Audi is reportedly exploring plans to build its first U.S.-produced luxury SUV, leveraging the all-new underpinnings of Volkswagen Group subsidiary Scout Motors in a move aimed squarely at American buyers and the growing premium off-road segment. While unconfirmed by either brand, the rumor has been kicking around for awhile.
More recently, multiple industry reports suggest the model would target rivals such as the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class from the brand of quattro, rally and the Dakar-conquering RS Q e-tron.
According to reports from Automotive News, Automobilwoche and other outlets, the SUV would be produced at Scout Motors’ new manufacturing facility in Blythewood, South Carolina, with production potentially beginning toward the end of 2027 – a timeframe that seems to align with what’s known of Scout’s own SUV rollout. If realized, the vehicle would mark Audi’s first SUV built in the United States and its first use of a ladder-frame chassis.
The rumored Audi model would be based on Scout’s forthcoming body-on-frame platform, which underpins the Scout Traveler SUV and planned Scout Terra pickup. Power is expected to come from a range-extender hybrid system, using electric motors for propulsion with a gasoline engine mounted in the rear of the chassis acting solely as a generator. Scout has indicated that more than 80 percent of customer reservations for its own vehicles are for this configuration, offering an estimated range of around 500 miles—significantly more than the fully electric variants.
For Audi, such a vehicle would represent a notable technical expansion. The brand has historically relied on unibody architectures and road-focused quattro all-wheel-drive systems. A Scout-based SUV would reportedly introduce technologies new to Audi’s lineup, including a ladder-frame chassis, mechanical locking differentials, and four-wheel-drive hardware designed for sustained off-road use.
Industry observers suggest domestic production could also help Audi mitigate tariff exposure and reduce its reliance on imported vehicles from Europe and Mexico. Audi currently does not operate a U.S. assembly plant of its own, making a shared facility with Scout the most viable path to American production without the cost of building a standalone factory.
While no official images or design details have surfaced, Audi has previously hinted at off-road ambitions through concept vehicles such as the Q6 e-tron offroad Concept, which showcased extreme ride height and portal axles. Reports suggest the Scout-based SUV would be larger and more box-oriented than Audi’s existing Q-series models, aligning it more closely with traditional rugged SUVs favored by North American buyers.
Renderings here were created by considering the shape of the Scout and integrating modern Audi design cues such as lights seen on the Concept C and pronounced box flare inspired fenders.
You’ll also note the name “WANDERER” on these renderings. There’s no rumor about a repurposing of the name, but up cycling the long dormant Auto Union brand would be an interesting maneuver. Audi has already used the Horch name on a special A8 for the Chinese market where long-wheelbase sedans are the pinnacle of luxury. In North America, where SUVs harkening the freedom of independence and off-road travel, the Wanderer name seems to fit the traditional SUV mould where names such as Wrangler, Explorer, Defender, Blazer have built. Additionally, with a Q9 already planned, Audi is running out of alphanumeric single numeral badges, particularly at the top of the range.
Neither Audi nor Scout Motors has confirmed the project, and timelines remain speculative. Still, if the reports prove accurate, the model would signal a strategic shift for Audi—pairing its luxury positioning with authentic off-road capability and a manufacturing footprint rooted in the U.S. market.
As of now, the potential Audi Scout-platform SUV remains firmly in rumor territory, but one that underscores how seriously Volkswagen Group appears to be taking the premium off-road space in North America.
