Remember the rugged International Scout? Probably not if you aren’t a Boomer. But the Scout name was synonymous at one time with off-road 4X4 capability. Think Jeep, but with a tractor heritage.
Well, the Scout name is coming back for the 2027 or ‘28 model year, and this rebirth is from a surprising source, Volkswagen.
That’s whose deep pockets are funding the return of Scout, which is officially Scout Motors, its own entity that’s building a massive manufacturing plant in Blythewood, South Carolina.
The plan is to launch two Scouts right off the bat, both fully electric, but with optional gasoline range extenders. Hang on, more on that in a sec. The two models are to be known as the Traveler, a large SUV, and the Terra, a full-size pickup.
In May, Scout brought its Traveler concept/prototype to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., for us gearheads that are part of the Midwest Automotive Media Association to get a full looksee. No driving as again this is a prototype.
But here’s the plan for the new Scout Traveler, and the back story on Scout’s reappearance.
Briefly, Scouts were originally made by International Harvester from 1960 to 1980, so carried the IH logo. For those not up on their farm equipment manufacturing history, IH was a huge farm implement and truck manufacturer based in Chicago. It was created in 1902 as a merger of three farm implement firms, including Milwaukee Harvesting Machine Co.
But by 1980 IH had suffered through a sustained worker strike costing it the equivalent of $2.5 billion in today’s dollars. Its finances in tatters, IH started consolidating and selling off divisions and finally went belly up in 1985.
Navistar, its semi and commercial truck unit, had been spun off and in 2021 was purchased by Traton, the commercial truck arm of Volkswagen Group. Thus, VW came to own the Scout name, but not the International Scout moniker.
You still with me?
In 2022 VW announced it was launching Scout Motors to attack the most profitable portion of today’s auto market by making SUVs and pickups, but with the distinguishing feature, electric power.
That brings us to this spring’s showing of the Scout Traveler.
2027-28 Scout Traveler
Timing is not exactly clear whether the Traveler will be a 2027 or 2028 model, but in either case it’s estimated to go into production in 2027.
Scout is already well along in building a massive 1.3 million square foot assembly plant in South Carolina, with estimates that it will employ about 4,000 people. Plant cost is said to be $1.2 billion.
Meanwhile, the design and marketing teams are working out of a headquarters in Novi, Mich., and the prototype Traveler, and Terra, are their babies.
Make no mistake, the Traveler is a big 2-row SUV with luxury leanings, but designed to take on serious off-road challenges, like its original namesake that was squarely targeted at Jeep. Now the off-road market has grown to include the likes of Toyota’s Land Cruiser and 4Runner, Ford’s Bronco, a variety of Land Rovers, and on the electric front Rivian’s R1S.
Styling is what I’d call modern retro update with much of the body and nose and tail styling reflective of the original Scouts. Squared edges, but with today’s tech lighting. The spiffy headlights reflect the old IH logo with four small lights cut in half by a wide bar like the center of an H.
Scout is written in old IH style script on the nose and spare tire holder on the rear, but it’s also lit so followers will easily know what SUV they are trailing.
That spare tire on the tailgate, which splits to allow easy loading, is optional, as is the big red gas can that’s held back there too. Why a gas can for an EV? Glad you asked.
While the Traveler is estimated to have a 350-mile electric range and 7,000 pounds of towing capacity, its designers think serious off-road explorers will opt for a gas-powered range extender. That will increase range to 500 miles and as far as I can tell resembles the former Chevy Volt’s system using a small gas engine to generate electric power that will enhance Scout’s EV range.
Traveler also will wisely pack a NACS charger so will be able to use the vast Tesla supercharger network.
No numbers just yet on the horsepower or torque for Traveler, but Scout estimates a zero-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds or 4.5 seconds if it’s equipped with the range extender, which obviously will add weight. All Travelers will be powered by a dual electric motor AWD system.
Overall, the Traveler is 207.9 inches long with that spare tire on the back, or 190.9 inches long without it. The body-on-frame truck rides on a 120.4-inch wheelbase, and sits a tall 76.3 inches with 12 inches of ground clearance, much needed for serious off-roading. Width is 91.6 inches with the mirrors in place. Fold them in and Traveler is a somewhat more svelte 79.9 inches wide.
Off-roaders will be happy to hear that Traveler plans to offer sway bar disconnects that help increase wheel articulation on rough terrain. Jeep’s Wrangler and Ford’s Bronco offer this. The front and rear differentials also will be lockable to aid in off-roading and Scout’s rear axle is solid, also to help out when rock crawling, etc.
Inside, the prototype Traveler looked elegant and classy with tan leather seats (a retro bench is available in front) with gray cloth uppers. There also are big screens on a low sleek dash. (Check out the pix). Scout is showing a scrunched oval steering wheel, sort of flattened a bit top and bottom. Better than a yolk. Definitely unique. Overhead is a two-panel panoramic sunroof too, and a canvass top will be optional.
Various off-roading control switches are overhead too, as is an old (we now say retro) bubble-style compass. Fun! Real buttons and knobs under the center screen also mean some daily-use functions will be easy to find instead of being hidden inside a multilayer screen.
Current plans are for Scouts to be sold directly to customers. Some places that isn’t legal and Wisconsin is still debating whether to let Tesla sell direct via its own stores, not part of a dealer network. Time will tell if that changes to affect Scout.
The company says it will start with 16 stores in larger metropolitan areas with plans to expand to about 100 stores in the US and Canada by 2032.
Pricing is being ballparked right now with entry level Scouts starting about $50,000 and easily hitting up to $65,000 or more. Pricing is a work in progress, like the entire Scout operation.
Many questions still to be answered about Scout, but with VW’s backing this is a serious effort to launch a new 4x4 SUV brand aimed primarily at well-off off-roaders wanting something a bit different, and liking the fact that they join a retro Scout-loving community of enthusiasts. Can’t wait to drive one!
Coming next: A look at the newest gas-powered SUVs.
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