Scout models to be sold through boutiques in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia
The first two models to be offered by Scout Motors, an electric division of the Volkswagen Group, were recently unveiled. The Traveller SUV and Terra pickup will be sold in Canada, and now we know how.
Basically, it'll be done through a network of shop-in-shops that will offer sales and service in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. Company spokesperson Lindsay Bago confirmed this to the Canadian branch of the Automotive News magazine on November 5.
The Scout brand, which will operate as an independent manufacturer, aims to establish a "one-to-one relationship" with its customers, as opposed to the parent company's reliance on a dealer network. The focus will be on direct sales to consumers.
A total of seven Scout boutiques are planned in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa by 2032. The locations will feature dedicated sales and service areas, as well as test-drive facilities for consumers.
To complement this, Scout is planning mobile service units that will carry out repairs for customers within a 300-kilometre radius of the stores. This was stated by Cody Thacker at the recent model unveiling in Nashville. Thacker is Scout's vice president of commercial operations.
Both new products promise interesting off-road capabilities, as they will be built on a ladder chassis designed for electric propulsion. Both vehicles are, of course, inspired by the Scout models marketed by International Harvester that were popular in North America in the 1960s and 1970s.
Scout is building an assembly plant in South Carolina to begin production of both vehicles in 2027.
The company has already opened reservations for Canadian consumers. Buyers can pay a $150 refundable deposit to reserve the Traveller or Terra pickup. The company is targeting retail prices under $60,000 for both vehicles, but at the time of writing, nothing has been announced or decided for the Canadian market.