VW Brings Back 'Scout' Brand Truck As Electric Vehicle Made In America (axios.com) 82
Volkswagen's plan to roll out a new line of sporty electric trucks and SUVs under the resurrected Scout brand is a rare chance to win back Americans' hearts, Scout's new boss tells Axios in an exclusive interview. From the report: VW sees an opportunity to reconnect with U.S. consumers by offering EVs in the segments they care most about: pickup trucks and large SUVs. [...] "It's time now to concentrate more on the U.S. market and the U.S. customer, and one piece of the puzzle, for sure, is Scout," Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess said while chauffeuring me in one of his company's first U.S.-built EVs, the ID.4 compact SUV. Between Scout and further growth of the Volkswagen and Audi brands, the VW Group aims to double its U.S. market share, which currently stands at about 5%. "America is probably the country where we have the biggest potential worldwide," Diess told me.
Scout will be an independent U.S.-based company, which will allow it the flexibility to take on partners or other investors -- or even go public some day, Volkswagen execs said. Scout will develop what the company calls a "true American" electric SUV and pickup truck designed for rugged, off-road use. With a dedicated engineering platform, Scout expects to provide new conveniences and connectivity to meet different needs, like camping, off-roading or work site use. The hope is that the iconic Scout name can help the company penetrate the highly profitable American market for big SUVs and pickup trucks, which is currently dominated by U.S. brands like Ford, Chevrolet, Jeep and Ram. Production will start in 2026, and the aim is to sell up to 250,000 Scout-branded vehicles annually in the U.S. The report notes that Scout was originally developed in 1961 by International Harvester as a precursor to the modern SUV. "It was marketed as an all-terrain family recreational vehicle and eventually came in several body styles, competing with Land Rover, Jeep, and the Ford Bronco," reports Axios. "Production ended in 1980, but Scout SUVs remain popular with collectors."
Volkswagen acquired the rights to the Scout brand name in 2020.
Scout will be an independent U.S.-based company, which will allow it the flexibility to take on partners or other investors -- or even go public some day, Volkswagen execs said. Scout will develop what the company calls a "true American" electric SUV and pickup truck designed for rugged, off-road use. With a dedicated engineering platform, Scout expects to provide new conveniences and connectivity to meet different needs, like camping, off-roading or work site use. The hope is that the iconic Scout name can help the company penetrate the highly profitable American market for big SUVs and pickup trucks, which is currently dominated by U.S. brands like Ford, Chevrolet, Jeep and Ram. Production will start in 2026, and the aim is to sell up to 250,000 Scout-branded vehicles annually in the U.S. The report notes that Scout was originally developed in 1961 by International Harvester as a precursor to the modern SUV. "It was marketed as an all-terrain family recreational vehicle and eventually came in several body styles, competing with Land Rover, Jeep, and the Ford Bronco," reports Axios. "Production ended in 1980, but Scout SUVs remain popular with collectors."
Volkswagen acquired the rights to the Scout brand name in 2020.
Girlfriend's family had an early IH Scout (Score:4, Interesting)
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Re:Girlfriend's family had an early IH Scout (Score:4, Interesting)
That's literally an expected standard feature of any 4x4 vehicle. If it doesn't have a low range, it's not a "real" 4x4. (It also needs a locked or at least locking center.) The first production for-sale four-wheel-drive pickup was the 1946 Dodge Power Wagon. The power wagon definitely had a NP200 transfer case with low range from at latest 1958. The Willys MB had a Dana 18 2-speed transfer case from 1941.
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I was going to say literally every 4x4 we've owned since the 70s had that. I think Americans think their shitty sports SUVs are proper 4x4 workhorses. There's a reason they are used by moms dropping kids off at soccer and not tearing up the South African jungle like Toyota Landcruisers
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Some of the unibody CUVs are surprisingly capable vehicles, and some of them even have a locking center diff. Almost none of them have a low range, though.
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The Scout and the Travelall from International Harvester was one of the early "SUVs" before the cult following took them over.
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What year was the last year they had it in use?
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What year was the last year they had it in use?
I don't know. I kicked the girlfriend out in 1982 and haven't maintained contact with her family.
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I used to do summer work at a Boy Scout camp and one of the staff had an IH Scout that we would sometimes take out on long unused forest logging trails. I just remember that to engage the 4WD you had to get out and turn the hubs on two of the tires. Fun times.
Would be great if they could make a simple one (Score:3)
They put far too much electronic shit into cars these days and most of it is unnecessary. I have a Hilux with manual gearbox, manual windows, no climate control, does me grand I love it !
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Electric window mechanisms are typically cable-drive with light parts. Manual-crank windows are usually a steel scissors-lift setup. The electric probably weighs less.
We're all going to argue what's important and what isn't. I like air conditioning, power adjustable side mirrors, power steering, and bluetooth connectivity for answering phone calls. I could do without power seats, and on a pickup truck with only two doors, power door locks. But if the vehicle has more than two doors, I'd really rather h
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Electric window mechanisms are typically cable-drive with light parts. Manual
Is that true? Most of the electric window mechanisms I've repaired have involved a metal arm.
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Ones I've had to work on have used plastic guides and a cable assembly that gets actuated by a teeny-tiny motor. I think that this happened when power windows became more popular as purchased configurations than manual windows.
Downside, those plastic parts have a useful life, and I've had more than one window whose mechanism broke requiring new parts to be installed. It took a decade and a half for this to occur but it was nonetheless annoying.
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Our Toyotas use a scissor lift mechanism for the windows that are powered by pinion geared electric motor.
I know because I've replaced one.
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Same as my 90's GM pickup.
I am ordering the kit to convert one to crank because the switch has gone bad.
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It's time to ditch mirrors. Cameras are better.
For the rear view mirror a camera lets you see "through" the heads of people in the back, and through any cargo you are carrying. For the side mirrors, cameras can stick out less and there is nothing mechanical to wear out for panning/folding.
Cameras can also offer better night vision. Easier to clean and requiring less mechanical stuff than a rear window. No need to adjust their physical position for different drivers either, as any settings are just cropping
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It's time to ditch mirrors. Cameras are better.
For passenger cars, where visibility has already been ruined, maybe. For pickups, vans, trucks, and buses, big mirrors are where it's at. Because our Sprinter van has the combination of large flat mirrors and smallish parabolic mirrors on both sides, I can actually see everything around me, including seeing it approaching. Not just in neighboring lanes, but in the lane beyond as well! And our RV is the same, with even bigger mirrors all the way out at the front of the vehicle. At one glance I can see not ju
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For trucks, vans and busses there is just no way a mirror will ever be better than a camera, especially at the back. If there is a window at all, it won't have as wide a view as a camera.
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The very best camera and display combos can't offer the resolution of a mirror. I can see things in a mirror when they are still impossible to recognize in a camera system. A camera does make sense in the rear, especially where there is no back window, but our bus does in fact have one despite being rear engined and I can see out of it from the rear view mirror in front, thanks. On our van there are no windows beyond the front, so I do have a rear view camera. It's necessary for backing, since I can't see a
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Any loss of fidelity from the camera is probably more than made up for by the camera's polarising filter and IR night vision capabilities.
Instead of just being blinded by headlights in your side mirrors, you get a filtered night vision shot.
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My side mirrors are big enough to give useful information even when there are headlights involved, and when I can't see anything in the flat ones, I can still see something in the convex mirrors. Both vehicles' mirrors are well above the headlight aim zone, so it takes a seriously overloaded pickup or similar to even try to blind me. Cameras get washed out, too.
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If you can afford a diesel pusher, you can afford a hi-res rear viewing camera system.
It was less than nine grand with 90k miles on an ISC 250. Craigslist, yo. Starts every time, runs like a champ, everything but the AC works and I pulled that because I'll be installing a mini split eventually. When I got it, it needed a hose to the transmission retarded accumulator replaced, but it was included. I wound up having to buy a new crow's foot to do the job, not too bad. And then the trans took nearly six gallons of fluid. Engine and trans alone are worth probably 2/3 of what we paid, maybe more.
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The electric probably weighs less.
It does not.
You have an electric engine for each window that is lifted electric.
For the whole car that is about 4kg. (Assuming a standard 4 doors car).
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Pickup trucks have evolved in to luxury vehicles nowadays.
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Pickup trucks have evolved in to luxury vehicles nowadays.
Which is probably exactly what these will be.
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I have a 2002 Tacoma, the only computer-controlled bit in it is the fuel injection. Rear wheel drive, 5-speed, 2 door, I keep getting people leaving notes on my window wanting to buy it even though I've beat the shit out of it.
The boomers who say they want those (Score:2)
...would not buy them in sufficient quantities.
I'm old too but everyone that old has had a lifetime to fill their vehicle stable and those who failed are too poor for new trucks.
The dedicated will RESTORE older vehicles and enjoy their grandfathered advantage no new machine can legally match. That ship has sailed. The problem is nearly everyone who isn't a professional mechanic is helpless and only cares about features while the gearheads who enjoy the old stuff can easily (if they didn't cease learning in
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The dedicated will RESTORE older vehicles and enjoy their grandfathered advantage no new machine can legally match.
The older vehicles' only advantages are being lighter and simpler. But most people don't work on their own vehicles, so to them being simpler mostly means having less features. And if you really want lighter off road, you don't restore shit. It's literally cheaper to build a tube buggy with a LS motor and Dana 60s with portals than to buy a new Jeep or Bronco or whatever that is either trail ready, or that you've put enough money into to make it so.
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I have a Hilux with manual gearbox, manual windows, no climate control, does me grand I love it !
Do you have a TV without a remote? Electronics are called "comfort" and "convenience". People like to pay for that kind of stuff. The market for those who actively want to exercise their left bicep when winding down the only window they can reach probably extends to you and maybe one other Slashdotter.
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Well by definition, an EV has a lot of "electronic shit" but simple would be nice. Just A/C, base interior in a size that works; like an old mini-truck. I don't want 90 cameras, or power windows for basic utility.
Not sure how this will help them (Score:4, Insightful)
Not really sure what they expect this will do for them. At this stage the model name is highly, highly niche, almost no one remembers that IH used to make passenger vehicles. Those few who do remember know that VW didn't have anything to do with IH, and those remaining fans of the IH Scout are probably going to be turned away by the reuse of the model name on a vehicle that cannot claim any pedigree whatsoever to the original.
When automakers choose to resurrect model names for new products it's usually because either they had something to do with the original product (ie the modern Dodge Challenger) or because they bought and operated the whole company that the model had been part of (ie Mini and BMW). I don't see the chosen name helping. They'd probably have been better off paying homage to the Type 181/Kurierwagen/Thing.
Re:Not sure how this will help them (Score:4, Informative)
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I literally have a scale electric scout II (well, that's the body it came with anyhoo) and not even the other people who have one of those give a shit about an electric scout. The consensus is that it's going to be an overwrought cocoon rather than a simple and light 4x4. It's very difficult to build a vehicle like that for the US market any more; to get the weight down you have to use expensive materials. And EVs aren't really known for being light, either.
Regardless it will probably be a success unless it
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I want to see what happens to the vehicle range when it's used off pavement in difficult conditions.
This isn't me sealioning, I simply do not know how range is affected with electric powertrains when the terrain is rugged.
With combustion-powered vehicles, range is often much worse in difficult terrain, but with those it's fairly straightforward to pour more fuel into their fuel tanks. Obviously electrics are not going to enjoy that sort of benefit unless fuel-cell electrics are developed, and even then onl
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The decrease in range is much less with electric, because they are so much more efficient, and the tires do so much less slipping (because the traction control is so much better.) But the fact you can't conveniently refuel them makes them only good for short drives offroad... Still, if most people will only ever make an occasional visit to a curated park or similar, it won't be a problem for them.
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This guy seems to think the Rivian RT1's offroad range is perfectly adequate;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
100 to 150 miles offroad, enough for 8-10 hours. This is with the 20" wheels which are, according to Rivian the worst wheels for range (12.5% less range vs 21" wheels). Most of the energy consumption is used going uphill as you'd imagine, while coming back down the mountains is nearly free due to regenerative braking.
That also includes at least one lunch break wherein he used the onboard power syste
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Well, like I said, it will be plenty for the vast majority. The only people it won't work for are overlanders, who are expecting to spend days away from the nearest highway... or charge point. They would have to trailer a generator. This isn't an indictment against these vehicles, as they don't have to serve everyone. We could still move away from gasoline and diesel by moving those people to methane over time. The difference between running propane and methane is the tank and regulator (CNG and LNG are vas
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And for what it's worth I'm not looking for solutions that work for absolutely everyone either.
"Perfect is the enemy of good" as an adage comes to mind.
If approximately 80% of Americans live in urban or suburban areas, and if 80% of those only rarely drive more than 100 miles in a day, then electrics with a range of 150 miles, then well over 60% of private passenger vehicles could be replaced with electrics without any drivers being impacted by the change of power source. And that's being somewhat conserva
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The International Scout has a cult following, to the point where it's shown up in offroad racing games like Forza Horizon 5.
I'll bet that there are more than a few Gen Z folks who would be interested in one.
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When automakers choose to resurrect model names for new products it's usually because either they had something to do with the original product (ie the modern Dodge Challenger)
The only similarity the modern Dodge Challenger bears to the original is $WHEEL_COUNT
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Don't forget that VW's push into the EV market is somewhat mandated by the Volkswagen Clean Air Act Civil Settlement [epa.gov], their agreement with the EPA for falsifying the emissions-testing data on their diesel cars.
From the settlement:
Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Investment
The CAA 2.0 liter partial settlement requires Volkswagen to invest $2 billion in ZEV charging infrastructure and in the promotion of ZEVs. The ZEV investments required by the CAA 2.0 liter partial settlement are intended to address the fact that consumers purchased these illegal vehicles under the mistaken belief that such vehicles were lower-emitting than others. Electrify America, LLC, was created by Volkswagen Group of America to implement this requirement.
As part of the settlement, Volkswagen has submitted and will continue to submit as required a series of National ZEV Investment plans to EPA for review and approval based on criteria detailed in the consent decree. The settlement also requires that Volkswagen submit ZEV investment plans to California for the money to be spent in that state. The plans can be found here: https://www.electrifyamerica.c... [electrifyamerica.com]
Makes sense actually. (Score:3)
Front wheel drive.
Rear wheel drive.
4 wheel drive.
Left wheel drive.
Right wheel drive.
All on the same vehicle at the touch of a screen. (Yes, I am aware some of those options are foolish.)
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None of those options are foolish. But what you really want is not just left or right wheel drive but skid steer mode. Basically you want to be able to independently control the right wheels, left wheels, AND the steering wheel all at the same time. That would be ideal for wheeling. You ALSO want to be able to control not just power bias but also wheel speed bias, because overdriving the front can help decrease turning radius as well, and also improve ascent traction in the rear. And of course, an automatic
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I imagine picking up a modern game controller, they have plenty of inputs. Steer by sticks, power by triggers. Extra points if you can take it out of the vehicle so you can be your own spotter. It should have a proximity system that doesn't allow you to drive over yourself.
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In other words: a Rivian. This video explains [youtube.com] the why/how of Rivian's numerous AWD/4WD modes, and how very awesome
as the owner of a jeep wrangler (Score:2)
the cybertruck, i'm pretty sure at this point, is just imaginary. even if it does get released, it just doesn't excite me. my off road suv shouldn't be a hermetically sealed space capsule. i
INABIAF (Score:2)
i want a slightly clunky feeling open air platform that lets the dirt and bugs in there with me.
Good to see that car manufacturers can also get away with INABIAF every once in a while.
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Good to see that car manufacturers can also get away with INABIAF every once in a while.
It's true. every thing about the wrangler is technically bad. It's slow. It handles terribly. The ride is rough and bumpy. It all contributes to something that is super fun to drive.
efficiency is terrible and honestly i can't pretend to wave that away. The mpg is terrible and i feel bad for liking the car so much. The only way i can resolve my cognitive dissonance there is to support policies that seem to move us away from reliance on the tech.
efficiency is still an issue for electric drive, but i think
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If you don't mind 17-21 mpg fuel economy.
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If you don't mind 17-21 mpg fuel economy.
Yeah. efficiency is always an issue with a cube shape, especially at highway speeds. I'm looking forward to a time when the criticism of cars like a wrangler or bronco is that it only goes 200 miles on a charge instead of 400.
Strategy (Score:2)
From the looks of it VW wants to be a dominant EV player but they are looking for ways to get well established without going head to head against Tesla as much as possible. There are huge market swaths that Tesla is not covering.
Noteworthy that their CEO is the only one among the larger players that cultivated a positive relationship with Musk.
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I just wish that VW would sell all their models in the US, I can buy an Amarok pickup in Peru, but not here. I had a VW Rabbit pickup, one of the nicest vehicles that I've ever owned.
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I just wish that VW would sell all their models in the US, I can buy an Amarok pickup in Peru, but not here. I had a VW Rabbit pickup, one of the nicest vehicles that I've ever owned.
So they are just like every other manufacturer then. Usually if it isn't sold here, there is a very good (emissions, crash worthiness) reason.
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I used to think that, but now I suspect otherwise. America has a real problem with myopia and there has been a massive breakdown in diversification. Executives research what the absolute most popular and profitable product is, and aim to produce that product exclusively. You know, kind of like Apple.
I'm old enough to remember when you could buy cars in 30 colors. Now you're lucky if any vehicle is available in more colors than white, black, and silver (although, dark grey seems to becoming the new black
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You are correct. Today's VW's are essentially a step down from an unreliable Audi platform. Over complicated, prone to failure and expensive to repair.
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You are correct. Today's VW's are essentially a step down from an unreliable Audi platform. Over complicated, prone to failure and expensive to repair.
If you've ever owned one, you'd know that VWs are a step down just anything else in our market.
There is a reason they haven't been successful here in a long time.
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Why would you think they'd be any different from any other manufacturer? Even Toyota and Honda have their issues.
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There is no practical difference between an Audi and a VW except for the interior. In all other relevant ways, they are the same cars, made by the same company, and they share most of the same parts.
Your summary is spot on, though.
They should partner with Tesla (Score:2)
Details: Scout will be an independent U.S.-based company, which will allow it the flexibility to take on partners or other investors — or even go public some day, Volkswagen execs said.
Scout will develop what the company calls a “true American” electric SUV and pickup truck designed for rugged, off-road use.
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They probably don't want the Musk name to drag their brand down.
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I hope they don't let the marketing reps assume what would be "true American". Instead, about something that just doesn't suck:
First, a simple vehicle. This doesn't need to compete with the Ford/RAM/Chevy/GMC half-tons. It doesn't need to compete with the Jeep Gladiator. It just needs to do what a truck needs to do... haul a load, be roadworthy over long distances (both on highways and in traffic), be easily serviceable in sub-optimal conditions (as in there are no dealers in many hundreds of miles), be
Not an SUV, too expensive (Score:3, Insightful)
Based on the concept images, this is going to be a crossover or oversized hatchback. Just like Tesla, they will have problems scaling up the chassis/weight and keep the range and affordability within something people will want to pay for.
Going head to head with a $15k F150 that has 600 miles of range and fuels up in 5 minutes should not be a smaller, less powerful $75k vehicle.
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Agreed, I have people putting notes on my truck and car wanting to know if I want to sell it even in front of my house! I've responded to a few saying "Yeah I'll sell" and then giving them a number that's the new replacement cost. A couple has actually taken that bait but then come back and say they can't do it. But as Barnum said "There's a sucker born every minute", especially those who think they can get a new vehicle for MSRP in this market.
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As for MSRP, I got mine slightly below sticker (there are some small token discounts available from the manufacturers). Not that that is saying a lot, since MSRP has gone up nearly $10,000 since 2020. But other dealers around me are adding markups for a lot of models, including for custom orders which is normally unheard of. I look at used,
VW's Racist Commercial (Score:2, Informative)
Bet it won't be as "rugged" (Score:1)
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looks nice (Score:2)
It looks nice, it captures the original in this new wave of "neo-retro" (which will also die out quickly, as the only car to do well last time was the bug). Shame though as it will be so expensive, that one will have to take out a mortgage and make a half a house payment a month to have one... and as far as I can tell buying electric second hand cars 5-10 years from their new date isn't exactly a wise idea (even your basic econobox hybrid will need a 8 grand refurbed battery by then)
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I traded in my '07 Prius with 314,000 miles on it because the ICE motor was starting to make scary sounds. The battery was fine. The dealer said something like, "We should take the battery out and put it on display... No, wait, there are taxis in Seattle with 6 or 700,000 miles on them". The 2014 Prius I have now is closing on 300k and is doing fine.
Scout was a model, not a brand (Score:2)
As a person who once owned a 72 Scout II aka "Tuna Boat" the Scout was a model, not a brand. There was also the Travelall which you used when you wanted to take 20 friends camping.
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Interesting distinction. I would consider any trademarked name to be a "brand" but I could be mistaken.
My Dad Had An IH Scout... (Score:1)
Build quality and reliability were horrendous.
It leaked every fluid it had, copiously.
Wipers only worked on sunny days.
Doors did not fit.
Windows would suddenly drop down, after being stuck "up" for days.
Wandered all over the road on its own; driver was constantly correcting.
We also had an IH Travelall, which was an absolute beast of a truck.
Looked like the meanest 4x4 on the road; ate F-250s for snacks.
Unfortunately, the reliability was also crap.
"Scout" is not a brand th