Ineos Grenadier Documetary – Building the Grenadier

▪ “Form follows function” in an engineering-led design process focused on delivering a vehicle to do a job
▪ Development programme moving forward, with prototype testing now on the march towards accumulating 1.8 million kilometres on and off-road over the coming year
▪ 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

Built from the ground up on an all-new platform, the INEOS 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.

“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 today 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.”

___

Video Timeline
0:00 – Intro
0:34 – Frame and Axles
4:24 – Suspension
10:11 – Rising to the Challenge
11:50 – Design Reveal

[countdracula]

Eat your heart out Land Rover...you should have been this but too bad wrong choice....we heading for this🙏🙏🙏

[wesleyhouk]

Even if I have to ship it myself from Europe I will get one!!! All the greats have morphed into bubble bodied urban cruisers just looking all alike. This is what I’ve been waiting for, is for someone to build a rig that is tough, simple, not electronic dependent, something the everyday joe can work on. Good job!!!!
Wes from the US

[jexjexjex]

Hmmm... Looks like someone took a Defender 110 and a G-Wagen, booked them a hotel room and said "Go on kids - Have fun..."

[terrywatts]

Looks like the car I always wanted to buy.
Was devastated when the Defender was put out of production.
Looks like I will finally get a second chance to purchase a new 4x4 - Inspired by history and engineered with the expedition in mind.

[Mal_Outdoors]

So this looks like what we wanted the the new generation Defender to be like. Wishing the team every success. Could take the world by storm.

[rajeevadesilva]

I am Land Rover by heart and soul, But this is what we were wishing for the new defender ... super work team keep it up

[inlinefourtr]

Looks and sounds decent and i am pretty sure i would feel proud to be seen in one.
Much better than the Tata Land Rover what they are calling Defender.

[allthingstoallmen]

This! This is what the new defender should have been. How did Land Rover not do this!? It was literally right there

[JBinthesticks]

Now to be made in France.
Its back to Japanese pickups then.

[mikefleming]

Load of waffle about the look being engineer led.... Did the engineers have a stash of Land Rover magazines in the office?

[micksmith]

80% Defender 20% G Wagen. I’m sure it will be brilliant but when he asks ‘did you know what it would look like?’ 🤣

[IslandDancer]

Land Rover really screwed up when they just beefed up that ridiculous Freelander and called it the new Defender. If it ain’t broke you idiots at Tata, don’t fix it. So glad to see someone pick up the ubiquitous Defender theme and run with it. As a Rover owner for over 25 years I just pray the Grenadier will be available in the USA ‘cause I’ll never buy a new LR.

[jmanjman]

Looks awesome so far. I would have liked if they went with an Isuzu engine though.

[chipsnpeasifuplz]

Land rover betrays its uk employees for cheaper labour on new defender and the grenadier gets built in south wales where there's a massive shortage in industrial work.
Absolutely fantastic guys good on you 👏👏👏

[joepennington]

same chassis as defender
same shape
same axles
literally copying the suspension and slightly changing it
same lip on the hips like the defender
same round lights
same windows in the roof
same wheel on the rear door
had to build a factory in wales so it wasn't like land rover

you've built a new defender and god dammit you've done it better than land rover

[triode]

If the reliability stands up, they will have a goldmine on their hands because, the new Defender is no longer tough enough for military use - which is a very large market beyond the commercial and private market. Land Rover dropped the ball there, by building a monocoque chassis Defender, it is no longer tough enough stand up to the rigors of military use.

[isaacwambua]

All along have been wishing the defender comes back, grenadier u realy come to reclaim lost glory on roads

[GregsMowing]

Rear lights and front middle lights need sorting out, apart from that the outside looks good, when will we see the interior?

[ianbeale]

A lot of people are missing the point as regards to JLR. The old Defender was part of a range of vehicles, not just one. As such, Defender was too costly to produce and didn't return in terms of sales. For a company like JLR to produce something like the Grenadier would not have been cost effective in terms of development as they still have the same problem as before - who to sell to. The MOD was the largest procurer of Defender - but the dynamics of modern warfare mean that Defender is now obsolete - no matter what JLR might have done to improve the vehicle. That then leaves Aid Agencies and Farmers, both of whom now buy cheaper and more reliable vehicles from the far east.Ok, so that then only leaves the enthusiasts. Now we see the reason why JLR didn't progress with the basic Defender design. It's all about sales and profit.So, with New Defender, they immediately capture today's target audience who are obsessed with technology and don't have to rely on their brain to do the driving, but can immediately buy in to the brand and heritage.These are the very people who would never have bought old Defender. New Defender fits that bill. It can also be sold in the USA.That alone equates to bigger sales.
Ineos are in a unique position. They are small enough to produce the low volumes of vehicles which will be demanded. However, the vehicle needs to prove it is more than capable to take away sales from Mitsubishi and Toyota - I believe the Grenadier can do this - however, it's not going to happen over night. Can Ineos remain profitable in it's first few years and become a market leader ? We'll see.
I, for one, wish them every success.

[ExeterCityMan]

British manufacturing has just be shafted again. A British idea that's all!