Audi is reportedly planning a new rugged off-road SUV to compete with the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class, which will be built in the U.S. using the same platform as the Scout.
According to Automobilwoche, citing internal sources, Audi has decided not to build its own U.S. factory but will instead use Scout’s ladder-frame platform for the new model.
Both Audi and Scout are part of the Volkswagen Group, and Audi CEO Gernot Döllner has previously stated that a large off-road SUV would complement the brand’s expanding lineup, including the new Q9, which will be produced at VW’s Slovakia plant starting in 2026.
Luxury off-road vehicles like the Defender and G-Class continue to sell strongly worldwide, including in Australia, where the Defender is JLR’s top-selling model despite a starting price of around AUD 100,000 (~2.1 million THB). Meanwhile, G-Class sales in Australia have increased nearly 36% this year.
In October 2024, Scout revealed the Terra pickup and Traveler SUV, which are expected to enter production in late 2027 at a new plant in South Carolina. Scout CEO Scott Keogh confirmed that both models will first target the U.S. and Canadian markets before expanding to other regions. Producing the vehicles in the U.S. will allow Audi to avoid new factory costs and import tariffs. Currently, Audi does not manufacture vehicles in the U.S. and relies on imports from Mexico and Europe.
Keogh also noted that the Scout plant could potentially produce other VW Group models in the future, with an initial annual production capacity of over 200,000 vehicles.
Audi aims to boost U.S. sales after the first nine months of this year saw an 8% decline to under 130,000 units. Part of the slowdown has been attributed to increased import tariffs under the Trump administration, prompting Audi to revise its 2025 profit forecast. The company’s CFO estimates that U.S. import duties alone will cost Audi around €1.3 billion (~48 billion THB) this year.
Volkswagen revived the Scout brand last year, planning an electric pickup and SUV inspired by the original Scout models (1961–1980). The new Scout vehicles use a ladder-frame chassis with a solid rear axle, mechanical front and rear differential locks, and a front sway bar that can disconnect for greater wheel articulation, capable of water fording over 900 mm.
The currently revealed Scout Terra EV pickup and Traveler EV SUV feature an 800-volt system with dual electric motors, offering up to 563 km of range and 0–100 km/h acceleration in under four seconds. Extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants are also planned, which are expected to power the Audi off-road SUV based on the Scout Traveler platform.
Source: CarExpert
