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No matter what your booze-frazzled brain says, few great ideas come from sitting in pubs. The Ineos Grenadier off-roader could, however, be one exception.
The story goes that in 2016, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the British billionaire chairman of petrochemicals giant INEOS, conceived the car during a session at his favourite London pub after spotting a gap in the market for a hardcore utility vehicle following the original Land Rover Defender’s demise.
A generation of enthusiasts, it was suggested, had “been left behind” as the off-road market softened in aesthetics and driving capability. What these buyers craved was a tough all-terrain workhorse but one with modern technology and best-in-class engineering.
Fast forward six years, and here we are: a company with no history of building cars, trying to fill a niche that may or may not even exist, launching a fuel-guzzling 4WD just as the rest of the world goes gaga for alternative energy, on the back of a whim from a self-made billionaire and entrepreneur who clearly enjoys a challenge.
Can Ineos pull off this bold automotive punt, occupying a space they believe exists between the Jeep Wrangler and the Mercedes G-Class?
To find out, we visited the company’s off-road testing circuit in Hambach, France, to drive a prototype of the Grenadier, ahead of the car’s Australian launch in the last quarter of 2022.
Also check out David Morley's Australian preview video of the Ineos Grenadier
| Ineos Grenadier 2022: Trialmaster Edition | |
|---|---|
| Safety rating | |
| Engine Type | 3.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 10.3L/100km |
| Seating | 2 seats |
| Price from | $90,310 |
Final prices and specs will be confirmed in April, but the Grenadier will likely be priced at $84,500, plus on-road costs.
In terms of the two models Ineos is pitching itself between, this puts it a tad above the Jeep Wrangler’s $53,750, but nowhere near the astronomical $246,500 Mercedes asks for the G-Class.
Since Ineos has identified four core markets — lifestyle (recreational drivers), utilitarian (farmers, landscapers, tradies, etc), corporate (fleet orders) and enthusiasts (the hardcore 4x4 crew) — the Grenadier will probably eat into the Toyota Landcruiser 70’s piece of the pie, too. That’s still cheaper at $67,400.
Three versions will be launched initially, all at the same price — the five-seat station wagon we tested, a two-seat commercial vehicle, and a five-seat commercial model with the seats placed slightly further forward to accommodate a greater load. We’ve been assured a dual-cab version is “in the pipeline.”
As our test car was still strictly a prototype, albeit at an advanced stage production-wise, the full suite of features can’t be confirmed. But here’s what we can say with some confidence…
Two choices of tyres are available, both Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certified — either Bespoke Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain 001 or BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A K02, along with 17-inch and 18-inch steel and alloy wheels.
At the time of writing, there’s a choice of eight colours but having seen various hues in the Grenadier’s natural habitat, it’s the no-frills monochromes (black, white, grey) that deliver the most punch.
Inside is where Ineos’s commitment to 21st-century expectations comes alive, starting with heated, and super-comfy, Recaro seats.
The BMW-sourced, 12.3-inch touch-sensitive multimedia screen can also be controlled by a rotary knob next to the gear lever when the going gets bumpy.
Rather than on-board navigation, the system comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for constantly up-to-date info. And should you suddenly find yourself lost in the Outback, a 'Pathfinder' feature allows users to program, follow and record a route via waypoints even in the absence of roads signs and tyre tracks.
The Grenadier is also built with the aftermarket in mind, with ample pre-wiring for winches, bull-bars, LED lighting, solar panels and the like.
It’s a frivolous detail but we liked the ‘toot’ button on the steering wheel controls, designed to gently inform cyclists of your presence, or rouse along any dawdling cattle.
An overwhelming sense of deja-vu, perhaps?
Upon first sight at Ineos’s production facility in Germany, located just over the border from the French testing grounds, the parallels with the old Defender jump out: especially the square corners, round headlights, near-flat windscreen, clamshell bonnet, exposed door hinges, button-style door handles, flat-rear bum… need we go on.
If you’re the glass-half-full type, you’ll call them 'homages'. If you’re a cynic, you’ll call them 'rip-offs.'
Either way, standing beside it on the factory floor, the Grenadier looks impressive — ruggedly handsome and undeniably imposing — with shades of the G-Wagon and Jeep Wrangler.
Not a throwback to a bygone era, but an updated version of what’s come before. Its presence isn’t surprising given its dimensions; 4927mm length, 2033mm height and a wheelbase of 2922mm, which might cause a few car park palpitations for urban buyers.
It’s boxy from most angles, but there’s a certain uncluttered honesty to the Grenadier’s styling. You instinctively know this isn’t some poseur’s chariot, you understand this car was built primarily as a working tool.
Of course, certain styling touches are unique to the Grenadier, such as the three-piece front bumper, centred fog lights, the fully pop-out safari windows, two 30/70 split doors (one with a roof-access ladder) and the side utility rail.
Ultimately, it comes down to this: the Grenadier will be judged on more than its resemblance to a car that’s not even being made anymore.
Just as the old un-killable Defenders were lauded for sometimes outliving their owners, so Ineos wants the Grenadier to withstand the test of time — for up to 50 years, it says.
To date, the development team has carried out durability tests on over 1.8 million kilometres of terrain, in some of the world’s most unforgiving landscapes, including Australia.
The Grenadier’s aesthetic robustness from kerbside (or field-side) carries over nicely to the inside of the car. Floors are finished in rubber and can be properly hosed out thanks to drain plugs, and splash-proof switchgear and dashboard surfaces. Those Recaro seats are stain- and water-resistant, too.
The latest sealing technology has been used to win the war against dust, water and gas, something that can’t always be said for off-road cars in this class.
Don’t bother looking for a start button. The Grenadier uses an old-fashioned physical key, along with a manual handbrake lever. It’s all part of Ineos’s push to make the Grenadier as mechanical as possible.
It only houses half the amount of ECUs [electronic control units] as equivalent vehicles, the theory being it’ll be easier to fix if it suddenly conks out in the back of beyond.
This writer is 189cm tall, with the wingspan of a small commercial jet, and yet I had enough elbow room, and leg space was good.
Three full-size adults can slot in the back nicely, thanks to the front seats being shaped to give the rear passengers sufficient knee room. The two-seat and five-seat commercial versions can accommodate a Euro pallet (1200mm×800mm×144 mm).
In terms of brute force, towing capacity is 3500kg (unbraked: 750kg) and though the car’s final weight hasn’t been officially confirmed, along with payload, Ineos is said to be aiming for 2400kg, though our prototype was probably heavier. Fancy a swim? Wading depth is 800mm.
And of course, the Grenadier comes with all the necessary pragmatic elements a brawny off-road machine should, including built-in load-lashing bars, cargo rails, tow hooks front and rear, and heavy-duty bash plates.
All in all, ready for action then.
Petrol and diesel versions are offered, with 210kW/450Nm and 183kW/550Nm respectively, both using the same excellent straight-six, 3.0-litre twin-turbo unit found in the BMW X5, yet tweaked to ramp up torque.
The engine is paired to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission with permanent four-wheel drive, and there’s a separate shiftable low-range transfer case with a manually controlled central locking differential. Front and rear diffs are electronically locked.
Where going to have to go with a generic seven out of 10 here, as official figures have yet to be released. But interestingly, considering how much this huge car is likely to drink, Ineos is exploring the use hydrogen fuel cells to power future versions of the Grenadier, a technology the company insists is better suited to long-distance hauling than lithium-ion batteries.
Another generic score here, but more information will be available in July. It’s already been suggested Ineos might avoid scrutiny by the European and Australasian New Car Programs because the Grenadier is expected to sell in relatively low volumes, thus a five-star crash-safety rating is not a done deal.
But for now, the official line is that the car has been engineered to meet occupant and pedestrian safety standards in all its markets, and will feature several advanced safety systems.
Basic Warranty
5 years / unlimited km warranty
ANCAP Safety Rating
Word is the Grenadier will likely (but not definitely) be backed by a five-year unlimited-km warranty and include after-sales support in even remote parts of the country, thanks to a relationship with Bosch.
Ineos is aiming for 80 percent of the Australian population to be within reasonable distance to a sales and service outlet on launch, rising to 98 percent by year three.
The brand is plumping for an 'agency model' whereby cars are bought directly from Ineos Australia rather than a dealer, thus keeping prices fixed.
In our brief but illuminating 20-minute bash, the Grenadier handled everything thrown its way with a nonchalant confidence.
Traction in low-range gears is impressive when climbing or descending hills even on a ridiculously boggy surface. Especially one almost vertical, and admittedly heart-stopping, section which demonstrated why having an approach angle of 35.5 degrees is a mightily handy thing.
The suspension set-up — solid beam axles front and rear — courtesy of agricultural specialist Carraro, and combined with progressive-rate coil springs and quality damper tuning, give a comfortable ride on uncompromising terrain.
Bumps and lumps are soaked up nicely. Even crawling up steep slopes, the tyres working hard against the mud for grip, body roll isn’t as wild as it can be in such situations. The experience is virtually stress-free, without being too detached from the outside environment.
Moreover, it shows the value the Grenadier’s rigid, super-strong box-section ladder-frame chassis.
Being a prototype, our test vehicle wasn’t road-ready, but a short gravel track provided a taste of what the Grenadier can do in a straight-line.
Acceleration was unbelievably smooth when our Austrian driving guide screeched “Floor it!”. How much body-roll appears on conventional roads remains to be seen.
Special mention goes the cabin layout and design, which forms an essential part of the whole Grenadier off-road vibe.
Despite the modern technology found across this car, the simple, chunky analogue switchgear feels appealingly old-school and suited to the Grenadier’s brief.
Ineos looked at various modes of transport during research, including helicopters, and some of this thinking has carried through to the aviation-style overhead controls which are used when the vehicle goes off-road — adding a sense of drama.
With its emphasis on practicality and off-road toughness, the Ineos Grenadier is not a luxury proposition like the new Defender — and that’s not a bad thing.
Remember, the original Defender was iconic for good reason, and the Grenadier has all the earthy charm of that much-loved classic, plus a whole heap of modern technology and high-end engineering.
As some consumers rebel against an over-digitised world by rediscovering the charms of vinyl records, paper books and other analogue delights, and the automotive industry continues to look beyond the technological horizon, so the Grenadier feels, paradoxically, like a breath of fresh air—a kind of anti-car… but in a good way.
It will, quite rightly, appeal to a cross-section of buyers.
Even the short time we had in the Grenadier’s company was enough to convince us that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s booze-inspired pipe-dream can really shake things up in the 4x4 market. Cheers to that.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
| Vehicle | Specs | Price* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fieldmaster Edition | 3.0L, Diesel, 8 SP AUTO | $90,310 – 103,840 | 2022 Ineos Grenadier 2022 Fieldmaster Edition Pricing and Specs |
| (base) | 3.0L, Diesel, 8 SP AUTO | $79,970 – 91,960 | 2022 Ineos Grenadier 2022 (base) Pricing and Specs |
| Trialmaster Edition | 3.0L, Diesel, 8 SP AUTO | $90,310 – 103,840 | 2022 Ineos Grenadier 2022 Trialmaster Edition Pricing and Specs |
| Price and features | 8 |
|---|---|
| Design | 8 |
| Practicality | 8 |
| Under the bonnet | 8 |
| Efficiency | 7 |
| Safety | 7 |
| Ownership | 7 |
| Driving | 8 |
$90,310
Lowest price, based on third party pricing data
