Created to fulfil the vision of adventurer and INEOS Group Chairman, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Grenadier will be a capable, durable and reliable 4x4 designed and built to handle the world’s harshest environments.
Here they are in all their arty, grey-scale, computer-generated glory, the first official photos of what the all-new INEOS Automotive Grenadier 4x4 looks like... or at least will look like when it is available for sale in 18 months or so.
Built from the ground up on an all-new platform, the Grenadier has been designed on purpose: namely to meet the demands of its future owners for a rugged, capable and comfortable go-anywhere working vehicle – as originally articulated by the INEOS Group’s billionaire boss, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Sir Jim owned several Defender and/or Series model Land Rovers over the years apparently, and he made no secret of the fact he thought the Jaguar Land-Rover Group’s decision not to replace the outgoing Defender with a similar, rugged, no-nonsense model, was the wrong one!
“The brief was simple. We set out to design a modern, functional and highly capable 4x4 vehicle with utility at its core,” said Toby Ecuyer, Head of Design. “A design that is ‘easy-to-read’, with no ambiguity about the Grenadier’s role in life. There to do everything you need, and nothing you don’t. Nothing is for show. Modern engineering and production techniques ensure the Grenadier is highly capable, but we have been able to stay true to the essence of creating a utilitarian vehicle that will stand the test of time.”
Dirk Heilmann, INEOS Automotive’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to be able to share the design of the Grenadier so early in the process. Most manufacturers would hold back, but we are a new business, building a new brand, and we want to take people with us on this exciting journey.
“Showing the design now allows us to focus on the critical next phase of the vehicle’s development, testing its capability and durability. We have a very challenging programme ahead, as we put prototypes through their paces in all conditions, on the way to accumulating some 1.8 million test kilometres over the coming year.
“From now on the covers are off. Testing ‘in plain sight’ without the need for camouflage wrapping, foam blocks or fake panels is an added benefit.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS, said: “The Grenadier project started by identifying a gap in the market, abandoned by a number of manufacturers, for a utilitarian off-road vehicle. This gave us our engineering blueprint for a capable, durable and reliable 4x4 built to handle the world’s harshest environments. But it had to look the part as well. As you will see today, Toby and his team have done a great job in delivering a design that is both distinctive and purposeful.”
NEOS GRENADIER 4x4 101
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n 2017, INEOS Chairman, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a car enthusiast and experienced adventurer, identified a gap in the market for a stripped back, utilitarian, hard-working 4x4 engineered for modern day compliance and reliability. INEOS Automotive Limited was formed and a senior team of automotive professionals assembled to bring the vision to reality.
Combining rugged British spirit with German engineering rigour, the Grenadier will be a truly uncompromising 4x4 built from the ground up. Engineered to overcome all conditions, it will provide best-in-class off-road capability, durability and reliability to those who depend on a vehicle as a working tool, wherever they are in the world.
On the engineering front, we are now in the series development phase, supported by our engineering partner Magna Steyr, with prototype testing under way. The INEOS Grenadier will go into production in late 2021.
INEOS Automotive is a subsidiary of INEOS Group (www.ineos.com), a leading manufacturer of petrochemicals, speciality chemicals and oil products. It employs 23,000 people across 34 businesses, with a production network spanning 183 manufacturing facilities in 26 countries. From paints to plastics, textiles to technology, medicines to mobile phones, materials manufactured by INEOS had sales of circa $61bn.
To find out more about Grenadier, visit www.ineosgrenadier.com
For media assets and information, please visit: https://ineosgrenadier.com/media
