MOTORING REVIEW: Grenadier is built to handle any task

THE Ineos Grenadier is a newcomer to Ireland filling a gap left by the original Land Rover Defender when it ceased production.

Grenadier was designed to be a modern replacement of that British legend but is built in France, not in England. Ineos claim they have learnt from ‘the best’ and say their new vehicle is built to tackle any task as a workhorse or as a weekend adventure car.

On checking I discovered Ineos to be a hugely successful chemicals company, one of the biggest in the world, and based in London. It was founded by British financier and billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Yes, the same guy involved in buying a 25pc stake in Manchester United Football Club. The vehicle is named after his favourite pub, The Grenadier, located in one of the poshest areas of London.

Grenadier looks formidable from the outside. Its structure is traditional ‘real’ SUV ladder on frame and the coil springs and beam axles are also designed for extreme rugged use. Its 3.5-tonne tow rating and 5.5-tonne winching ability are geared to safari-level travelling.

This high vehicle also keeps the traditional 4x4 boxy shape, sports a massive grille, strong front bumper, round headlights, big wheel arches, side running steps and a spare wheel mounted on the rear door. The reinforced roof structure gives best-in-class roof loading capabilities. Built-in roof rails and protections strips come as standard and can carry loads like a kayak or fencing posts. Four adjustable Quick Release tie-down rings come as standard. The in-built mountings on the doors are for ‘utilities’ such as carrying spare fuel jerrycans for anyone on safari or such adventures.

Large grab handles on A-Pillars aid getting in and out as do the non-slip side runners.

The interior is as tough looking as the exterior. Everything is solidly built. All 21st century fit and fittings and passenger comforts.

The massive central stack dominates the dash. At the top is a small infotainment screen with information on speed, revs, fuel and engine temperature readings. It also becomes your reversing camera. Directly below sits a large compass to help you keep your bearings, followed by rows of large knobs and switches for front seat heaters, fan and air conditioning, park assist sensors, and a large knob for volume control.

An aircraft style array of physical controls is located up on the roof between two skylight roof panels.

Tough cloth upholstery and vinyl seat covers come as standard and are stain, dirt, and water-resistant. Five drain valves mean you can hose out the car’s floor and the odd splash won’t damage the switch gear or electronics. There’s also a big grab handle over the good sized glovebox for the front passenger to hold on to, if needed!

Rear seats can easily fit three adults who will enjoy excellent head and legroom.

The boot is accessed by a 70/30 split rear door. There’s over 1,100 litres of loadspace and a rubberised mat. Having the spare wheel on the exterior frees up useful storage below the cargo floor for mucky boots or such gear. GVW is 3,500kg; Payload in the 2-seat Utility Wagon is 856-776kg.

While there are 2- and 5-passenger commercial-rated versions, the Grenadier we drove was the spacious Utility Wagon five-seater. Standard features included all the above mentioned items, galvanised steel body, underpin protection for when you take it off-road, LED headlights, a LED auxiliary spotlight, comfy Recaro seats, off-road and wading modes (ground clearance is 264mm and wading depth 800mm), Pathfinder off-road navigation, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

For all its weight, Grenadier can accelerate on-road from 0-100km/h in 8.6 to 9.9 seconds and has a top speed of 160km/h. Fuel capacity is 90 litres.

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Engine options are petrol or diesel 3.0 BMW 6-cylinder inlines. All-wheel-drive is permanent and there is a full low-rage transfer case and a differential lock. The diesel gets 245hp and 550Nm torque while the petrol has 282hp and 450Nm. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission - with a manual override function.

On our first road drive, we found the steering took a bit of getting used to as it’s not self-centering. Ineos claims this is a better option for off-road use. Hopefully, I will be able to take it off-road in the near future.

An electric model is scheduled to enter production in 2026.

You can’t view this big one in any dealership as you have to contact Orangeworks Automotive based at Carton House in Maynooth or via Orangeworksautomotive.com.

Commercials are from €64,00 + VAT; passenger vehicle from €138,000 + VAT.