Gladiator vs. Scout?

[SpeedNeed]

Well, you’re right about that!

Audi has always been the “Lexus” to VW, maybe more than that since the Audi advances seem to “trickle down” to VW eventually.

Touarag was developed as a one-off joint venture platform between VW Group and Porsche around 2000-2002, when it went on sale. Porsche chose parts and assembled theirs independently, VW did theirs in an Audi factory and extended it to Audi Q7 and maybe Bentley. That was before Porsche tried to buy VW, which ended up (crazy story) in VW buying Porsche In 2009. VW didn’t plan it, too much overlap with Audi. But now Porsche and Audi seem to get along and share some platforms.

I really just meant to suggest, having owned at least two from all three brands, that there is a huge gap in quality, components, craftsmanship, service (and price) between the VW brand and Porsche/Audi. I once read (and I may have this wrong) that at one time you could glance at how many lug nuts were on a wheel and know which of the three it was.

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[SpeedNeed]

“On May 13, VW of America sales and marketing boss Andrew Savvas told the brand's 650 dealers in a letter that Scout will be an independent brand within the group and that they will have no claim on its products. The letter obviously did not do much to calm dealers down.”

https://insideevs.com/news/586057/us-dealers-surprised-vw-scout-ev-brand-plans-demand-answers/

 

[gmcul8r]

As a fan of anything IH and the current owner of a '63, I'm ecstatic somebody is finally bringing back the Scout. Not super excited it's VW, but it can't be worse than what Chevy did to the Blazer.....

 

[ElkinsEye]

That is an absolutely gorgeous Scout!
I doubt the VW version will look anything like that. Look what Land Rover did to the re-launched Defender. Not even close to a tip of the hat to that classic. This thing is vaporware for 5 years at least, but interesting to watch.

 

[downtroddengoat]

As someone who grew up close to international harvester, I would not hesitate to grab a two door Scout -- electric or otherwise. I have always loved them and all I could find as a kid were old farm vehicles still in use as those things could get through plowed fields like no other.

My gut tells me that it will end up being a 4 door bronco knockoff.

 

[SpeedNeed]

I’ll guess more like a Rivian.

 

[NachoRuby]

I’ll guess more like a Rivian.

Still waiting for jeep's take on true electric. I want all the Jeep stuff. No one currently makes an electric convertible. I want electric, convertible, removable doors, fold down windshield. I guess next generation.

 

[Blade1668]

As a former (four time) VW owner…hard pass. If they do introduce that here, it’s most likely not going to be what people In this forum are wanting.

Years ago…all they had to do is bring the Amarok over and people (myself included at that point) would have been like “shut up and take my money.” They didn’t bring it over because they didn’t want to, as they didn’t care to align their vehicle line-up (at that point) to reflect the SUV and truck craze in the US.

Cliff notes…they bring to the US market what they want to bring. They give zero f***s about customer input. For some light reading, look up their organizational philosophy in the years leading up to the TDI scandal (there‘s a couple interesting documentaries floating around, too).

Very correct "IF VW would have" imported the Golf Country into the USA (if they did I never heard about them) with the diesel engine or gasoline I would have jumped for one. AWD with 31 MT from factory.... the first one I got to see was the Forrest Meister's puke green in Swinefurt Germany. I was parking my MJ after I parked I seen it "WTF" I was looking straight in though the windows more ground clearance than my MJ. Factory skid plates but couldn't find them with US specs for import.

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

Very correct "IF VW would have" imported the Golf Country into the USA (if they did I never heard about them) with the diesel engine or gasoline I would have jumped for one. AWD with 31 MT from factory.... the first one I got to see was the Forrest Meister's puke green in Swinefurt Germany. I was parking my MJ after I parked I seen it "WTF" I was looking straight in though the windows more ground clearance than my MJ. Factory skid plates but couldn't find them with US specs for import.

Not as far as I know. The only vaguely similar concept (car with higher ride height and off-road-ish look) that I can think of over the past 2+ decades is the Golf Alltrack. Basically good for if you want an AWD wagon, but don’t want something that’s roomier, has a higher towing capacity, and has better ground clearance (Subaru Outback).

 

[Blade1668]

Not as far as I know. The only vaguely similar concept (car with higher ride height and off-road-ish look) that I can think of over the past 2+ decades is the Golf Alltrack. Basically good for if you want an AWD wagon, but don’t want something that’s roomier, has a higher towing capacity, and has better ground clearance (Subaru Outback).

Unfortunately not that the one I was referring to, it is a VW Golf car with AWD only available in Germany and Austria as far as I know back in 80s and 90s. I wish I had took some pictures of it. The German spec

VW Golf lasts and hauls ass. (5 and 6 speed especially if it had a playboy bunny on it) the 4 speed was a dog.
I did a quick search for pics.
A little of it's time and history:
7,735 vehicles made
A Golf Country is rare, with just 7,735 vehicles produced in two years from 1990 to 1991. Rarer still is one of the few special editions that were offered, such as the “Chrome,” which featured chrome trim on the retrofitted tubular steel bumpers and wheels, along with a better-appointed interior.

 

[SpeedNeed]

Very cool! I had to look up the Golf Country, never heard of it. Seems they made less than 8,000 of them. If anyone else is curious what they were, links for your ease:

https://media.vw.com/en-us/releases/1341

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/aje229z/

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

Unfortunately not that the one I was referring to, it is a VW Golf car with AWD only available in Germany and Austria as far as I know back in 80s and 90s. I wish I had took some pictures of it. The German spec

VW Golf lasts and hauls ass. (5 and 6 speed especially if it had a playboy bunny on it) the 4 speed was a dog.
I did a quick search for pics.
A little of it's time and history:
7,735 vehicles made
A Golf Country is rare, with just 7,735 vehicles produced in two years from 1990 to 1991. Rarer still is one of the few special editions that were offered, such as the “Chrome,” which featured chrome trim on the retrofitted tubular steel bumpers and wheels, along with a better-appointed interior.

Yes, that’s why I said the example I provided was “vaguely similar.” As far as I know, the example that I provided is the only lifted car off-road looking thing that VW imported to the US.

 

[legacy_etu]

More Scout information. Tease really. 2026 is a loooong way out!

https://www.teslarati.com/volkswagen-electric-scout-pickup-truck-us-launch/

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

The Wall Street Journal
By William Boston
May 10, 2022

“Volkswagen Is Bringing Back the Scout, the SUV Pioneer, as an EV.”


“The plan would see Scout operate as a subsidiary of VW in the U.S. alongside other VW brands—Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini and Bentley.”

”From the 1960s until it stopped production in 1980, Scout was a fierce rival to Land Rover, Jeep, and the Ford Bronco. Under VW’s plan, the Scout subsidiary would have its own management, just like VW’s other brands.”

”VW acquired the rights to the Scout brand name with its acquisition of Navistar International Corp. in 2020.”

“The pickup truck is expected to be about the size of VW’s Amarok. The difference, the people said, is that both Scout vehicles will be fully electric and conceived as off-road. VW officials said vehicles built under the Scout badge would aim to rival electric off-road offerings in the midrange segment, rather than big trucks such as Ford’s electric F150 Lightning, which launched in April.”

Full article:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/volksw...t-the-suv-pioneer-as-an-ev-11652220001?page=1

I really like the amarok especially when it had the 3.0tdi.

Really wish it would have came to America.

Not a fan of electric Good luck I’m sure it will be popular in metropolitan areas.

- side joke. There are three Tesla’s running around my town with “no hydro power- snake river dams” stickers on their back windows……….

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

As a former (four time) VW owner…hard pass. If they do introduce that here, it’s most likely not going to be what people In this forum are wanting.

Years ago…all they had to do is bring the Amarok over and people (myself included at that point) would have been like “shut up and take my money.” They didn’t bring it over because they didn’t want to, as they didn’t care to align their vehicle line-up (at that point) to reflect the SUV and truck craze in the US.

Cliff notes…they bring to the US market what they want to bring. They give zero f***s about customer input. For some light reading, look up their organizational philosophy in the years leading up to the TDI scandal (there‘s a couple interesting documentaries floating around, too).

My understanding is the amarok never hit the states due to the import tax we have on “trucks” produced and brought in outside of the North American trade agreement…. The amarok is/was made in Austria with the t-reg

We have a couple, and have owned more VW diesels than I should admit too…. and do agree with your statement about vw not listening to their following.

4 motion sportwagen WITH the diesel!?!?!???

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