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• Ineos to build a new 4x4, called the Grenadier
• Grenadier expected to arrive locally 'early 2022'
• Pricing not yet announced, but will be in Jeep Wrangler territory
Come 2022, a new off-road vehicle will make its South African debut. Called the Grenadier, this SUV by Ineos will look to rewrite what we know about off-road machines and also aim to set new standards in the segment.
Positioned against established rivals like the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Land Cruiser 70, the Grenadier was built with the sole purpose of being a reckoned 4x4, hence form followed function throughout the design process. Ineos says that because of this design approach, a boxy design was on the cards from the moment the idea was first discussed.
While some may not find it to be aesthetically pleasing, Ineos is confident that this is the correct path to follow in its pursuit of building a proper off-road machine.
Ineos says: "We're on track to build a no compromise off-roader from the ground up. And because we believe in function over form, we're going to reveal exactly what is in our truly uncompromising 4x4."
In your view, how would you gauge the Grenadier's future success in SA? Email us.
Three areas to address
In a meeting with the Ineos team, they said that three areas needed to be addressed on the Grenadier. These being: Design, Off-Road ability, and Durability and Reliability. For Ineos, these areas went a long way in ensuring the fruition of their goals and ambitions.
The inspiration for the Grenadier goes back as far as the Second World War when the US Army made use of the Willys Jeep. As such, the Grenadier takes plenty of design cues from the Willys, as well as traits that made it such a hit.
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Ineos listed the following points as crucial on the Grenadier: a wheel at each corner, permanent 4WD, ladder chassis with beam axles, off-road performance that could challenge for class honours, have a load-carrying capacity of one tonne, tow 3.5 tonnes, and be easy to repair.
The Grenadier's body is made up of steel (for durability) and aluminium (to save weight). Ineos also says that the ladder frame chassis allows for more body styles to be added.
All-new Ineos Grenadier (Ineos Media)
Source of power
A crucial aspect Ineos had to get just right, was the Grenadier's powertrain. For this, they approached BMW for two of its in-line six-cylinder engines. Codenamed by BMW as B57 and B58, these engines displace 3.0-litres and are petrol and diesel, respectively. Ineos says that these engines will be tuned and altered for application in the Grenadier and that it is still too early to say what the power outputs will be.
These engines will be mated to an automatic transmission, and the SUV will also feature front, rear, and centre diff-locks.
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And what about alternative sources of power? Electric or hybrid versions are not planned, as the batteries will be depleted rather quickly when the Grenadier is laden. However, Ineos is exploring hydrogen fuel cell technology and is not opposed to alternative energies as a power source, and is already looking at 'smart alternatives' for the next-generation Grenadier.
Ineos says that the Grenadier will undergo several phases of testing to get it market-ready by the end of 2021. In total, this new 4x4 will undergo 1.8-million km of testing, and one of these tests will take place in South Africa, too. Ineos plans to launch the Grenadier locally by 'early 2022', with pricing in the range of the rivals mentioned above. The Grenadier will launch in Europe first, with global sales beginning shortly after.
