Scout Motors, Volkswagen’s electric off-road brand, has acquired a senior design leader from Stellantis North America who aided in the interior design of vehicles like the company’s high-end Wagoneer.
Chris Benjamin, a Stellantis vice president of interior design, gets appointed as a chief design officer at Scout Motors. In addition to working with the Jeep brand, Benjamin’s Stellantis design obligations also involved the Chrysler, Ram, and Dodge brands.
In light of his accomplishments, Scott Keogh, Scout’s CEO, and president, anticipates that Benjamin, who previously worked with numerous other automakers and spent more than ten years at Stellantis and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, would offer a keen vision to Scout’s products.
Keogh expresses, “Chris’ work is prolific. His thumbprints are all over many of the most cherished off-road vehicles in the market today. I’m confident that Chris will build on that experience as he defines the next design chapter for Scout and electric utility vehicles.”
In a news release announcing his new position, Benjamin revealed, “Classic Scout vehicles have always had a magnetic pull on me. They developed the archetype for the modern SUV in the ’60s, demonstrating that the daily driver can also be an explorer on the weekends.
While it hasn’t been revealed who will take Benjamin’s place at Stellanis, the move by Scout, a U.S. subsidiary of Stellantis rival VW, was announced earlier this year that anticipates plans for a $2 billion EV plant on 1,600 acres near Interstate 77 in South Carolina, with vehicles production envisioned by the end of 2026.
According to Scout, the plant has the potential to create 4,000 or more permanent jobs and produce more than 200,000 vehicles annually as it seeks to revive the legendary Scout name for its “Next-generation trucks and rugged SUVs.”
