Ineos Automotive is one of the world’s newest car companies and its first vehicle the Ineos Grenadier was recently made available for media evaluation, following the start of local deliveries in June 2023.

Designed as an uncompromising, no-frills, no-fuss 4X4 that promises best-in-class off-road capability, durability and reliability, the Grenadier was famously conceived over pints of beer by a team of like-minded blokes in a British pub of the same name.  

No doubt many a grand idea has been concocted over pints but few make it home intact to be remembered the next day, let alone proceed to full-scale production as the Grenadier did in July 2022.

It helps of course that one of those thirsty collaborators was Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a motoring enthusiast and adventurer who also heads up multi-national petro-chemical company the INEOS Group, claimed to be the world’s third largest chemical company.

The story goes that Sir Jim and his drinking pals were so aghast that Land Rover had moved away from the Defender 4x4s stripped-back, utilitarian origins, to base the current generation on a far-more hi-tech and electronically reliant platform, that they decided to develop their own modern-day, no-nonsense 4x4.

“The Grenadier project started by identifying a gap in the market, abandoned by a number of manufacturers, for a utilitarian off-road vehicle,” Sir Jim said when announcing the new model in 2017.;

“This gave us our engineering blueprint for a capable, durable and reliable 4x4, built to handle the world’s harshest environments.”

Fast forward six years and we’re sitting at the wheel of a production Grenadier, along with a half dozen other variants in the hands of media colleagues, about to tackle the rugged tracks and trails of the Wombat State Forest, 50km west of Melbourne.

That we’re here at all is remarkable, given that automotive history is littered with the rusting hulks of vehicles that either never made it beyond the drawing board, or if they did, were so misjudged, mistimed, poorly built or lacking in backing resources that they fizzed out, often without firing a cylinder.

But not so the Ineos Grenadier, which has made it across the infamous technology ‘valley of death’ to establish a foothold here and in dozens of other countries worldwide, with plans already afoot for new models to land as soon as next year.

For now, Australian consumers can order the Grenadier in two different body styles, three different trim grades and with a choice of six-cylinder turbocharged petrol or diesel engines.

There is also a bewildering array of factory accessories, options and paint combinations that ensure no two Grenadiers are likely to roll out of the factory exactly alike.  

That factory by the way is a former Mercedes-Benz facility at Hambach in north-eastern France that Ineos purchased in 2021 and has since pumped more than $82 million) into, in addition to the $772 million said to have been invested by Benz up to 2019.

With numbers this big you get the sense that Ineos Automotive is a serious contender with big ambitions, a fact underscored by the roll call of component suppliers which reads like a who’s hho of quality automotive brands, including BMW (engines), Brembo (brakes), Magna-Steyr (engineering), Recaro (seats), Tremec (transfer case) and ZF (transmission). 

Ineos says the decision to choose the best quality components from trusted suppliers was key to the Grenadier’s rapid journey from concept to production, since many of these same components have already been widely used and proven in other real-world automotive applications.

The local model range kicks off with the basic two-seat Utility Wagon, a stripped-out wagon equivalent of Toyota’s Troop Carrier which costs $109,000 for either the petrol or diesel engine option.

Interestingly, the Grenadier’s pricing for petrol and diesel is identical across the range, where most manufacturers charge a premium for the latter.

Ineos says the Utility Wagon is designed as a load hauling commercial vehicle and aimed at customers including farmers and fleet users such as utility companies.

With two seats and a full-length flat floor, it comes equipped with a full-height cargo barrier and can take a standard Euro pallet (1,200mm x 800mm) and can be optioned with rear side windows instead of the standard blank panel at no extra cost.

Next up on the price walk is the Utility Wagon Trialmaster edition at $122,000, followed by the Utility Wagon Fieldmaster Edition also costing $122,000.

While the price points of both model grades are identical, the fitout is different with the Trialmaster featuring front and rear differential locks, plus BF-Goodrich All-Terrain tyres (in lieu of Bridgestone Duelers), where this combination is a $4105 ‘Rough Pack’ option on the Fieldmaster.

The basic differences between Fieldmaster and Trialmaster is that the latter is designed with more hard-core off-roading in mind.

s such it features 17-inch steel wheels versus the 18-inch alloys of the Fieldmaster, a raised ‘snorkel’ air intake, auxiliary battery, an access ladder on the station wagon variant, exterior ‘utility belt’ mounting system, and a 400W power take-off.

By comparison, the Fieldmaster is a slightly more upmarket offering which in addition to its alloy wheels brings removable individual ‘Safari’ sunroofs above driver and passenger, leather upholstery, carpet floor mats, heated front seats, and a premium sound system.

Other than this, both Trialmaster and Fieldmaster Editions also include a so-called ‘Smooth Pack’ as standard, which is a $4,105 option on the Utility Wagon.

It includes front park assist, power heated exterior mirrors, heated windscreen washer jets, lockable central stowage box, puddle lamps, ambient door lighting, auxiliary charge points, and an anti-theft alarm and immobiliser.

The same basic grade walk applies to the five-seat Grenadier Station Wagon, with pricing starting at $110,000 for the base Station Wagon, and rising to $123,000 for the Trialmaster and Fieldmaster Editions.

Once you’ve decided if you prefer the splendid isolation of the two-seat Utility Wagon, or the passenger-friendly five-seat Station Wagon, and whether you’re a hardcore Trialmaster or a luxury-oriented Fieldmaster type, it’s then down to whether you want petrol or diesel power under the bonnet.

In both cases the engines are BMW-designed, engineered and manufactured, turbocharged inline six-cylinder units of identical 3.0-litre cubic capacity. Both feature an aluminium block and head, plus double overhead cam valvetrains, and both have been extensively revised and recalibrated for this application by Austrian automotive specialist Magna-Steyr, says Ineos.

The B58 petrol unit puts out 210kW@4750rpm and 450Nm between 1,750-4,000rpm, and manages the 0-100km/h dash in 8.8 seconds. The diesel has outputs of 183kW@3,250-4,200rpm and 550Nm between 1,250-3,000rpm, and accelerates from 0-100km/h in 9.8 seconds.

The petrol engine is designed to run on 91-octane unleaded and consumes a claimed 12.6L/100km on the combined cycle, while the diesel sips a thriftier 10.5L/100km.

Using these figures and their common 90-litre fuel tank, the petrol variant should be good for a touring range of 714km, while the diesel could manage 857km between fills. 

The engines are both Euro 6 compliant, which puts them ahead of the current Australian Euro 5 standard, with Ineos stating that BMW has committed to seeing engine development through at least until the introduction of Euro 7 regulations in 2027.

The diesel carries 17 litres of AdBlue as part of its emissions reduction approach, with Ineos stating this capacity is usually sufficient to cover the 12-month or 15,000km distance between service intervals.

The engines drive through individual eight-speed automatic transmissions built by ZF, with Magna-Steyr having overseen tuning enhancements and fitment of a heavy-duty torque converter.

The Grenadier’s full-time four-wheel drive system features a lockable centre differential  that locks in both high and low range, via an INEOS-designed and Tremec manufactured two-speed transfer case.

The Grenadier’s bonnet, doors and front guards are aluminium, with a galvanised steel body sitting atop a full box-section ladder frame chassis.

Mounted at either end are heavy-duty live axles, developed in partnership with Carraro, an expert in heavy-duty tractor axles, with suspension at either end via progressive rate coil springs, anti-roll bars, and a five-link setup with Panhard rod.

Brembo brakes provide stopping power via twin-piston front calipers clamping 316mm vented discs and single-piston calipers working on 305mm solid rear discs.

The handbrake is a traditional ratchet-style unit in lieu of the increasingly electric park brake and speaks to the manufacturer’s desire to use mechanical over digital equipment wherever possible.

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On the safety front, the Grenadier comes equipped with six airbags (dual front, side and curtain) and a range of driver assistance systems including ABS, traction and stability controls, plus trailer stability assist, but it doesn’t include the latest in autonomous vehicle technology, such as lane departure warning and assistance, autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition or blind-spot monitoring.

It also has no ANCAP safety rating and its 3,550kg GVM makes the Grenadier ineligible for local crash-testing through ANCAP.

Stylistically, the Grenadier looks a lot like the previous-generation Land Rover Defender, with its boxy slab-sided body, flat mudguards, exposed door hinges, high roofline, tall stance, and wheels pushed out to the corners to maximise approach and departure angles.

LED headlights and integrated LED driving lights lend it a distinctive frontal signature and from some angles there’s also hints of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen in the styling.

The latter runs more than skin deep, too, with an engineer at the launch event confirming there is more G-Wagen than Defender in the Grenadier’s engineering DNA.

With Sir Jim and other off-road enthusiasts so closely involved in the Grenadier’s design and development, it’s hardly surprising that the vehicle is packed with the sort of utilitarian features that most other brands leave to the aftermarket.

Examples of this include three-piece steel front and rear bumpers, designed to be easily replaced if individual segments are damaged off-road; flat front guards, designed to take a weight of 90kg, or 150kg if fitted with the optional chequer plate trim; load-rated L-track utility system fitted to the doors, roof rails and cargo bay; pre-wired auxiliary ports on the roof exterior for fitting lights.

Other practical inclusions are sturdy front and rear skid plates, LED headlights and auxiliary high beam lights, 30/70 split rear doors, a full-size spare wheel, sturdy towing eyes front and rear, roof rails and roof protection strips, and a hose out plastic floor option.

The Grenadier’s roof is also sturdy enough to take a static load rating of 430kg and a dynamic rating of 150kg, while the optional electric winch is fully homologated and integrated behind the front bumper, with the winch cable neatly hidden behind a 007-like flip-up number plate.

As rugged as it is, the Grenadier still offers up-to-the-minute infotainment and navigational features including Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay as standard, plus Bluetooth connectivity and a bespoke Pathfinder waypoint-based off-road navigation is system.

Other niceties include front and rear electric windows with one-touch down, DAB+ Digital Radio, front USB ports, rear park assist and rearview camera, tyre pressure monitoring and cruise control.

ier’s interior is the aircraft-like overhead console that houses an array of switchgear for a range of secondary controls including off-road modes, diff locks where fitted, plus a bank of pre-wired blank switches that allow owners to easily wire-in lighting systems, fridges and more.

Extensive factory pre-wiring for electrical accessories is intended to reduce the chances of electrical gremlins emerging during the vehicle lifespan.

The chunky switchgear both in the overhead console and on the dash has been purposefully designed to be usable while bouncing across rough terrain.

It has a heavy-industrial look and feel to it, with a notable exception being the automatic transmission lever, sourced directly from the BMW parts catalogue.

This rather elegantly designed shifter looks a bit incongruous alongside the stubby ball-topped high-low range lever, which also acts as the centre differential lock.

The shapely sports steering wheel, with its dimpled leather-trim is also not quite what you expect in a cabin that’s notable for its extensive use of hardy, durable plastics, and wouldn’t be out of place in the cabin of a BMW or Mercedes-Benz SUV.

The wheel can be optioned with a specific saddle-leather trim designed to age with use, and houses the usual audio and cruise control switches, plus a red ‘toot’ button designed to politely alert cyclists and pedestrians of the Grenadier’s presence.  

There are no gauges or dials immediately ahead of the driver, just a small bank of warning lights, with the digital speedometer and all other vehicle information provided in a 12.3-inch LCD colour touchscreen.

The screen provides a wide array of menu option and is navigated via a bank of shortcut switches and a rotary dial on the centre console.

It’s not the smoothest or the most user-friendly of such interfaces we’ve used but is no doubt reasonably easy to navigate once familiar with it.

A pair of manual-opening sunroofs fits above the driver and front passenger in the Trialmaster and Fieldmaster variants, with fully removable glass for those who like the wind in their hair.

However, the lack of a factory sunshade may make these a liability in the Aussie summer. 

There’s adequate but not ample storage in the lidded centre console, plus two cupholders, but not much else in the way of oddment stowage.

The stiff, ratchet-style handbrake feel decidedly old-school, as does the manual-only adjustment for the firmly padded Recaro bucket seats.

The seats are heated but the adjustment action is stiff and the backrest lever is difficult to access without the door being open.

The seats come clad in durable checked fabric or two different types of leather, a simple black, or fancier two-tone.

The steering is manually adjustable for reach and rake and the driving position is better than the notoriously cramped Land Rover Defender, but compromised by a large intrusion in the driver’s left footrest area, meaning you drive with the left knee raised several inches and bent at an unnatural angle.

Ineos claims it’s been designed this way for superior ergonomics on long distance drives, which may be the case, but the fact there’s no intrusion in the passenger footwell suggests it’s a legacy of the left to right-hand-drive engineering process.

The high-riding body-on-frame architecture makes for a high lift into the load bay and an even higher clamber into the cabin.

Fortunately, there are multiple sturdy grab-handles strategically located to assist with ingress, egress and holding on of-road, with the optional side steps also useful in this regard.

The rear bench seat is decently comfortable, with enough head, leg and knee room for most frames.

The seats are mounted high, so afford decent forward visibility, while the large rear windows provide good visibility.

There are individual air-con vents, two USB-A ports and small door-mounted pockets, but no seat back map pockets and no centre armrest, which makes things a bit punishing when riding in rough terrain.

The rear seats fold 70/30 to provide a semi-flat load floor, which becomes fully flat if the luggage bay is equipped with the optional drawer system. The battery and fuses are mounted under the rear seat for load distribution purposes and to keep them away from water when wading.

A full-sized spare wheel with inbuilt stowage cover for tow straps is mounted on the outside of the 70/30 split rear doors, with a proper hydraulic jack stowed inside the luggage bay.

A handy picnic table cum work bench can be optioned to connect into the inside of the rear door, while behind the bumper is a pre-wired plug for powering a rear-mounted winch.

Out on the road, both inline six-cylinder engines are smooth, torquey and responsive units with the diesel sounding slightly gruffer than the petrol but not vastly so.

Despite their impressive BMW pedigree and muscular outputs, the engines can’t mask the Grenadier’s hefty kerb weight, which ranges from 2,618kg to 2,718kg depending on the variant, and when you sink the slipper acceleration is brisk but hardly neck-snapping.

Ride quality is on the stiff side, despite coil springs at each corner, no doubt due to the suspension being tuned for a substantial payload.

The recirculating ball steering offers reasonable on-centre weight but at 3.85 turns lock-to-lock is slow to respond and doesn’t self-centre well.

The Grenadier also has a large 13.5m turning circle which makes it feel a bit tank-like when manoeuvring in carparks or tight trails.

That’s further exacerbated if the front diff lock is engaged off-road, which causes the front end to push wide in turns.

Speaking of which, we tackled some moderate to difficult tracks including steep low-range ascents and descents on rocky, eroded tracks, which showcased the Grenadier’s genuine go-anywhere abilities.

With short front and rear overhangs, good approach and departure angles, an impressive 264mm of ground clearance, and generous axle articulation, it’s well specified to tackle such terrain.

Add to this a 2.5:1 low-range transfer case, sturdy underbody protection and differential locks front and rear, and you have a fit-out that inspires plenty of confidence.

The Grenadier also has its air intake set high to afford an 800mm wading depth, with the vehicle designed to handle 20 minutes driving or five minutes of static idling at this depth without water ingress.

A handy wade mode switch in the overhead console switches off the thermos-fan to avoid burning it out in water crossings, turns off the seatbelt alert system, unlocks the doors and limits speed to 18km/h.

All Grenadier variants offer a braked 3.5-tonne towing capacity, more than 2,000 litres of load space and 5.5 tonnes of winching power for recovering themselves or others.

Payload on Australian models ranges from 833kg on a fully optioned diesel Trialmaster Station Wagon, to 907kg for a base two-seat petrol Utility Wagon.

Australian deliveries of the Grenadier started in June with Ineos Australia reporting its best month in September with 172 deliveries and forecasting it will have delivered just over 900 vehicles by the end of the year.

This ranks Australia as the brand’s fourth largest market after the US, UK and Germany.

The company also anticipates around 2,000 sales next year, which will place this newcomer ahead of such established brands as Alfa Romeo, Citroen and Jaguar, and in the ball park of brands like Genesis, Polestar and Peugeot.

More than half of all local Greandier sales to date have been of the Trialmaster variant, followed by the Fieldmaster and the Base, with almost 80% of all sales being the turbodiesel.

Next year, the range will be further expanded with the arrival of dual cab ute and cab-chassis variants dubbed the Quartermaster, which will feature the same mechanicals but a 305mm longer wheelbase, five-seat capacity, and a payload of up to 907kg.

Like Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and Honda, Ineos has adopted a direct-to-consumer fixed-price sales model which means the company retains ownership of its vehicles until they’re sold, relying on its dealers and agents to conduct vehicle hand over, servicing and other customer requirements.

The company currently has 30 service sites and workshops across Australia, from Darwin in the north to Geraldton in the west, and Launceston in the south, with two more due online shortly.

It boasts representation in all the major capitals, good coverage along the east coast and at major inland centres including Shepparton, Mildura and Albury in Victoria, and Dubbo, Orange and Tamworth in NSW.

Coverage in Queensland includes eight sites between the Gold Coast and Cairns, with the only inland representation currently in Toowoomba. The company claims to have “in excess of 90%” of the Australian population covered by this network and earlier this year opened a new parts distribution warehouse in Melbourne, which serves the Asia-Pacific region. 

Customers who order a Grenadier today face a wait of about six months before taking delivery, although the company hopes to eventually get to a position where they’re able to sell vehicles directly to customers from landed stock, and to also begin targeting fleet customers.

Classier than a Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series wagon but much less sophisticated and refined than a 300 Series, the Grenadier is an uncompromising, no-frills, no-fuss 4X4 that delivers on its promise of excellent off-road capability, durability and utility. While undeniably a niche product, it nails the brief for anyone wanting a tough, uncompromising vehicle that arrives straight out of the box ready to tackle the Cape, the Simpson or K’gari.

Ineos Grenadier Station Wagon Trialmaster Edition key info

• PRICE: $123,000 (MRLP)  
• POWERTRAIN: Turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder diesel, eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission (183kW/550Nm).
• ANCAP CRASH RATING: Not rated
• FUEL CONSUMPTION:  10.5L/100km (243.6g/km CO2)
• FOR: Excellent off-road ability, sturdy construction, packed with practical and pragmatic design elements, no premium for diesel engine, wide range of available factory accessories, high towing and payload capacities.  
• AGAINST: No ANCAP rating, stiff manual seat adjustment, firm ride, slow steering, large turning circle, poor NVH, compromised driving position, limited aftersales support.