Off Road Performance

[Knifeman]

When I turned 16, I was handed the keys to a copper-colored '79 Scout II Traveler. It had a 345 V8 engine and felt like a tank on wheels. With its incredible four-wheel-drive capabilities, all my high school buddies were envious. No one wanted to challenge me in a pull-off in the senior lot; I would simply put the Scout in Low Low and effortlessly pull anyone across the yard.

Now, my main concern with this new version from Volkswagen is whether it will be the off-road king it once was or just a glorified nostalgic revival of an amazing machine. While I appreciate the modernized classic design and love the refined new look, I also welcome the nicer creature comforts. I want both comfort and extras, but I also want the off-road toughness that no one can compete with. The transition into the EV world raises questions about its off-road capabilities. What is the goal of this rebirth? Is it simply to profit from nostalgia, or is it a genuine effort to remake and honor what a true Scout represents?

 

[oldgeeksguide]

I want both comfort and extras, but I also want the off-road toughness that no one can compete with. … is it a genuine effort to remake and honor what a true Scout represents?

Welcome!

I’m no off road expert, but from everything we’ve seen it sounds like the new scout will be right up your alley. They’ve shown a lot of respect for scout history and culture, and definitely seem to be aiming for that combination of toughness, off-road and work truck capability, with a good amount of comfort and tech thrown in.

 

[R1TVT]

When I turned 16, I was handed the keys to a copper-colored '79 Scout II Traveler. It had a 345 V8 engine and felt like a tank on wheels. With its incredible four-wheel-drive capabilities, all my high school buddies were envious. No one wanted to challenge me in a pull-off in the senior lot; I would simply put the Scout in Low Low and effortlessly pull anyone across the yard.

Now, my main concern with this new version from Volkswagen is whether it will be the off-road king it once was or just a glorified nostalgic revival of an amazing machine. While I appreciate the modernized classic design and love the refined new look, I also welcome the nicer creature comforts. I want both comfort and extras, but I also want the off-road toughness that no one can compete with. The transition into the EV world raises questions about its off-road capabilities. What is the goal of this rebirth? Is it simply to profit from nostalgia, or is it a genuine effort to remake and honor what a true Scout represents?

Scout is an independent company, so the new version is not from VW. While VW has an ownership stake, this is not a VW. In terms of toughness and off-road capability, I would point to the Rivian R1T, as there a tons of videos of the truck doing incredible things like Hells Gate, Rubicon, TransAmerica Trail, Rebelle Ralleye, Long Way Up, etc... Almost more impressive is how fast and smooth and powerful an EV truck can be. A quad motor R1T can climb Pike's Peak in under 11 minutes and still do all that off-road stuff. The new Scout will be an impressive vehicle with some features that the Rivian does not provide today. I love that the Terra will have a longer bed and roll-down rear-window, with a potentially different suspension system and the possibility of a bench seat. Other people love that it will have more physical controls (toggles and switches) than the Rivian. Others love the nod to the old Scout and Scout's legacy and off-Road capability. It is clear that it is being designed from the ground up with wide-ranging capabilities in mind, and they will benefit from Rivian's zonal architecture and SW partnership. Smart move on Scout's part.

 

[cyure]

I am on episode 3 of Long Way Up. Great show. Highly recommend. Long Way Down is great too just nothing to do with anything electric. Just a good show.

 

[BartMan Terra Total EV]

When I turned 16, I was handed the keys to a copper-colored '79 Scout II Traveler. It had a 345 V8 engine and felt like a tank on wheels. With its incredible four-wheel-drive capabilities, all my high school buddies were envious. No one wanted to challenge me in a pull-off in the senior lot; I would simply put the Scout in Low Low and effortlessly pull anyone across the yard.

Now, my main concern with this new version from Volkswagen is whether it will be the off-road king it once was or just a glorified nostalgic revival of an amazing machine. While I appreciate the modernized classic design and love the refined new look, I also welcome the nicer creature comforts. I want both comfort and extras, but I also want the off-road toughness that no one can compete with. The transition into the EV world raises questions about its off-road capabilities. What is the goal of this rebirth? Is it simply to profit from nostalgia, or is it a genuine effort to remake and honor what a true Scout represents?

Trust funder. Just kidding I am jealous as I was given the keys to a 1976 VW rabbit on my 16th birthday. Not quite as manly to say the least. Not to sound like a fan boy but the whole rebirth thing is part off road but off road on new electric vehicle technology. I feel like Scout should not go to crazy with off road prowess as it just kills aerodynamics. God knows we don't want it to look like a Hummer EV. I know boomers like us long for the old days but this whole experiment is based on the performance of EV systems and of course the environment impacts of ICE engines. During winter invertions Salt Lake City has the worst air quality in the world. I feel Scout is striking the perfect balance of off road capability and EV technology.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I took my Lighting on some minor off-road trails near Moab a couple of months ago. The off-road capabilities of the full-size, all-stock F-150 Lightning were surprising given its girth, length, and low clearance. If the Scout could lose a bit of its width, maybe 6 inches, IMO it will be a better off-roader than any other stock production vehicle available in the US. If Scout offers a "sport" version of the Scout, it would be absolutely fantastic.

I feel like Scout should not go to crazy with off road prowess as it just kills aerodynamics. God knows we don't want it to look like a Hummer EV.

Many of the "off-road" modifications made in the hobby/sport of off-roading are not nearly as useful for actual off-roading as often believed. Wide tires, for example aren't as useful for meaningful traction on the trail as skinny tires of the same make/model/diameter. There's a myth that they provide better floatation, but at best they provide the same contact patch area at the same pressure, and in the end they provide less traction than their skinny variants (in part because the skinny tires flex forward and backward toward the obstacles to be driven over). I could go on an on about the myths prevalent in the off-roading community, but this isn't the place for it.

 

[Jamie@ScoutMotors]

When I turned 16, I was handed the keys to a copper-colored '79 Scout II Traveler. It had a 345 V8 engine and felt like a tank on wheels. With its incredible four-wheel-drive capabilities, all my high school buddies were envious. No one wanted to challenge me in a pull-off in the senior lot; I would simply put the Scout in Low Low and effortlessly pull anyone across the yard.

Now, my main concern with this new version from Volkswagen is whether it will be the off-road king it once was or just a glorified nostalgic revival of an amazing machine. While I appreciate the modernized classic design and love the refined new look, I also welcome the nicer creature comforts. I want both comfort and extras, but I also want the off-road toughness that no one can compete with. The transition into the EV world raises questions about its off-road capabilities. What is the goal of this rebirth? Is it simply to profit from nostalgia, or is it a genuine effort to remake and honor what a true Scout represents?

Unless you are asking a rhetorical question, I assume you haven't looked at the specs we have published so far.

- Clean sheet of paper design
- Body on frame chassis
- Locking front and rear differentials
- Solid rear axle
- Swaybar disconnect will be offered
- Both standard and air suspension options
- 35" inch tires with the offroad package and capable of larger
- Removable front and rear bumpers
- Rock sliders can be installed

And on and on. So yes, very capable.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Unless you are asking a rhetorical question, I assume you haven't looked at the specs we have published so far.

- Clean sheet of paper design
- Body on frame chassis
- Locking front and rear differentials
- Solid rear axle
- Swaybar disconnect will be offered
- Both standard and air suspension options
- 35" inch tires with the offroad package and capable of larger
- Removable front and rear bumpers
- Rock sliders can be installed

And on and on. So yes, very capable.

Please sell me a skinnier Scout so I can safely take it on the Elephant Hill loop in Canyonlands!
A 70-inch or even 74 inch wide (including mirrors) Scout would just blow away the competition.

 

[dreamweaver]

When I turned 16, I was handed the keys to a copper-colored '79 Scout II Traveler. It had a 345 V8 engine and felt like a tank on wheels. With its incredible four-wheel-drive capabilities, all my high school buddies were envious. No one wanted to challenge me in a pull-off in the senior lot; I would simply put the Scout in Low Low and effortlessly pull anyone across the yard.

Now, my main concern with this new version from Volkswagen is whether it will be the off-road king it once was or just a glorified nostalgic revival of an amazing machine. While I appreciate the modernized classic design and love the refined new look, I also welcome the nicer creature comforts. I want both comfort and extras, but I also want the off-road toughness that no one can compete with. The transition into the EV world raises questions about its off-road capabilities. What is the goal of this rebirth? Is it simply to profit from nostalgia, or is it a genuine effort to remake and honor what a true Scout represents?

Scout. “People. Connections. Community. Authenticity." Welcome to the Scout community. Enjoy the ride.

 

[Jamie@ScoutMotors]

Please sell me a skinnier Scout so I can safely take it on the Elephant Hill loop in Canyonlands!
A 70-inch or even 74 inch wide (including mirrors) Scout would just blow away the competition.

Not on the launch platform. But future models could fit this category.