VW To Resurrect the IH Scout as an Electric Vehicle.

[shooterdon]

I just don't get the voluptuous interiors on 4 wheel drive vehicles.

Ever do work or play with one off road? I just don't want to be afraid to get the vehicle dirty because the interior options cost so much money LOL

If you lived in northern MI, you would understand that having 4WD is important even on your daily driver. We get over 120" of snow a year.

 

[paulsharvey]

Any official word on when you can see/touch a real new Scout?

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I have a leather seating area, and feel it cleans up easier than fabric.

 

[ultrarunner]

Some BMW cars have imitation leather that I have come to like… 25 years old and looks like new and fools many…

 

[Sigarms]

If you lived in northern MI, you would understand that having 4WD is important even on your daily driver. We get over 120" of snow a year.

I get it, I used to live in NY.

Point being if you look at the auto market, Northern states of course need AWD or 4X4, but that's not where the major market is. Between California, Texas and Florida, by 2023 numbers, those 3 states totaled 63 million licensed drivers. Although states like Michigan and NY have a higher percentage of SUV type vehicles vs their state population, vs other states, Michigan and NY actually have less SUV's per total owned.

At the end of the day, manufacturers have to cater to their markets, which is probably more important to them vs where you actually live as in needed one.

 

[Torvy]

We had a white Travelall for a few years...'73 to maybe '76 or so.

Horrible time to own a gas hog. We liked it though. Nice upgrade from the station wagon it replaced.

If you lived in northern MI, you would understand that having 4WD is important even on your daily driver. We get over 120" of snow a year.

Toyota has a lot of AWD vehicles now. They bought 20% of Subaru and are using the Subaru AWD system on the Toyota line and the Toyota hybrid system on the Subaru line.

Back in the day, we were happy to have one 4WD in case of emergency.

 

[Oaktree]

Point being if you look at the auto market, Northern states of course need AWD or 4X4, but that's not where the major market is. Between California, Texas and Florida, by 2023 numbers, those 3 states totaled 63 million licensed drivers. Although states like Michigan and NY have a higher percentage of SUV type vehicles vs their state population, vs other states, Michigan and NY actually have less SUV's per total owned.

At the end of the day, manufacturers have to cater to their markets, which is probably more important to them vs where you actually live as in needed one.

Which surprises me at how many AWD vehicles do not have the option of selecting 2WD when the extra traction isn't needed. Especially these days with the push to squeeze every possible MPG out of a vehicle.
Suburus immediately come to mind, but there are others too.

 

[QRTRHRS]

We had a white Travelall for a few years...'73 to maybe '76 or so.

Horrible time to own a gas hog. We liked it though. Nice upgrade from the station wagon it replaced.
Toyota has a lot of AWD vehicles now. They bought 20% of Subaru and are using the Subaru AWD system on the Toyota line and the Toyota hybrid system on the Subaru line.

Back in the day, we were happy to have one 4WD in case of emergency.

I bought my first IH, a 1210, 304, 4spd (3/4 ton single rear wheels) in 72'. The truck had a helper spring pack on the rear that would launch you into "outer space" empty. I traded it in on a 73' Scout, 345 auto 4x4. The pickup got around 14mpg with a the 304 engine where as the Scout got about 8 on a good day. I was lucky to have a friend with a gas station who let me fill under the cover of darkness. The scout had manual hubs up front. If locked in but running in two wheel drive only on a mostly cleared road, you had to watch when you hit an icy spot.

Around 80' or 81', I bought a 75' IH 1110, 345, 4x4 4spd. Parts were already becoming hard to get. It needed brakes and I had to have my local NAPA shop send the front calipers out to get rebuilt. I forget the mpg but it was a heck of a lot better than the Scout's 345 auto.

 

[ruffdog]

More info on the new scout:

VW launches pickup with feature that's been missing for a decade

 

[rontaki]

More info on the new scout:

VW launches pickup with feature that's been missing for a decade

IF it becomes available on this side of the pond, with a TDI engine plus 4WD or AWD, I just might have to have one, no matter what. Dieselgate probably nuked the TDI option for us here in the States. No more small diesels, just more CO² due to burning more oil for the same transportation.