WORDS: SCOUT MOTORS PHOTOS: SCOUT MOTORS / JOHN Ryan HEBERT
o you remember the first time you saw a Scout® truck? Do you remember the impression that it made? Perhaps you grew up around them, were driven to school in one, or partook in the classic all-American family road trip in a Scout vehicle. No matter what, the 8-day-a-week truck has a way of leaving a lasting impression.
So how do you re-create the magic of seeing a Scout for the first time, all over again? For many attendees, the Los Angeles Auto Show would be their first time seeing the new Scout Motors vehicles in person. For us, it was something even bigger.
The LA Auto Show marked Scout Motors’ first auto show appearance since 1980—more than four decades after the last Scout II™ rolled off the line. A return that’s been a long time in the making, and a significant milestone for the brand as it reclaims its place in the automotive landscape.
And Los Angeles was the perfect place to do it. Few cities better reflect the lifestyle Scout vehicles are being designed for, where ocean highways, mountain roads, farmland, and open desert all exist within a short drive. And how our Scout trucks showed up mattered just as much as where.
"Three legacy Scout vehicles anchored the space, connecting past to present: a Scout II repurposed as a merchandise truck, a classic Scout 80, and the 1976 vintage Race Terra that recently competed in Baja."
Rather than setting up inside the convention center like every other brand at the show, Scout Motors made a deliberate, and uncommon, choice to be outdoors. Where else would one expect to find our new truck? Our legacy was built outside. Most companies would never make that call. For us, it was a no-brainer.
The outdoor activation gave us a larger, more immersive footprint and allowed attendees to engage with the brand in a way that felt real. Live music played throughout the day, featuring local bands. Field School sessions invited craft-making, deeper conversations around design, engineering, and the intention behind Scout Motors’ return.
Three legacy Scout vehicles anchored the space, connecting past to present: a Scout II repurposed as a merchandise truck, a classic Scout 80, and the 1976 vintage Race Terra that recently competed in Baja. Each told a piece of the Scout story, reminding visitors that this return was built on real history.
Front and center were the new Scout® Traveler™ and Scout® Terra™ concepts. Visitors were able to get unusually up close and personal in a way the public rarely experiences with concept vehicles. That proximity sparked curiosity, conversation, and genuine excitement.
And visitors didn’t just stop by; they stayed.
What’s typically a brief stop at an auto show for most turned into genuine conversations and interactions with the Scout team and vehicles.
The impact carried beyond the show itself. Interest grew, new names joined the community, and momentum followed—reinforcing how much it matters to show up, shake hands, and talk face-to-face.
This was a big moment for us at Scout Motors. A return more than 40 years in the making, done on our terms, outdoors, where Scouts belong. And if LA was any indication, the Scout spirit didn’t just come back—it picked up right where it left off.
