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Audi reportedly weighs new off-road SUV built on Scout platform
Audi is reportedly considering a body-on-frame off-road SUV based on the Scout, with an unnamed US official linking around 25,000 annual units in South Carolina to the German brand.
By George Kensington · 3 min read
Audi is reportedly exploring a new off-road SUV that would be based on the Scout, the rugged vehicle platform developed by Volkswagen Group's American arm. According to information attributed to an unnamed US official, the project is linked to a production plant in South Carolina with capacity for around 25,000 units a year. The report points to a body-on-frame vehicle rather than the unibody construction used by most modern crossovers, which would place the car in a different category from the brand's existing road-focused models.
The body-on-frame layout is traditionally favoured by serious off-road vehicles because it separates the body from a rigid ladder-style chassis. That arrangement generally offers greater durability and towing capability than unibody designs, and it would give Audi a vehicle aimed at buyers who want genuine terrain capability rather than a purely urban image. For a brand whose SUV range has been built largely around on-road comfort and premium styling, such a model would represent a noticeable shift in direction.
The South Carolina link is significant because the state already hosts Volkswagen Group's American production operations. Using existing facilities would allow the group to share manufacturing infrastructure and reduce the cost of bringing a new model to market. Automakers increasingly rely on this kind of arrangement as development budgets rise and electrification demands more capital, so a shared-platform approach with Scout would fit a wider pattern of cost-sharing across the group's brands.
The figure of 25,000 annual units is the most concrete element of the report, but it describes capacity associated with the plant rather than a confirmed production target for this specific vehicle. Without that distinction, it is easy to overstate what is known. Likewise, the report does not indicate whether the Audi model would share its engine, drivetrain or suspension with the Scout, leaving those questions open.
The information remains unconfirmed. Audi has not publicly announced the vehicle, and the source of the figures has not been named beyond the description of an unnamed US official. Until the company makes an official statement, the project should be regarded as a reported plan rather than a confirmed programme. Details such as powertrain, timing, pricing and final name are not available, and no reaction from Audi or Volkswagen Group has been published alongside the report.
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