When chemical engineer and British billionaire Sir James Ratcliffe was denied from buying the rights to the then-discontinued Land Rover Defender, the last thing the car world expected was that he’d be game enough to make his own – but that’s exactly what he did.
Named after his favourite pub in Belgravia, London, the Grenadier began production in 2022 as a modern iteration of the iconic no-frills Defender, with a few creature comforts that really make it a four-wheel-drive enthusiasts dream.
The line-up currently starts at $104,000 for the Grenadier (base) and ranges through to $118,000 for the range-topping Grenadier Quartermaster Fieldmaster Ed.
At a minimum all Ineos Grenadiers feature utility trim, but higher-spec versions get leather trim or even Nappa leather via one of the available Packs.
The Grenadier retains a utilitarian look and feel across the line-up with myriad switches, buttons and dials, as well as a centre-mounted touchscreen (which incorporates the driver dash display), and heavy-duty flooring with drain valves.
It has a small glovebox, a centre-console storage space (for some smartphones, wallets and the like), USB-A and USB-C ports upfront, and big pockets in the doors (driver and front passenger).
There are grab handles, a dual-range transfer case shifter on the centre console, and a well laid-out spartan cabin.
Exterior paint colours available for the Ineos Grenadier range include Britannia Blue (solid), Scottish White (solid), Magic Mushroom (solid), Eldoret Blue (solid), Sela Green (solid), Inky Black (solid), or Devil Red (solid), or Shale Blue (metallic), Queen's Red (metallic), Donny Grey (metallic), or Sterling Silver (metallic).
A contrasting roof colour (black or white) is available.
No, there is not. Obviously, being a small manufacturer, Ineos needs to rationalise as much of the vehicle as possible, and adding a manual transmission version would have cost a lot extra in terms of design, development, engineering and testing.
The good news is that the standard transmission for the Grenadier is the rather good ZF eight-speed automatic that has been used by car-makers all over the world. It's a smooth, clever transmission that seems to suit many vehicles very well. And while the hard-core off-roaders out there will complain about the lack of a clutch-pedal option, the reality of modern automatics is that, for most drivers, they actually work better off-road than a manual ever did, particularly in sand or when tackling steep climbs.
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At a minimum all Ineos Grenadiers feature permanent four-wheel drive, full box-sectioned ladder frame, galvanised steel body, Carraro beam axles front and rear, heavy-duty coil suspension, two-speed transfer case, centre differential lock, front and rear skid plates, LED headlights, and LED auxiliary high beam lights.
It also has a full-size spare wheel, towing eyes front and rear, roof rails and roof protection strips, Recaro seats, central control system, overhead control panel, Toot button, off-road and wading modes, Pathfinder off-road navigation, Park Assist Rear, Bluetooth hands-free calling and music streaming, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Ineos Grenadier is available with either a 3.0-litre inline-six turbo-petrol engine (producing 210kW at 4750rpm and 450Nm at 1750-4000rpm), or a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – producing 183kW at 3250-4200rpm and 550Nm at 1250rpm-3000rpm.
It has an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and a dual transfer case (high- and low-range 4WD).
The Ineos Grenadier is available as a station wagon (with two or five seats) or a dual-cab ute with five seats: two in the front (both Recaros) and three in the back.
Seats may be utility trim, leather trim or Nappa leather depending on the spec you choose.
At a minimum the Ineos Grenadier has a cargo volume of 2035L in the Station Wagon behind the first row, or 2088 litres in the Utility Wagon.
Standard tub dimensions are: 1564mm long, 1619mm wide (1137mm between the wheel arches) and 485mm deep.
Payload ranges from 810kg to 932kg depending on the variant.
The petrol Ineos Grenadier reportedly takes between 8.6 (station wagon) and 8.8 seconds (Quartermaster) to do the 0-100km/h sprint.
The diesel Ineos Grenadier can reportedly do the 0-100km/h sprint in approximately 9.8 seconds.
The diesel-powered Grenadier has a claimed fuel efficiency of 10.5 litres per 100 kilometres, whereas petrol power has a claim of 12.6L/100km.
The Grenadiers have a 90-litre fuel tank so petrol variants could yield a theoretical range of 714km and up to 857km for diesel models from a full tank.