Scott Keogh: Revived Brand’s First Models Revealed
The reinvigorated Scout logo has affirmatively stated that its inaugural vehicle will be unleashed during the third quarter of 2024, an SUV-style car, followed immediately by a pickup truck. Scott Keogh, the Chief Executive Officer of Scout, notified Automotive News of this information and moreover gave out particular facts concerning the upcoming electric four-wheel drives.
“What we are advocating for is what I would call a kind of big, B-class SUV and then a full-size pickup truck,” said Keogh. “It is an effort to meet the needs of consumers who want a larger vehicle with more capability and more room for passengers and cargo.”
“Scout has been an iconic SUV brand, so that’s what we’ll bring to life first,” he clarified. “Scout did produce a pickup truck, and we’re planning to launch it in about six to seven months.”
Keogh confirmed that Magna Steyr was taking part in the development of the Scout EVs, but he was adamant that production would take place in the United States, specifically in South Carolina. He also made it clear that Scout engineers would be the ones “driving” the development.
Last month, Volkswagen is said to have put close to $500 million into Magna Steyr for the creation of electric Scout vehicles. The well-known third-party production company from Austria is renowned for their development of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class – a gruff German-made off-roader with an enduring frame which has endured through several eras.
Furthermore, Keogh put an end to the speculation relating to the Scout EVs’ platform. The firm has no plans for modifying VW’s MEB design – the same one employed by the ID.7 sold in the United States. In addition, he suggested that it is likely that the Volkswagen Group may adopt Scout’s newly created platform instead.
“It’s ‘not gonna happen’, according to Keogh,” Automotive News reported. “Keogh insisted that the platform is ‘100 percent capable, American, robust, and full’.”
The CEO confirmed that the design for the platform had been finished both in CAD and on paper, and all that remained was to bring it to life. “We have the major architectural needs and the major architectural foundations all set,” he said reassuringly.
With a Q3 2024 debut, it will be less than a year before Scout unveils its SUV. It’s expected that teasers will be released early next year, or perhaps there will be a design preview. As Keogh put it, “The design of the product is, I would say, 85, 90, 95 percent of the way there.”