We’ve recognized for some time that Volkswagen had plans to revive the Scout identify, and this week, we lastly acquired to see the primary two automobiles deliberate for the brand new electrical automaker — an SUV and pickup truck. It nonetheless stays to be seen whether or not or not Scout will likely be successful as soon as manufacturing begins in 2027, however apart from trying cool, additionally they include the distinct benefit of being bought on to the client, no third-party vendor required. As you possibly can think about, the sellers should not glad about this. Not one bit.
Automotive Information stories the Nationwide Car Sellers Affiliation CEO Mike Stanton is satisfied Scout’s choice to chop out the middlemen is a mistake that “will likely be challenged.” In the meantime, Volkswagen Nationwide Supplier Advisory Council chairman Charlie Corridor instructed AutoNews that Volkswagen didn’t clue them in forward of the Scout announcement.
“Assuming they take this different path, let’s face it, there’s going to be challenges and issues for them nearly in every single place throughout the nation,” Automotive Commerce Affiliation Executives’ 2024 chairman John Devlin instructed Auto Information. “My counterparts across the nation should not simply going to roll over.”
Whether or not their authorized challenges will succeed or not remains to be fully up within the air, however it’s value declaring that Scout has been arrange as its personal unbiased firm, and that sellers knew as early as Could 13, 2022 that they might haven’t any computerized declare to the automobiles that Scout produced. So whereas it’s comprehensible that they’d be disillusioned they gained’t get the pickup truck they’ve needed for years, it isn’t like Volkswagen modified its thoughts after promising they’d all have the ability to promote Scouts as quickly as they went into manufacturing. Nonetheless, the sellers don’t plan to take this laying down.
“Why would the most effective, handiest worth proposition to distribute automobiles to prospects not be your first selection?” Devlin requested Auto Information. “And why would you reject an present distribution and gross sales system that already exists?”
