Not lengthy after an Austrian publication reported on Volkswagen’s partnership with Magna International to develop Scout’s first two autos, Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh spoke to Automotive News and supplied some refinements on the event and the timeline. Earlier this yr, Scout employed Chris Benjamin as lead designer, Benjamin’s 25 years within the auto enterprise together with six years at Fiat Chrysler/Stellantis overseeing inside design for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. Keogh informed AN, “The design of the product is, I might say, 85, 90, 95 p.c of the way in which there. … Proportions readily dialed in, exterior design dialed in.” The cabin’s a bit additional out, however he expects to sit down in a full-sized inside mannequin this week.
We’re informed the Scout Motors headcount is available in round 300 and positive factors roughly 50 heads per thirty days. Along with pulling in-house engineering expertise from the VW Group tribe, like Scout chief technical officer Burkhard Huhnke, the corporate raided the headcounts of different OEMs together with our large home names, plus Tesla and Rivian.
Early mules are anticipated to roll out of locked garages early subsequent yr, most likely across the identical time Scout breaks floor on its manufacturing facility in Blythewood, South Carolina — Keogh confirmed Magna is not going to construct the rigs. These prototypes will trip on the Scout-specific, ground-up chassis developed with Magna’s help, however that the CEO described as a “one hundred pc succesful, American, sturdy, full platform.” It has handed all of its exams on paper and in simulations, subsequent yr’s street trials will start the proof.
The debut’s deliberate for Q3 of 2024. Keogh mentioned the SUV would be the first one to market as a result of Scout was most identified for being “a rugged SUV model.” The complete-size pickup truck is not due in the marketplace till an estimated six or seven months after the SUV, so we count on we’ll solely see the SUV for subsequent yr’s unveiling. That may give Scout only one product to publicly handle and time to gauge reactions. In view of manufacturing beginning in late 2026, neither car might be anticipated to search out U.S. houses till early 2027.
Earlier this yr, Scout reaffirmed its dedication to a $40,000 SUV as the primary mannequin — we’re undecided if VW’s figuring the present $7,500 incentive into that worth. We’ll be impressed if there’s ever a aggressive Scout offered at that $40,000; a four-door 2024 Ford Bronco begins round $41,000, the worth chief 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 begins at about $40,000. By creating Scout as a discrete firm promoting electric vehicles, we count on Scout plans to skip a standard dealership community and far of the overhead concerned. Nevertheless, three extra wild years away from seeing the primary a Scout window sticker, $40,000 feels like a very low bar to limbo underneath.
