Ineos Grenadier

File:Ineos Grenadier Classic-Days 2022 DSC 0284.jpg

Ineos Automotive Ltd was founded by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chairman of the multinational chemicals company Ineos. Ratcliffe came up with the idea of building a replacement for his Land Rover Defender and approached Jaguar Land Rover to buy the tooling to continue production after the original model ceased at Solihull after 67 years in January 2016, but the firm declined.{{cite news|last=Cropley|first= Steve |date=1 July 2020|url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ineos-grenadier-2021 |newspaper=Autocar |title= Ineos Grenadier revealed as rugged off-roader for 2021| access-date=7 July 2020}} Ratcliffe later decided to initiate a project to design and build a similar vehicle under the codename Projekt Grenadier.{{cite web |last1=Vijayenthiran |first1=Viknesh |title=Unofficial Land Rover Defender successor gets a name |url=https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1112769_unofficial-land-rover-defender-successor-gets-a-name-projekt-grenadier |website=Motor Authority |access-date=20 September 2019 |date=19 September 2017}}

The vehicle is named after Ratcliffe's favourite pub, The Grenadier, in Belgravia, London, where the initial idea was considered, and where a promotional presentation was shown. Comparing this project to James Dyson's plan to build an electric car in Singapore, which was cancelled in October 2019, writing off £500 million of his own money, an industry insider commented "If JLR, which made the Defender for 70 years, is struggling, then that's an indicator of how tough it's going to be for a newcomer".{{Cite news |title=Is the 4x4 dreamt up in a pub a billionaire's vanity project or heading for automotive success? |last=Milmo |first=Cahal | newspaper=i News |date=17 July 2020 |url= https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/4x4-pub-billionaire-vanity-project-automotive-success-549331}} Article updated 22 March 2021

The vehicle was proposed to be manufactured in Wales, but later confirmed to be made in France.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-09|title=The Ineos Grenadier will now be built in France|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/suvs/ineos-grenadier-will-now-be-built-france|access-date=2021-07-09|website=Top Gear|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Neate|first=Rupert|date=8 December 2020|title=Ineos boss opts to build 'British' heir to Land Rover Defender in France|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/dec/08/ineos-boss-opts-to-build-british-heir-to-land-rover-defender-in-france}} Production started in July 2022 at Ineos Automotive plant in Hambach, France.{{Cite AV media|title=Ineos Grenadier: la production a démarré à Hambach, de nouveaux modèles en projet|last=Breuer|first=Jonathan|type=Video|url=https://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/economie/2022/07/26/ineos-grenadier-la-production-a-demarre-a-hambach-de-nouveaux-modeles-en-projet |date=2022-07-27|website=www.republicain-lorrain.fr |language=FR-fr}}{{Cite web |title=Ineos Automotive trials Grenadier production at Hambach plant |url=https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ineos/grenadier/352683/ineos-automotive-trials-grenadier-production-hambach-plant|first=Yousuf|last=Ashraf|date=16 February 2022|website=Auto Express |language=en}} The first deliveries were made in December 2022.{{cite news| last=Jolly | first=Jasper | title=Brexit backer Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos to build electric Grenadier in Austria |newspaper=The Guardian | date=17 April 2023 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/17/jim-ratcliffe-ineos-electric-grenadier-austria}}

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In March 2019, Ineos Automotive announced that it had entered into a powertrain technology partnership with BMW.Ineos Automotive (19 March 2019) https://ineosgrenadier.com/news/ineos-announces-partnership-bmw It was announced in September 2019 that the Grenadier would be manufactured at a bespoke new manufacturing facility on a greenfield site in Bridgend, Wales. Ineos Automotive also confirmed that it would be investing in a sub-assembly plant in Estarreja, Portugal, for the Grenadier's body and chassis.Ineos Automotive (18 September 2019) https://ineosgrenadier.com/news/4x4-to-be-built-in-wales {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813171517/https://ineosgrenadier.com/news/4x4-to-be-built-in-wales/ |date=13 August 2020 }} In December 2019, Ineos Automotive announced the Austrian-based Magna Steyr as its engineering partner for the development of the Grenadier. This partnership would oversee turning the development project concept into a mass-produced vehicle.Attwood, James (17 December 2019) https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ineos-partners-major-engineering-firm-grenadier-development Development of the off-roader would see it undergo 1.1 million miles (1.8 million km) as part of a gruelling testing regime.Anderson, Brad (30 June 2020) https://www.carscoops.com/2020/06/ineos-grenadier-combines-classic-looks-with-new-tech/ Mark Tennant, the commercial director of Ineos Automotive, told the Financial Times there had been 50,000 expressions of interest before the designs of the vehicle had been made public. The firm expects to build 25,000 Grenadier models a year at full capacity.{{cite web|title=Ineos launches carmaking ambitions with Grenadier off-roader|url=https://www.ft.com/content/6b54d967-d424-4aa3-a2d2-862465d6b4ab|website=Financial Times|date=1 July 2020|access-date=5 July 2020}} In June 2020, Ineos Automotive unveiled a first look at the exterior design of the Grenadier, as well as some technical information relating to the vehicle's chassis, towing capabilities and suspension.{{Cite web|date=2020-07-01|title=Here's your first look at the Ineos Grenadier off-roader|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/british/heres-your-first-look-ineos-grenadier-roader|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Top Gear|language=en}}

On 7 July 2020, it was reported that Ineos Automotive was in talks with Daimler AG, the owner of Mercedes-Benz, to buy the Smart factory in Hambach, France, and build the Grenadier there instead of Wales and Portugal. "It's a serious business consideration," Tennant said.{{cite web|title=Ineos puts Welsh and Portuguese plants on hold as it eyes French site. |url=https://www.ft.com/content/afe0f8d7-51eb-4917-a150-1bb81c32a20d|website=Financial Times|date=7 July 2020|access-date=7 July 2020}}{{cite web | last=Lea | first=Robert | title=Wales may lose new Land Rover rival to French factory | website=The Times| date=7 July 2020|page=16| url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/wales-may-lose-new-land-rover-rival-to-french-factory-nfgnvvfv3 |url-access=subscription}} Ken Skates, Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales said it would be "a real blow if Ineos reneged on its very public commitment".{{cite web|title=Ineos puts Bridgend plant on hold jeopardising hundreds of jobs |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/ineos-bridgend-jobs-grenadier-portugal-18554882 |website=Media Wales|date=7 July 2020|access-date=8 July 2020}}{{cite web|title=Ineos sparks fury in UK with mooted 4x4 relocation to France | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/auto/news/ineos-sparks-fury-in-uk-with-mooted-4x4-relocation-to-france/articleshow/76847531.cms |website=The Times of India|date=8 July 2020|access-date=8 July 2020}} The government of Wales was reported in July 2020 to have spent £5 million on supporting the Ineos factory development at Bridgend with enabling work and road infrastructure, and said at that time that it would "look to recoup appropriate costs from the company" if the Bridgend factory was cancelled.{{Cite web|last=Sion|first=Barry|date=8 July 2020|title=Welsh Government will want its money back if Ineos Automotive abandon factory plans|url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/manufacturing/welsh-government-want-money-back-18560962|website=Business Live}}

In November 2020, it was announced that Ineos would work with Korean carmaker Hyundai on a longer-term plan to develop a reliable source of hydrogen in Europe to use Hyundai fuel cell technology, with no carbon dioxide emissions, on later Grenadier production.{{Cite news |last=Jolly |first=Jasper |date=23 November 2020 |title=Ineos signs hydrogen fuel cell deal for its off-road vehicle |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/23/ineos-signs-hydrogen-fuel-cell-deal-for-its-off-road-vehicle}}

On 8 December 2020, Ineos announced it had purchased the Smartville factory at Hambach, France, to build the Grenadier, stating that the site's location "gives excellent access to supply chains, automotive talent and target markets".{{Cite press release|last=Ineos|date=8 December 2020|title=INEOS AUTOMOTIVE CONFIRMS ACQUISITION OF HAMBACH PRODUCTION SITE FROM MERCEDES-BENZ|url=https://media.ineosgrenadier.com/ineos-automotive-confirms-acquisition-of-hambach-production-site-from-mercedes-benz-3/?lang=en|website=Ineos Grenadier}} Ineos denied on Twitter having received "grants or other direct financial support" from either the Welsh or Portuguese governments.{{Cite tweet |user=IneosGrenadier|author=Ineos Grenadier |number=1336354203321688069 |date=8 December 2020 |title=INEOS has not received any grants or other direct financial support from the Portuguese or Welsh governments}} On 29 September 2021, Ineos announced it would locate its North American headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina.{{Cite web |title=INEOS Automotive Announces North American Headquarters in Raleigh, NC. |author= |website=- Wake County Economic Development |date=29 September 2021 |url= https://raleigh-wake.org/news-and-media/news-and-rankings/ineos-automotive-announces-north-american-headquarters-in-raleigh-nc }}{{cite press release |url=https://media.ineosgrenadier.com/project-update-press-release/?lang=en |title=INEOS outlines its plans for selling and servicing the Grenadier worldwide|publisher=INEOS Grenadier|location=London |date=29 September 2021|author=}} In November 2021, Ineos Automotive revealed that it had made losses exceeding £250 million over three years on the project. Other companies owned by Ratcliffe made loans to the automotive subsidiary, so that his total commitment at the time could be over £650 million.{{Cite news|last=Jolly|first=Jasper|date=5 November 2021|title=Ineos reveals third loss-making year in effort to make Land Rover rival|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/nov/05/ineos-james-ratcliffe-third-loss-making-year-land-rover-rival}}

In January 2022, Ineos's engineering team was caught in a 'one-in-a-hundred year (flood) event' during hot weather testing in outback South Australia.{{cite news | last=Brook | first=Benedict | title=Giant 'freakish' whirlpool appears on side of South Australia's Stuart Highway| website=news.com.au | date=25 January 2022 | url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/giant-freakish-whirlpool-appears-on-side-of-south-australias-stuart-highway/news-story/c391b0530ec5c2f6ce659201ae6f7a84|url-status=live|archive-date=2022-01-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131090957/https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/giant-freakish-whirlpool-appears-on-side-of-south-australias-stuart-highway/news-story/c391b0530ec5c2f6ce659201ae6f7a84}} Ineos plans on returning to Australia to complete this testing, along with undertaking an expedition of the Canning Stock Route.{{Cite web |date=2022-01-28 |title=2022 Ineos Grenadier test washed out by storms, will return to Australia for heat and dust |url=https://www.drive.com.au/news/2022-ineos-grenadier-outback-testing-hit-by-extreme-weather/ |access-date=2022-04-29 |website=Drive |language=en-AU}}

File:Ineos Grenadier Classic-Days 2022 DSC 0007.jpg

File:Ineos Grenadier Station Wagon Five Seat Fieldmaster Edition Scottish White (5).jpg

While the Grenadier is not a direct replica of a Land Rover Defender (it uses none of the original tooling or componentry), Toby Ecuyer{{cite web | title=Toby Ecuyer | website=INEOS Grenadier | date=30 March 2021 | url=https://media.ineosgrenadier.com/toby-ecuyer/?lang=en}} made it clear that their mission was specifically to build a modern Defender, saying it was a 'massive shame' that the outgoing Defender was ceasing production. In an interview with Autocar UK, he explained that their mission initially began with trying to do just that. "We thought, well, we’ll replace it. Then we thought, let’s build a better one, something that doesn’t leak and is comfortable. After all, this isn’t 1948. We can move on."{{Cite web |title=Ineos Grenadier: meet the designer of the controversial off-roader |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/ineos-grenadier-meet-designer-controversial-roader |access-date=2022-02-07 |website=Autocar |language=en}} Speaking on how they would modernise the Defender's design he stated "That was when we started collecting similar vehicles – Bronco, Pajero, G-Wagen, various Jeeps – to see how other manufacturers had done it".

At the online launch, Toby Ecuyer, head of design at Ineos Automotive, said: "We had Jeeps, Land Rovers, Toyota Hiluxes, a Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrols, Ford Broncos. And we looked at vans, lorries, Unimogs, military vehicles, tractors. African-spec vehicles were particularly interesting. They all shaped our plan for a vehicle that would be extremely capable but also very honest and uncomplicated". The exterior design of the Grenadier was shown to the public for the first time in an online launch on 1 July 2020. At the launch Ratcliffe 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".{{cite web | title=INEOS Grenadier's 4X4 Design Revealed | website=INEOS Grenadier | date=1 July 2020| url=https://ineosgrenadier.com/en/gb/news/ineos-grenadier-4x4-design-revealed}} Steve Cropley, editor-in-chief at Autocar said "The result is a simple, well-proportioned and familiar-looking off-roader."{{cite web|title=Ineos Grenadier revealed as rugged off-roader for 2021|url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ineos-grenadier-2021|newspaper=Autocar|date=1 July 2020|access-date=5 July 2020}} Ecuyer hoped that none of the inevitable discussion of the homage to the Defender's design obscures the unique and utilitarian design behind the Grenadier: the roof that doubles as a load rack, the roof tie bars (that go roughly where the Defender 110 has roof lights), the two-piece rear door, the exposed door hinges and the multi-purpose ‘utility rails’ that run along the exterior of the door panels where scuff bars would usually be placed.

Jaguar Land Rover brought a case based on trademark infringement but failed on a ruling that the similarity was insufficient.{{cite web |title=Jaguar Land Rover fails to Defend its Defender car marks |url=https://trademarkblog.kluweriplaw.com/2020/09/28/jaguar-land-rover-fails-to-defend-its-defender-car-marks/ |website=Kluwer Trademark Blog |access-date=4 July 2024}}

The Grenadier is built on a box-section ladder frame chassis. There are heavy duty Carraro beam axles at each end, paired to five-link coil suspension supplied by Eibach offering nine degrees of front axle articulation and 12 degrees at the rear, and anti-roll bars for road handling.

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The Grenadier is powered by a choice of BMW six-cylinder engines; the 3.0L BMW B58 inline 6 petrol engine and the 3.0L BMW B57 inline 6 diesel engine.{{cite news |title=Defender is back from the pub as a Grenadier |work=The Times |date=2 July 2020 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/land-rover-defender-is-back-from-the-pub-as-a-grenadier-tnlsbkgqb |last=Malvern |first=Jack}} In the Grenadier, the B57 diesel engine makes {{convert|183|kW|hp PS|0|abbr=on}} of power (3250-4200rpm) and {{convert|550|Nm|lb.ft|0|abbr=on}} of torque (1250-3000rpm). The B58 petrol engine makes {{convert|210|kW|hp PS|0|abbr=on}} of power (4750rpm) and {{convert|450|Nm|lb.ft|0|abbr=on}} of torque (1750-4000rpm).{{Cite web |title=2023 Ineos Grenadier price and specs |url=https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/2023-ineos-grenadier-price-and-specs |access-date=2022-04-29 |website=CarExpert |language=en}}

Both engines come mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission (codenamed 8HP51 for the petrol, 8HP76 for the diesel), with what Ineos calls a new "heavy duty" torque converter.

All Grenadiers come standard with permanent four-wheel drive (4WD), with low-range accessed through a 2.5:1 Tremec two-speed transfer case.

In July 2023, Ineos introduced the Grenadier Quartermaster, a four-door pickup version of the Grenadier. Compared to the SUV version, its wheelbase has been stretched by {{convert|305|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} to fit the bed, which has a maximum payload capacity of {{convert|760|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. The load bay measures {{convert|1564|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|1619|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}, ensuring it can accommodate a standard Euro pallet. The Grenadier Quartermaster towing capacity is rated at {{convert|3500|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, identical to the SUV version.{{Cite web |title=Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster Pickup Debuts With BMW Inline-Six Power |url=https://www.motor1.com/news/676677/ineos-grenadier-quartermaster-reveal-specs/ |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=Motor1.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Stopford |first=William |date=2023-07-13 |title=2024 Ineos Quartermaster price and specs: Rugged ute debuts |url=https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/2024-ineos-quartermaster-price-and-specs-rugged-ute-debuts |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=CarExpert |language=en}}

Despite the 25 percent import tariff imposed on light trucks built outside North America, the Grenadier Quartermaster is planned to be sold in the U.S., with pre-orders planned to be opened in early 2024.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Steven Cole |title=Ineos is officially building pickups, bound for sale in U.S. next year |url=https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/ineos-is-officially-building-pickups-bound-for-sale-in-u-s-next-year/ |publisher=Hagerty Media |access-date=18 March 2024 |date=29 November 2023}}

File:Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster IMG 9638.jpg|Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster

File:Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster IMG 9257.jpg|Rear view

An electric model is scheduled to enter production in 2026, to be developed with the Canadian car parts manufacturer Magna International, which already builds vehicles for Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and the startup Fisker Inc. This Grenadier will be built in a factory in Graz, Austria, that already builds electric SUVs for Jaguar and Fisker.

Tennant said that internal combustion engines were best for "rough, tough jobs", and pointed out the need for good range and autonomy in remoter parts of the world, with hydrogen fuel cells part of the longer-term plan.

Deploying a hydrogen supply chain could benefit Ineos, which produces 300,000–400,000 tonnes of hydrogen a year.{{Cite web |title=Hydrogen Fuel Economy |url=https://ineosgrenadier.com/en/au/explore/ineos-group/hydrogen-fuel-economy |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=ineosgrenadier.com |language=en-AU}}{{notelist}}

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