Order books have opened on the new Ineos Grenadier - a new 4x4 on the block and which follows in the muddy tyre-prints of the Land Rover Defender.
And if you’re after a no-nonsense, do-it-all workhorse, the Grenadier could be the ‘Utility Wagon’ for you.
You might never have heard of Ineos Automotive, but it’s a British firm with a great backstory.
Headquartered in London but with the actual SUVs being built in France, Ineos Automotive was set up by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chairman of the multinational chemicals company Ineos.
And Sir Jim has deep pockets.
When his favourite vehicle, the old Land Rover Defender, was put out to pasture by Jaguar Land Rover back in 2016, he set about creating his own version of this boxy, agricultural icon.
While the reborn Land Rover Defender, which hit roads in 2020, was reinvented to offer sumptuous luxury and cutting-edge tech, Sir Jim is adamant that there’s still a certain charm in owning a vehicle that does exactly what it says on the tin.
Which is where the Grenadier comes in. The vision here is for a ‘utilitarian, hard-working 4X4 engineered for modern day compliance and reliability’.
An Ineos spokesperson adds:
“It is built for those needing a stripped back, no nonsense workhorse, but still with the comfort, refinement and standard features that today’s drivers expect.”
The Grenadier is available as either a two-seat or five-seat model, and permanent four-wheel-drive is standard for both.
It’ll swallow a Euro pallet and also comes with a full-height cargo barrier.
Yet it’s not all about muck and toil. Ineos has teamed up with upmarket clothing company Belstaff to make ready-configured ‘Trailmaster’ and ‘Fieldmaster’ editions.
The Trailmaster is all about extreme off-roading, named after the iconic Belstaff Trialmaster Jacket worn by Trails motorcyclist Sammy Miller back in the 1950s. It gets front and rear diffs, knobbly tyres and a raised air intake for crossing rivers.
The Fieldmaster Edition, meanwhile, is geared towards those who just love the great outdoors and features more creature comforts. They include a rear-view camera, 17 inch alloys, Safari windows on the front roof portion and heated leather seats.
There’s something else that might really appeal to adventurous motorists.
Ineos is confident that because the Grenadier thumbs its nose at the electrical complexities of other modern vehicles, there’s less to go wrong. And if it does go West, it’s easy to mend.
A spokesperson adds:
“From the full box-section ladder frame to the corrosion-resistant and galvanised body, every component on the Grenadier is engineered for strength and built to last. Ineos has taken the best possible engine, gearbox, axle and transfer case combination for the Grenadier and specifically tuned them to accomplish the task in hand.”
Speaking of engines, the Grenadier gets either a 3.0 litre petrol or 3.0 litre diesel unit, both of which have been sourced directly from BMW so should be more than capable.
The petrol has power of 285hp and 450Nm of torque, the diesel is slightly less potent, coming with 249hp and 550Nm of torque.
Prices for the Grenadier start from £49,000 to buy outright, while the new Defender costs from £45,690, and can be leased with Select Car Leasing from around £572 per month.
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