VOLKSWAGEN Group may form a joint venture with Taiwanese smartphone maker Foxconn Technology Group (FTG) to revive VW’s Scout brand in the United States.
According to a report published by Automobilwoche, the German auto giant is in talks with Foxconn to start manufacturing the vehicle at General Motors’ former facility in Lordstown, Ohio.
The news came just a few months later VW says it planned to revive the dormant Scout brandand just a few weeks after debut FTG . electric vehicle prototypeone of them is a mid-size pickup truck.
Additionally, Volkswagen is said to be in talks with Austria-based Magna Steyr – the company is considering opening its own factory in the United States – in a move that Automobilwoche sources say could see Scout being sold. manufactured in the United States.
Although Volkswagen would not comment directly on possible cooperation with FTG, a VW Group spokesman told Automobilwoche it was pleased with the progress of the brand’s development.
A spokesperson said: “We are very pleased with the progress the Scout team is making and with the enthusiasm it has generated among current fans – and future customers.
In May, the Volkswagen Group officially announced that it intends to add the Scout moniker to its growing stability, giving it a much-needed foothold in the four-wheel drive SUV and utility segment. cakes in North America.
Production of the model series is expected to begin in 2026.
Not to be confused with the Skoda Superb and Octavia Scout off-road wagons, the brand new harks back to the International Harvester Scout, a fun two-door Ford Bronco rival produced between 1961 and 1980.
Volkswagen acquired the brand in 2020 when its Traton truck division acquired engine and heavy-duty truck manufacturer Navistar, which was founded in 1985 after the closure of International Harvester.
The Scout name gives off-road prestige to the big three Detroit automakers, which still dominate their local 4×4 SUVs, pickups, and light trucks, and will supply offers an established alternative to off-road electric vehicle startups like Rivian.
In May, then-Volkswagen Group CEO Herbet Diess said the Scout brand would help the company strengthen its position in one of the most significant growth markets for electric vehicles.
“Electrification offers a historic opportunity to enter the very attractive pickup and R-SUV (durable SUV) segment, underlining our ambition to be a relevant player,” he said. in the US market.
Furthermore, and according to Volkswagen Group Chief Financial Officer Arno Antlitz, the new company will establish itself in 2022-2023, operating as a separate unit and brand.
It will also be managed independently.
Scout models will be designed, built and manufactured in the US for North American customers on an undisclosed new platform concept – it is unclear whether the new platform will be built in partnership with Ford or not. no, the automaker recently announced it will introduce a second EV model based on Volkswagen’s MEB battery-electric platform.
The first Scout prototypes will be unveiled in 2023, and production is expected to begin in 2026.
