a smart product planner might aim them squarely at Toyota rather than Rivian / CyberTruck.
VW is genius, delay the show as a reminder that the truck will be delayed.
SCOUTCEPTION
To kill a mockingtruck
This deserved more votes.
It gets a Jeep Compass mounted on the roof?
apparently
Dudes, dudettes, and dude’ems.
now it’s 5:30 wtf