International Harvester
USA · Founded 1902
The farm equipment giant that built the original American SUV. International Harvester was making trucks tough before tough was a marketing slogan.
Heritage
International Harvester made tractors and farm equipment. They knew how to build machines that worked hard in rough conditions. When they applied that philosophy to the Scout, they accidentally invented the modern SUV. The Scout predated the Bronco, the Blazer, and the Cherokee. It was built for farmers and ranchers who needed something smaller than a pickup but tougher than a car. The brand is gone, but the Scout's DNA lives on in every crossover on the road.
International Harvester Vehicles (2)
1971 International Scout II
The Scout invented the SUV. International Harvester, a farm equipment company, created a vehicle for farmers and ranchers who needed something between a pickup and a car. The Bronco and Blazer followed, but the Scout got there first. The Scout II refined the formula with more power and better on-road manners. These were genuinely capable off-road vehicles built by a company that knew heavy equipment. The Scout is the grandfather of every crossover on the road today.
1976 International Scout II
International Harvester was a tractor company that decided to build trucks, and the Scout was what happened when farm equipment engineers tackled the 4x4 market. Where Jeeps were refined over decades, the Scout II was built like a piece of agricultural machinery — overbuilt, simple, and nearly indestructible. The Dana 44 front axle was overkill for a vehicle this size. The transfer case could take abuse that would kill lesser trucks. When IH went under in 1980, the Scout died with it, creating instant rarity. These are the trucks for people who think Jeeps are too complicated.