If you’ve never heard of INEOS Automotive or the INEOS Grenadier 4×4, you’re not alone. Born from the chemical, gasoline, oil, and energy global giant, the INEOS Group, the newly formed auto manufacturer is a small part of a massive empire of employees (approximately 26,000 to be exact). The INEOS Group runs three-dozen individual businesses and 194 manufacturing facilities in nearly 30 countries, with the company’s founder/chairman/CEO and British billionaire, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, at its helm.

The petrol tester I drove in France was a two-seater commercial 2B prototype. The vehicle had dash-mounted emergency shut-off buttons and 3D-printed dash details. Photo: INEOS Automotive

I have driven the INEOS Grenadier on a few occasions now. The first time was in France, in February of 2022, piloting their diesel and petrol 2B prototypes off-road through loose dirt, thick mud, and steep terrain. My latest adventure with production-ready variants took me on scenic country roads and challenging off-road tracks through the Scottish Highlands a few weeks ago when I attended the company’s Global Media Drive Event: Expedition 1.0. More to come as I share my INEOS Grenadier driving impressions and first-drive review in my next Off Road Xtreme article.

Upon seeing the first prototype ever made, I met Greg Clark, the executive vice president of the Americas at INEOS Automotive. Photo: Mercedes Lilienthal

What Is INEOS Automotive All About, And Why The Grenadier?

Based in London, INEOS Automotive was the brainchild of Ratcliffe after he witnessed Land Rover ending its 33-year production run of its original Land Rover Defender—a utilitarian 4×4 he was dearly fond of. Ratcliffe is an experienced off-roading enthusiast and found the Defender an ideal adventuring machine.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), owned by Tata Motors, stopped building the iconic Defender in 2016 and chose to move from solid axles and body-on-frame construction towards unibody architecture, technology, and luxury accouterments. JLR kept its popular Defender namesake but disconnected its workhorse attitude from future iterations.

The first prototype was an exterior shell, although a peek inside showed a work-in-progress interior. Photo: Mercedes Lilienthal

After hearing about the Defender’s demise while having a drink at his favorite bar in Central London, the Grenadier Pub, Ratcliffe took it upon himself to create a new version of a boxy, hard-working 4×4. He started from the ground up, designing it separately from the iconic Defender, though some say it echoes more than just a hint of JLR’s original Defender design. In 2017, he assembled a group of senior automotive professionals and started to make his dream a reality.

“We spent six months evaluating what was discussed in the pub to see if it really made sense,” says Mark Tennant, INEOS Automotive’s Commercial Director. “This is a passion project for our owners. Jim [Ratcliffe] is incredibly enthusiastic, and incredibly involved. It’s a really important point to make [the INEOS Grenadier] right from the get-go.”

I think their slogan rings true; “Grenadier, built on purpose”. With a project like this, years in the making, INEOS has produced something spectacularly robust to perform for many different missions. It seems like a complete 4×4 package.

INEOS Grenadier 4×4 Key Partners And Progression Logistics

According to Tennant, Ratcliffe’s initial conversation in the pub spawned “Jim’s triangle.” This new 4×4 needed to include the following items: a proper design, off-road capability, and lastly, durability and reliability.

INEOS Automotive bought a Mercedes-Benz Smart car factory in Hambach, France, and retrofitted it to produce the Grenadier. Photo: INEOS Automotive

“We know very, very well the credibility of this vehicle absolutely depends on having a plan, having a network, and being able to get the vehicle fixed,” Tennant states. “In this particular case, parts availability and having a great after-sale support network are absolutely key. But it would be very boastful of us to claim today that that’s proven because until it’s out there in the world, it can’t be.”

INEOS Automotive is partnering with established companies like BMW, Magna Steyr, and Bosch to bring the Grenadier to life. Photo: INEOS Automotive

Armed with the original JLR Defender, as well as WWII Willys MB military off-roaders as the company’s inspiration, Ratcliffe and his team spent the next five years designing the INEOS Grenadier 4×4. They combined their British fervor with German engineering (using BMW as their powerplant of choice). They partnered with other well-known companies like Magna and Bosch to help bring the Grenadier to life, too.

INEOS Grenadier Prototype Iterations

Once ready to produce prototypes, INEOS Automotive bought a Mercedes-Benz Smart car factory in Hambach, France, and has since finished testing several prototype iterations before rolling out production-ready models.

INEOS Automotive shared its prototype progression versus hiding behind it. Driving their 2B prototypes in France gave me a solid understanding of where the new automaker was headed. Photo: Mercedes Lilienthal

The earliest prototypes were known as 1B and 2B vehicles, with 2B prototypes being the second INEOS Grenadiers ever manufactured (and the very first INEOS Grenadier type I had driven). After 2B prototypes were tested, PTOs (production try-out models) were produced, analyzed, and driven to ensure INEOS Automotive was maintaining accurate manufacturing progression. PTO1 units were engineering test units, PTO2 models were testing, production trials, and marketing units. Finally the PTO3 vehicles—the final prototypes, were pre-production road testing units. Once PTO3s were solidified and satisfactory, production of actual customer vehicles could begin.

Production-ready 2023 INEOS Grenadiers come in three types: the base Grenadier, the adventurous Fieldmaster, and the off-road-centric Trialmaster. Pictured is the Trialmaster. Photo: INEOS Automotive

The 2023 INEOS Grenadier Is Ready For Production

Now that prototype testing is completed, production-ready 2023 INEOS Grenadiers are rolling off the assembly line. They’ll soon be fulfilling orders in various parts of the world. INEOS’ goal is to build 30,000 units a year. That’s a drop in the bucket compared to the U.S. giant like Ford Motor Company with its Bronco lineup. Or, Jeep, which sold 181,410 Wranglers in 2022 alone (down since its highest-ever count of 240,032 units in 2018, however).

INEOS Automotive stands firm that North America will be a heavy-hitting market for them. This is based on multiple factors, including higher-than-expected reservation orders. The company determined four separate customer groups will be purchasing the Grenadier 4×4. This includes off-road enthusiasts, lifestylists, utilitarians, and corporate conglomerates.

The 2023 production-ready INEOS Grenadier has 9 inches of wheel articulation in the front and 12 inches in the rear. Total wheel travel is 23 inches. North America will receive the 2024 model-year vehicles. Photo: INEOS Automotive

Who Is The INEOS Grenadier 4×4 Driver?

“You’ve got to play on the one end and work on the other side,” says Tennant. “On one side, people just love 4x4s and getting muddy. Off-road vehicle enthusiasts like customizing everything.”

“Then you’ve got this very broad church of what we call lifestylists,” he adds. “It’s anybody who likes being outdoors, people who want to be off grid, who has some adventure in their life. That ultimately is the biggest group I come back to.”

The production-ready 2023 INEOS Grenadier cockpit features tactile knobs and buttons with a simplified digital display screen. Photo: Mercedes Lilienthal

“Then we’ll have utilitarians who need [the Grenadier] as a working tool,” Tennant explains. Finally, INEOS Automotive expects to work with corporations for their corporate fleet, too. “The U.S. isn’t really the [corporate] market, we’re definitely talking primarily about Europe, but actually also a bit in the Middle East.”

Tennant states INEOS’ goal is to “build credibility amongst people and therefore know what’s required of a really good 4×4.”

All three INEOS Grenadier production models boast 10.4 inches of ground clearance, front/rear modular steel bumpers for serviceability, pre-wiring for auxiliary accessories, and more. Photo: Mercedes Lilienthal

Who Are the Top Markets, and When Will We See Them?

The United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia are the top-anticipated sales regions, with North America coming in closely thereafter. INEOS won’t be surprised if the U.S. and Canada surpass a few of these markets as the Grenadier gains ground.

The customer-ready INEOS Grenadier has an approach angle of 35.5 degrees, a departure angle of 36.1 degrees, and a breakover angle of 28.2 degrees. Photo: INEOS Automotive

Although diesel and petrol versions are available, North America will only be getting the petrol-powered iteration to start with. A long-wheelbase Grenadier and four-door pickup truck are already in the works. An all-electric iteration and a hydrogen-powered option are slated for testing, too.

Pricing for the North American market is being announced in the coming months. Grenadier units will start hitting our shores later in 2023. Based on comparable vehicle platforms and the target customer market, we can expect a high-end 4×4 of great value. We would assume a rig like this to sell at least in the six-figure range, but our inside connection confirmed the vehicle cost to be less than that. Stay tuned to Off Road Xtreme for our exclusive test drive field report on the production-ready INEOS Grenadier 4×4 coming soon.

I recently attended INEOS’ Global Media Drive Event: Expedition 1.0. We drove production-ready Grenadiers on scenic roads and challenging off-road tracks through the Scottish Highlands. Photo: INEOS Automotive