Extra, Extra....Read All About It!

[THil08]

Must be apart of the CMF Video.

Oh crap! Sorry guys looks like we are waiting another month. Get the mozzarella sticks ready.

 

[dreamweaver]

Gotta love the comments at the bottom of the article.

They sure are not marketing people. Thats for sure.

 

[dreamweaver]

Jamie, but i need my scout to sound like an old IH when i hit that power button on my steering wheel. even if its for 10 seconds.

I was hoping we would't need a power/start button at all. Sorry, but I just can't come up with a good reason to need one.

 

[cyure]

I was hoping we would't need a power/start button at all. Sorry, but I just can't come up with a good reason to need one.

I’m coming from a regular key key. It would be so weird if there was nothing. I’m sure it would be quick to get used to, just different.

 

[bb00799]

I’m coming from a regular key key. It would be so weird if there was nothing. I’m sure it would be quick to get used to, just different.

Yeah I just like having buttons so thats why I like the start/stop

 

[dreamweaver]

I’m coming from a regular key key. It would be so weird if there was nothing. I’m sure it would be quick to get used to, just different.

I have been using keyless entry with push-to-start for a long time. My reasoning is with keyless entry it already knows I have the key when I open the door and it readies cluster and center-stack for start. Why not just let me place my foot on the brake and select a gear and go, eliminates one button action. Those that like buttons should be satisfied with gear selection button/talk.

 

[dreamweaver]

I see Lexus is getting on board with EV sports cars.

The Lexus LFA is back, and this time it's 100% electric

Lexus is bringing the sports car back, but this time the LFA will be fully electric and will be developed...

electrek.co

 

[cyure]

I see Lexus is getting on board with EV sports cars.

The Lexus LFA is back, and this time it's 100% electric

Lexus is bringing the sports car back, but this time the LFA will be fully electric and will be developed...

electrek.co

Yep and Toyota is making a couple GR GT cars. Not electric tho.

 

[J Alynn]

Must be apart of the CMF Video.

DAMN IT Man!!!!!

 

[J Alynn]

I see Lexus is getting on board with EV sports cars.

The Lexus LFA is back, and this time it's 100% electric

Lexus is bringing the sports car back, but this time the LFA will be fully electric and will be developed...

electrek.co

I would love one of these. Open top would be even better

 

[Chuckles]

Scout remains all in on factory-run service centers​

LOS ANGELES — Scout Motors remains committed to factory-run service centers and sees them as a crucial part of the brand’s U.S. launch despite another notable electric vehicle startup going in a different direction.

Scout, which plans to begin production at its South Carolina plant in late 2027, is set to follow Tesla, Rivian and Lucid with factory-run service centers. It will not have independent repair facilities handle maintenance like Slate Auto, another EV startup.
Cody Thacker, Scout’s vice president of commercial operations, said the Volkswagen Group-backed brand has been able to see what’s working with other direct-to-consumer auto brands when it comes to service — and, just as importantly, what’s not.
“We know that many DTC customers are frustrated with the service experience so we’ve leaned into that,” Thacker said during a fireside chat Nov. 20 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. “The way we describe our retail operations [is] digital-first experience, service-first infrastructure.”

Difficulties with service and parts availability, coupled with long repair wait times, are common issues consumers encounter with direct-to-consumer brands, Thacker said. To counter that, Scout plans to maximize service labor capacity. “We are absolutely over-indexing on service,” Thacker said. “In fact, for every year of our growth, we’re building 15 percent more service labor capacity than the anticipated need in that year. It allows us to learn. It allows us to grow. It allows us to always have availability for appointments for consumers.”
Scout is planning to open 25 brand-owned rooftops in the U.S. when production starts. The first 25 will either be Scout Studios, where customers shop and interact with a sales adviser, or Scout Workshops, where service is performed.

VW Group, VW Group of America and Scout maintain the startup is an independent corporate entity, something VW and Audi dealers in the U.S. have legally questioned as the brand pursues direct-to-consumer sales.

Scout plans to grow quickly after launching sales, reaching at total of 57 retail and service sites in Year 2, including two in Canada. Scout then plans to add 10 rooftops annually until it reaches 100 in 2032. Ninety-three will be in the U.S. while seven will be in Canada.

Scout is aiming to have around 1,400 service bays across the country staffed by about 900 technicians five years after the brand launches production, Thacker said. “We are investing heavily in providing [a] super-high-quality, fast-service experience,” Thacker said.
The brand has around 130,000 vehicle reservations. Thacker said 70 percent of reservation holders live within 45 minutes of one of the eventual rooftops. Almost all reservation holders live within a one- to two-hour drive of an eventual rooftop, Thacker said.

Slate aims to not follow the pack​

Slate Auto, which also plans direct-to-consumer sales, will use a network of independent repair shops to handle service and accessory installations for its two-door pickup.
Slate is partnering with RepairPal — a recommendation platform owned by Yelp — to connect customers with shops certified to work on its vehicles, including warranty repairs.
Analysts warn a poor customer experience at independent shops could hurt Slate’s image and scare off future buyers.
But a recent study from Cox Automotive found more U.S. consumers are turning to independent shops for maintenance and repairs instead of franchised dealerships.
Cox Automotive’s Service Industry Study, released in November, found dealerships handled 12 percent fewer service visits in 2025 than in 2018. Fifty-four percent of consumers with vehicles 2 years old or newer went back to the dealership where they purchased the vehicle for service, down from 72 percent in 2023.
Jeremy Snyder, Slate’s chief commercial officer, said one of the biggest challenges with launching a new automaker is having the right infrastructure to give customers the confidence they need to make a large purchase.
“It’s very important to us to not follow the pack but really think about how can we do this differently? How can we do this more efficiently?” he said during a media event in November.

 

[cyure]

Scout remains all in on factory-run service centers​

LOS ANGELES — Scout Motors remains committed to factory-run service centers and sees them as a crucial part of the brand’s U.S. launch despite another notable electric vehicle startup going in a different direction.

Scout, which plans to begin production at its South Carolina plant in late 2027, is set to follow Tesla, Rivian and Lucid with factory-run service centers. It will not have independent repair facilities handle maintenance like Slate Auto, another EV startup.
Cody Thacker, Scout’s vice president of commercial operations, said the Volkswagen Group-backed brand has been able to see what’s working with other direct-to-consumer auto brands when it comes to service — and, just as importantly, what’s not.
“We know that many DTC customers are frustrated with the service experience so we’ve leaned into that,” Thacker said during a fireside chat Nov. 20 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. “The way we describe our retail operations [is] digital-first experience, service-first infrastructure.”

Difficulties with service and parts availability, coupled with long repair wait times, are common issues consumers encounter with direct-to-consumer brands, Thacker said. To counter that, Scout plans to maximize service labor capacity. “We are absolutely over-indexing on service,” Thacker said. “In fact, for every year of our growth, we’re building 15 percent more service labor capacity than the anticipated need in that year. It allows us to learn. It allows us to grow. It allows us to always have availability for appointments for consumers.”
Scout is planning to open 25 brand-owned rooftops in the U.S. when production starts. The first 25 will either be Scout Studios, where customers shop and interact with a sales adviser, or Scout Workshops, where service is performed.

VW Group, VW Group of America and Scout maintain the startup is an independent corporate entity, something VW and Audi dealers in the U.S. have legally questioned as the brand pursues direct-to-consumer sales.

Scout plans to grow quickly after launching sales, reaching at total of 57 retail and service sites in Year 2, including two in Canada. Scout then plans to add 10 rooftops annually until it reaches 100 in 2032. Ninety-three will be in the U.S. while seven will be in Canada.

Scout is aiming to have around 1,400 service bays across the country staffed by about 900 technicians five years after the brand launches production, Thacker said. “We are investing heavily in providing [a] super-high-quality, fast-service experience,” Thacker said.
The brand has around 130,000 vehicle reservations. Thacker said 70 percent of reservation holders live within 45 minutes of one of the eventual rooftops. Almost all reservation holders live within a one- to two-hour drive of an eventual rooftop, Thacker said.

Slate aims to not follow the pack​

Slate Auto, which also plans direct-to-consumer sales, will use a network of independent repair shops to handle service and accessory installations for its two-door pickup.
Slate is partnering with RepairPal — a recommendation platform owned by Yelp — to connect customers with shops certified to work on its vehicles, including warranty repairs.
Analysts warn a poor customer experience at independent shops could hurt Slate’s image and scare off future buyers.
But a recent study from Cox Automotive found more U.S. consumers are turning to independent shops for maintenance and repairs instead of franchised dealerships.
Cox Automotive’s Service Industry Study, released in November, found dealerships handled 12 percent fewer service visits in 2025 than in 2018. Fifty-four percent of consumers with vehicles 2 years old or newer went back to the dealership where they purchased the vehicle for service, down from 72 percent in 2023.
Jeremy Snyder, Slate’s chief commercial officer, said one of the biggest challenges with launching a new automaker is having the right infrastructure to give customers the confidence they need to make a large purchase.
“It’s very important to us to not follow the pack but really think about how can we do this differently? How can we do this more efficiently?” he said during a media event in November.

I like to hear that! About SM that is.

 

[dreamweaver]

I like to hear that! About SM that is.

Great article. Thank you for posting it.