Scout's Design Strategy for Resurrecting the Brand - AAH 721

[@mladenbasic1]

This is hands down one of the most honest interviews I have seen. The first half was easily one of the best moments in after hours in a long time!

[@cesartrujillo4190]

I always love the human element to these interviews. I definitely connected with this having worked multiple jobs and sleeping in my car when I didn’t have a place yet.

[@tonyjipechala88]

Excellent interview! I can’t wait to see those come to life.

[@jayyocis8643]

He changed my idea of what the Scout stood for and meant. His emotions were real, his vision is real and it should do well.

[@Derpy1969]

One good thing about Scout: its target market has no idea it existed previously.

[@damongnojek3912]

I can’t wait for Scout to release the R3 before Rivian.

[@0my]

Not true

[@by9917]

I lived in Indiana from the mid 80s til about 2010. I was told by a local that Scouts were made in Fort Wayne, IN and back in the 70s almost every vehicle on the road there was a Scout.

[@jeffcarroll3831]

Now that guy gets it, makes me want to buy a scout...

[@TeknoMage13]

Wish the audio wasn't terrible.

[@hughmackellar7941]

Great interview boys. A Scout pick-up would make a good replacement for my Maverick.

[@webonics]

Props to him for that conviction and work ethic. And props to his leadership at Mercedes-Benz for caring about their employees. I had to work full-time while attending university full-time for both bachelors and masters degrees as well as work a second job for many years after to pay off my student loans. Chris' story makes me want to buy a Scout even more to know this is the caliber of workforce building these amazing vehicles.

[@chuckgrenci6404]

The original Scout was in the forefront of what we now call the SUV and was a great alternative back in the day, the new Scout is late and has a long uphill battle; wish them the best but don't think they're going to make it.

[@at4466]

Volkswagen needs a new truck brand for the U.S. market following the diesel scandal. That's the essence of the situation. The new Scout closely resembles the second-generation Ranger-based Amarok that is sold in Africa. It’s clear that Ford did not want this Amarok to be marketed in the U.S. as it is, which is why they are presenting it under the 'Scout' brand.

[@yorkchris10]

We had a IH Farmall Cub. I think the ' man on a tractor' logo won a design award. Now there are tractors without a cab or seat. Anything ending with 'all' and Cub, Cadet could be hobby farm clients.

[@mikemcallister3138]

What a great story !

[@gmv0553]

The K5 Blazer and GMC Jimmy popularity which started in 1969 lead to the Scout and small Bronco demise. I bought a brand new 1972 K5 Blazer when I was in the military and it offered so call luxury over the competition. And it also offered the utility which was the main strength of the vehicle. And it was the size of a full size pickup but shorter.

[@highlanderapparel]

I like this guy and what he’s saying I could totally relate to it. I was born in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan and now people come to me asking me about my nuclear technology. What a crazy world brother what a crazy world hi Sean.😂 the Highlander

[@urbanstrencan]

What an inspiring story from Chris Benjamin, one of the best podcast episodes😍😍😍 Can't wait to see Scout on the roads they nailed the design. Really hope that they bring it to Europe

[@TalismanPHX]

A neighbor in Pennsylvania had an orange 2 door IH Scout in the early 70s. He had it until at least 1979 when we moved. It was really rust-eaten by then.

[@jyom3371]

great job on the CMF!

[@TotallyNotARoboto]

I’m 25 minutes in and I have no idea what’s going on with Scout. A designer who’s not excited about startups or taking risks doesn’t feel like the kind of person that’s gonna bring us a lot of inspiring design. Good luck Scout, you’re gonna need it.

[@highlanderapparel]

Sean why am I getting break up in the audio?😮 the Highlander.

[@cassidybb10]

Really enjoyed this interview. But can't buy one for three years?

[@rwgamer]

Bad distorted audio again.

[@michaelmackey754]

They are going to really need a lot of good luck for this deal

[@davidricardo86]

I wish they would've talked about how the Scouts look like VW-Rivian rebadges. They obviously let the Scout designers massage the exterior but the proportions scream Rivian. I'm speculating here but could this be part of that VW-Rivian partnership too? Could Scouts be built in the Normal, Illinois Rivian factory considering these will probably be low-volume trucks? Isn't Scout going online direct sales too?

The chassis is completely different than the Rivian, it's very heavy duty body on full frame.

[@chrisg8995]

Who no comparable images of old/ original Scouts?

[@doug1olson]

Interesting to hear about the design but for myself I don't really care about the design, I just care about the functionality. The launch event actually put me off some because I wanted to hear about what it can do and the focus on design makes me think this is just a bunch of fluff and not something with capability. I put my money down on the EREV pickup in hopes that it will turn out to be a useful vehicle for towing my travel trailer. At some point I hope you do a program focused on the functionality of the Scout, and include some discussion of why this is just not a Rivian wannabe. Thx.

The reason it's not just a Rivian wannabe is the design of the chassis and running gear, it's much more rugged.

[@RkyMtnHiker]

Love the Scout except that it is an EV.

[@babstude]

Very cool; but to be a downer what are the odds of this coming to fruition ? VW is done for so is a Chinese company going to buy them and introduce Scout ? Maybe ....

[@rgeniec]

This may never get to market with all of the VW problems.

[@0my]

Sad but true

[@wagawaga174]

False, talked with a Employee from Scout. He said VW is just an investor, Scout is proceeding with its business with no effect whatsoever from VWs problems. Scout is an independent company not owned by VW. VW just happens to be an investor of the American Brand.

[@rgeniec]

@@wagawaga174 I hope you are correct. It’s a niche brand like Rivian. I hope they succeed.

[@therealniksongs]

@@wagawaga174 Not sure that's quite accurate. The Scout name was intellectual property of Navistar, inherited from it's previous existence as International Harvester, who built the original Scout. VW acquired Navistar recently and now that it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of VW, folded it into its Traton group which is VW's commercial truck division which also owns the European makes MAN and Scania (which once was owned by SAAB.) So...even if Scout Motors is nominally "independent" VW is more than just an "investor." It's a lot more like the relationship that GM had with Saturn when they started it. Yeah a "separate" company, sort of, but not really.

[@chrisg8995]

Who’s providing the software? Rivian? 3 years… Hmmm… they have a less than 50% chance of making it. Wish that weren’t the case.

[@Oosh21]

Why so long? 2-year product cycles, maybe 3 if you're "new" but with backing like VW, is where the industry should be. Stop polishing the monument. Get it built and out the door.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

If it ain't priced right it'll be nipped in the bud. Superlatives about design ethos blah blah mean nought if it's out of reach of the masses, you need cash flow!

[@chrisg8995]

Bench seat!!!

[@blakeanderson9479]

I think he has done a great job of creating a modern Scout that has a traditional look with a modern twist. These were great vehicles in their day, I only hope VW can actually build a real EV for a change, not a piece of crap like everything else they do.

[@motorbreath22]

Another unaffordable "lux" brand. Good luck

[@frostcb2]

High turnover rate quitter.

[@mbeliv3763]

sorry but boring

[@InternetDude]

To me, Scout is nearly a carbon copy of a Rivian. Literally the #1 thing needed was to put in circle headlights like the old Scout and they failed at that. I see nothing unique or special or retro about the Scout prototypes. Kinda bland to be honest. Not exciting at all.

Completely different under the skin, the Scout is much more rugged.

[@ruly999]

The Rivian design influence on the new Scout is obvious, especially in the interior. But the Scout is also definitely not the same vehicle as the Rivian. They did a great job differentiating the Scout and making it a unique vehicle.

[@tubetv2007]

Hard pass

[@tubetv2007]

Hard pass

[@tubetv2007]

Hard pass

Try a stool softener.