Ineos Automotive reveals its Defender-like Grenadier SUV in greater detail

Ineos Automotive has revealed some of the principal specs of its upcoming Grenadier SUV, which openly takes after the Land Rover Defender classics.

Four years ago, just as the first-gen Defender went out of production, Ineos CEO Jim Ratcliffe contacted Jaguar Land Rover asking to buy the production rights. Facing refusal, he decided to design a Defender-style SUV from the ground up and enlisted the help of Magna Steyr and MBTech for the task.

The car is already in its road-testing phase, and the attached video tells us about its chassis.

The Grenadier boasts an original stainless-steel frame and solid-beam axles supplied by Carraro, an Italy-based manufacturer of tractors and tractor spare parts. It comes powered by BMW ZF Series engines (gasoline and diesel) linked to eight-speed automatic transmissions of the same marque.

Judging from the video, the Grenadier actually does its best to mimic the first-gen Defender and should therefore prove a worthy rival to such off-road masters as the Jeep Wrangler, Nissan Patrol Y61, Suzuki Jimny, and Toyota Land Cruiser 79. The latest Mercedes-Benz G-Class boasts per-wheel suspension, while the brand-new Land Rover Defender features an integral (‘monocoque’) body design; it remains unclear whether the Grenadier has either. At any rate, the new Ford Bronco with its body-on-frame construction and similar chassis design should prove its main competitor in the market segment.

The company claims that the cabin will be more ergonomic and comfortable than that of the original Defender. Three body styles are anticipated: SUV, five-door estate/wagon, and pickup truck.

The production had initially been planned for next year at the Ford factory in Bridgend, South Wales, but the ongoing coronavirus pandemic might disrupt these plans.

The pricing is unavailable for the Ineos Grenadier, but the company reveals that it expects to sell up to 25,000 units annually.