In Might 2022, when Volkswagen confirmed the return of the Scout model, the automaker stated Scouts “will likely be designed, engineered, and manufactured within the U.S. for American prospects.” One thing occurred on the way in which to growth and engineering, as a result of 5 months later, German outlet Automobilwoche reported VW was in talks with Magna Worldwide about Magna “managing the comeback of the Scout model.” The report solely talked about Magna creating the battery-electric pickup and SUV due in 2026, the query being whether or not VW would keep on with its plan to construct the Scout within the U.S. Austrian outlet Kleine Zeitung (translated) cited unnamed sources to say the event deal is full, Magna’s Austrian outpost Magna-Steyr having agreed to its largest-ever deal value 450 million euros ($492M U.S.) to get the 2 new Scouts prepared for manufacturing in three years.
That leaves manufacturing for us, no less than. The association does not embrace manufacturing, KZ writing, “Initially, Magna was additionally presupposed to take over meeting within the USA. Nothing got here of it. Now Volkswagen will construct the Scout itself and is constructing a brand new manufacturing facility in Columbia, South Carolina.” That refers back to the $2B facility in Blythewood, SC, about 100 miles southeast of BMW’s Spartanburg plant advanced. The state gave VW an incentive bundle value $1.3 billion, the association together with a proviso that VW would repay the state $790 million if the automaker “doesn’t meet or preserve sure job and funding commitments.”
Magna’s labored up a good data financial institution about ICE-powered and EV truck challenges, too. It builds the ICE-powered G-Class and can construct the battery-powered EQG. It assembles the electrical Jaguar I-Tempo, helped develop the FM29 platform the Fisker Ocean sits on, and has already signed a contract to engineer and construct the battery-electric model of the Ineos Grenadier.
Splitting growth and manufacturing is not new, Magna having labored with Ineos Automotive to create the Grenadier pickup that Ineos builds at its personal manufacturing facility in Hambach, France. Earlier than that, Magna labored on growth of the Audi TT that Audi inbuilt Hungary, amongst different locations. Since one of many Scouts is a pickup, U.S. meeting makes probably the most sense to us on the face of it as a result of VW must keep away from America’s 25% Rooster Tax on imported pickups and cargo vans — a hurdle we’re nonetheless undecided how Ineos plans to keep away from, contemplating the place Ineos at present builds its Grenadier Quartermaster pickup. The U.S. plant can be anticipated to serve different VW Group manufacturers, particularly Audi, which might use it to construct an electrical Vary Rover or Mercedes-Benz G-Class competitor on the brand new electrical platform being created for the Scout; Audi has repeatedly been tabbed because the Scout division’s expertise provider.
Final we heard, the Scout continues to be deliberate to launch with a $40,000 SUV first, adopted by a pickup stated to be in regards to the dimension of a Ford F-150. The picture above is a brightened model of the newest teaser from late final 12 months. It is nonetheless up on the Scout Motors web site, however Scout employed Chris Benjamin as head of design in Might of this 12 months, so every thing might have modified. Benjamin’s 25 years within the auto enterprise contains six years at Fiat Chrysler/Stellantis overseeing inside design for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram.