Audi considering body-on-frame SUV with Scout platform by 2030
Audi may launch a body-on-frame SUV using Scout platform
Audi considering body-on-frame SUV with Scout platform by 2030
Audi is exploring a body-on-frame SUV, possibly based on Scout Motors' platform, to compete with models like Mercedes G-Class and Land Rover Defender by 2030.
2026-03-04T08:04:40+03:00
2026-03-04T08:04:40+03:00
2026-03-04T08:04:40+03:00
Audi is considering the possibility of producing a genuine body-on-frame SUV, but the project will only get the green light if a key condition is met: the availability of a ready-made frame platform. This was stated by the company's CEO, Gernot Döllner.He noted that developing its own architecture from scratch is economically unfeasible. Any potential model would need to be based on an existing architecture; otherwise, the project simply wouldn't make sense.Within the Volkswagen Group, a logical candidate could be the new architecture from the Scout Motors brand. The electric Terra pickup and Traveler SUV are set to enter production in the coming years and will feature a body-on-frame construction with the option for a gasoline range extender.Audi previously showcased the Q6 e-tron Offroad concept, but it was built on the PPE platform and lacked a traditional frame. Döllner made it clear that to compete with vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Land Rover Defender, an authentic body-on-frame construction is necessary.If the project is approved, its debut is unlikely to occur before 2030. Moreover, the model would probably be significantly more expensive than the upcoming Scout vehicles, whose starting price in the U.S. is expected to be under $60,000.In parallel, Audi is expanding its SUV lineup in the traditional direction: a three-row Q9 is anticipated to debut this year, with a new generation of the Q7 expected in 2026.If Audi does create a body-on-frame SUV, it would mark a strategic shift for a brand traditionally focused on unibody crossovers. The segment of 'luxury rugged SUVs' has grown sharply in recent years, with models like the G-Class, Defender, Lexus GX, and even the Ford Bronco Raptor showing strong demand.Leveraging the Scout platform would allow Audi to minimize investment while entering a high-margin niche. Furthermore, such a model could serve as an electric or hybrid response to the growing popularity of EREV architectures in the U.S., combining frame-based off-road capability with an electrified powertrain—a format that, by 2030, could become a new standard in the premium off-road segment.
Audi is exploring a body-on-frame SUV, possibly based on Scout Motors' platform, to compete with models like Mercedes G-Class and Land Rover Defender by 2030.
Michael Powers, Editor
Audi is considering the possibility of producing a genuine body-on-frame SUV, but the project will only get the green light if a key condition is met: the availability of a ready-made frame platform. This was stated by the company's CEO, Gernot Döllner.
He noted that developing its own architecture from scratch is economically unfeasible. Any potential model would need to be based on an existing architecture; otherwise, the project simply wouldn't make sense.
Within the Volkswagen Group, a logical candidate could be the new architecture from the Scout Motors brand. The electric Terra pickup and Traveler SUV are set to enter production in the coming years and will feature a body-on-frame construction with the option for a gasoline range extender.
Audi previously showcased the Q6 e-tron Offroad concept, but it was built on the PPE platform and lacked a traditional frame. Döllner made it clear that to compete with vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Land Rover Defender, an authentic body-on-frame construction is necessary.
If the project is approved, its debut is unlikely to occur before 2030. Moreover, the model would probably be significantly more expensive than the upcoming Scout vehicles, whose starting price in the U.S. is expected to be under $60,000.
In parallel, Audi is expanding its SUV lineup in the traditional direction: a three-row Q9 is anticipated to debut this year, with a new generation of the Q7 expected in 2026.
If Audi does create a body-on-frame SUV, it would mark a strategic shift for a brand traditionally focused on unibody crossovers. The segment of 'luxury rugged SUVs' has grown sharply in recent years, with models like the G-Class, Defender, Lexus GX, and even the Ford Bronco Raptor showing strong demand.
Leveraging the Scout platform would allow Audi to minimize investment while entering a high-margin niche. Furthermore, such a model could serve as an electric or hybrid response to the growing popularity of EREV architectures in the U.S., combining frame-based off-road capability with an electrified powertrain—a format that, by 2030, could become a new standard in the premium off-road segment.
