It appears that when Ineos Automotive was talking about offering a back-to-basics off-roader that evoked the spirit of the original Land Rover Defender, they weren’t joking.
This is our first look at the upcoming Ineos Grenadier, which was caught during a development drive at a UK test facility. Despite the full-body camo wrap, the upcoming Grenadier can’t really hide the heavy influence of the original Defender, particularly at the front end where the model employs a similar set of round headlights and grille.
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The square aluminum bodywork of the upcoming rugged off-roader even adopts the iconic front fender shape, flat sides, and an almost vertical windscreen for that unmistakeable Defender feel.
Ineos Automotive is collaborating with Magna Steyr – the same company that produces the Mercedes G-Class, the BMW Z4, and the Toyota Supra in its factory in Austria – for the development of the Grenadier’s steel ladder-frame chassis and suspension.
“Using a ladder frame is the only way to build a proper off-road vehicle,” the company’s chief engineer of vehicle integration Andreas Albrecht said a few months ago. “We are not using a monocoque because we are not building an SUV.”
In addition, the company has already confirmed that the Grenadier will be using BMW-sourced turbocharged six-cylinder petrol and diesel powertrains.
Production of the upcoming off-roader is set to take place in a new factory located in Wales, UK, with Ineos targeting a market launch in early 2021, with the Grenadier expected to be revealed in the coming months. The company will focus on regions like Europe, North America, Africa, and Australasia.
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