VW, Foxconn JV may revive Scout brand

VOLKSWAGEN Group may form a joint venture with Taiwanese smartphone maker Foxconn Technology Group (FTG) to revive VW’s Scout off-road brand in the United States.

According to a report published by Automobilwoche, the German automotive giant is in talks with Foxconn to begin producing the vehicle at the former General Motors facility in Lordstown, Ohio.

The news comes just months after VW said it had planned to revive the dormant Scout brand, and just weeks following the unveiling of FTG’s own EV prototypes, one of which was a mid-size pick-up truck.

Additionally, Volkswagen is said to be in talks with Austrian-based Magna Steyr – which is considering opening its own plant in the United States – in a move Automobilwoche sources say could see the Scout produced within the USA.

While Volkswagen did not comment on the possibility of a partnership with FTG directly, a VW Group spokesperson told Automobilwoche that it is pleased with the progress of the brand’s development.

“We are very pleased with the progress the Scout team is making and with the enthusiasm it’s already generating among current fans – and future customers,” said the spokesperson.

In May, Volkswagen Group formally announced that it intended to add the Scout moniker to its growing stable, giving it a much-needed foothold in the North American four-wheel drive SUV and utility segment.

Production of the model range is expected to commence in 2026.

Not to be confused with the Skoda Superb and Octavia Scout all-terrain wagons, the new brand harks back to International Harvester Scout, a funky two-door Ford Bronco rival that was produced between 1961 and 1980.

Volkswagen acquired the brand in 2020 when its Traton truck division purchased heavy truck and engine maker Navistar, which was established in 1985 after International Harvester folded.

The Scout name offers off-road credibility against the big-three Detroit car-makers, which still dominate their local 4x4 SUV, pick-up and light truck markets, and will provide an established alternative to off-road EV start-ups such as Rivian.

In May, then Volkswagen Group CEO Herbet Diess said the Scout brand would enable the company to strengthen its position in one of the most significant growth markets for EVs.

“Electrification provides a historic opportunity to enter the highly attractive pick-up and R-SUV (rugged SUV) segment as a group, underscoring our ambition to become a relevant player in the US market,” he said.

Further, and according to Volkswagen Group CFO Arno Antlitz, the new company will establish itself in 2022-23, operating as a separate unit and brand.

It will also be managed independently.

Scout models will be designed, engineered, and manufactured in the US for North American customers on a new, yet to be unveiled platform concept – it is unclear if the new underpinnings will be built in partnership with Ford, which recently announced it will introduce a second EV model based on the Volkswagen’s MEB battery-electric platform.

The first Scout prototypes will be unveiled in 2023 with production slated to start in 2026.