Audi could be preparing to enter the rugged off-road SUV market with a new model built in the United States. Plans involving the upcoming Scout Motors factory in South Carolina have raised questions about whether Audi will develop an off-roader using Scout’s platform. The $2 billion facility near Columbia is expected to produce 25,000 vehicles annually for the U.S. market and export.
Audi Could Build Vehicles at the Scout Motors Plant
Audi’s U.S. manufacturing plans have drawn attention following the announcement of a new plant in Georgia, which is expected to produce the Q7, Q8 and Q9 SUVs.
Audi also reportedly plans to build 25,000 vehicles annually in South Carolina, with production intended for both the U.S. market and export. The proposed location points to the new Scout Motors factory being developed near Columbia.
Scout Motors is being revived under the Volkswagen Group, which also owns Audi, to produce off-road-focused vehicles for American customers. The company’s upcoming lineup includes the Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra pickup.
Both models were initially unveiled with fully electric powertrains. They were later confirmed to also offer gasoline-powered range-extender systems.
Why Scout’s Platform Could Suit an Audi Off-Roader
The Scout Traveler and Terra are designed as body-on-frame vehicles, a construction method commonly associated with full-size domestic pickups and SUVs. This differs from the unibody architecture used by vehicles such as the Honda Ridgeline, which is based on the Pilot, and the Hyundai Santa Cruz.
Although modern automotive factories can accommodate a range of production requirements, manufacturing body-on-frame Scout models and a unibody Audi vehicle at the same facility would be unlikely. It would be even less likely for Audi to use the plant to produce a vehicle entirely unrelated to the Scout models already planned for production.
These factors have fueled speculation that Audi could use the South Carolina facility to build a rugged SUV sharing key underpinnings with Scout vehicles. Audi has not officially confirmed such a project.
Audi Has Previously Discussed Rugged SUVs
The possibility of an Audi off-roader is not new. In March, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner discussed the prospect of expanding the brand’s lineup in both directions after the launch of the Q9.
Döllner said the company “could also think about next steps and extending our portfolio in both directions.” He clarified that this could include “rugged terrain SUVs” as well as sports cars.
Although he did not confirm that Audi was developing a Scout-based off-roader, he left the possibility open.
“With the Audi brand, there’s a lot possible,” Döllner said. “And it’s only possible to think about that due to the fact that we are in the Volkswagen Group.”
His comments highlighted the potential for Audi to draw on resources and vehicle platforms within the Volkswagen Group as it considers expanding its lineup.
Audi Could Target the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Land Rover Defender
Döllner has previously expressed interest in competing with vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Land Rover Defender. Although these models do not sell in especially large numbers, they generate substantial revenue.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class uses a body-on-frame platform, a construction method that also underpins the Scout models. The latest Land Rover Defender, by contrast, uses a unibody chassis.
What We Know About Audi’s Potential Off-Roader
The reported plan to build 25,000 vehicles annually in South Carolina has strengthened speculation about a connection between Audi’s future off-road ambitions and Scout Motors’ manufacturing operations. However, Audi has not officially confirmed that it will build a Scout-based SUV at the facility.
For now, the potential off-roader remains unconfirmed, while Audi’s previous comments about rugged SUVs and the Scout plant’s planned production have kept the possibility in focus.
