A new automaker is preparing to enter the US market, but surprisingly, it’s not one that is dedicated to producing electric vehicles. It’s quite the opposite–the 2024 Ineos Grenadier is an old-school, off-road-ready SUV that is taking direct aim at the Land Rover Defender, specifically the 4-door 110 model.
Ineos is a British chemical company whose CEO, Jim Ratcliffe, wanted to purchase the rights and manufacturing equipment to the “classic” Defender when Jaguar-Land Rover discontinued it in 2016. The Indian-owned automaker refused, so Ratcliffe decided to strike out on his own with a vehicle that resembles an amalgamation of an old Defender 90, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and a Jeep Wrangler.
While the France-built Grenadier looks like it can be used as a daily driver, the trail is where it should be in its element. To that end, the vehicle has full-time 4-wheel drive that is engaged manually via a floor shifter, available front and rear locking differentials, hill-descent control, thick underbody skid plates, and a snorkel air intake that allows the vehicle easily ford shallow streams. Power comes from a BMW-supplied 3.0-liter turbocharged inline 6-cylinder producing 282 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. It runs through an 8-speed automatic transmission. While Ineos is awaiting certification from the EPA, their projected fuel economy ratings, depending on trim level, are a dreadful 14-15 mpg city/14-15 mpg highway/14-15 mpg combined.
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The interior features cloth upholstery and mostly hard surfaces designed for easy cleaning. The use of toggle switches and dials for many of the controls both on the central stack and the ceiling looks more like a small airplane than a car. Key instrumentation appears on the infotainment display atop the center of the dashboard, though there appears to be a small screen directly ahead of the driver that we assume will show key metrics like speed. Having the gauges in the middle of the dash wasn’t a good idea when Toyota and Saturn tried it in the 1990s and early 2000s, and that hasn’t changed.
Trim levels ascend through base (Station Wagon), Trialmaster Edition, and Fieldmaster Edition. The base version is meant to be a “blank canvas” that allows for a high degree of customization by the end user. The Trialmaster is the extreme off-road variant that includes the locking differentials, snorkel air intake, high-load auxiliary power preparation, and other trail-ready hardware bits that are optional on other grades. Fieldmaster is the “luxury” edition that includes features such as leather upholstery and aluminum wheels.
Pricing starts at $71,500 for the base, with the Trialmaster and Fieldmaster checking in at $79,190 each. Despite lacking a any sort of sales and service network, the 2024 Ineos Grenadier is available for order right now, though no firm delivery dates have been set.
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CG Says:
On its face, the Grenadier looks like it admirably captures the spirit of the classic Land Rover Defender 90 with its no-nonsense design and engineering. The choice of a BMW powertrain is an interesting one, though we suspect that likely plays a significant role in why asking prices are so high. Load a Trialmaster or Fieldmaster with most of the planned factory and dealer-installed options/accessories, and one of these off-roaders will knock on the door of six figures. For high rollers with true wanderlust who want something that doesn’t have a Jeep or Land Rover badge on the hood, such a premium may very well be justified…if U.S. distribution actually takes place.
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Ineos Grenadier Gallery
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