Ineos Grenadier ute seeks to be a pickup like no different


Ineos Automotive has simply began delivering its Grenadier wagon to Australians after a number of months of delays, however for a lot of consumers it’s the (formally) yet-to-be-revealed dual-cab ute that’s of larger curiosity.

Anticipated to emerge within the subsequent month or two and enter sequence manufacturing by yr’s finish, the oft-spied Grenadier pickup shapes as a little bit of a distinct segment proposition inside Australia’s booming ute market – which accounts for about one-in-five of recent automobile gross sales.

“Its significance for the Australian market is immense… I believe that we’ve received one thing that’s fairly a singular proposition as effectively,” Ineos Automotive Asia Pacific boss Justin Hocevar informed us this week, including that extra information concerning the automobile was “imminent”.

The Grenadier ute can have clear stylistic variations to mainstream dual-cabs just like the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger – to not point out heavier responsibility specs and better costs – and will provide higher loading and towing talents than the same boxy Jeep Gladiator.

Whereas it will likely be priced extra intently to the vary of bigger American pickups getting into the market, all of which supply robust towing credentials, the Grenadier ought to have them lined for off-road skill – by way of potential angles of assault, articulation and many others.

If something the Grenadier dual-cab ute shapes as a extra refined and fashionable competitor to the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Sequence dual-cab – an agricultural automobile, however nonetheless one providing heavyweight functionality and subsequently dominates rural Australia.

“We don’t have the legacy of their story, however we’ve actually received an enormous funding in top quality tools and I believe that individuals have been actually drawn to that,” Mr Hocevar claimed. In a fortuitous piece of timing, Toyota has needed to pause LC70 orders because of low manufacturing charges.

“So I prefer to suppose that we’ve nearly lived in between the place the Thailand [sourced] and the massive American stuff is now, and there’s not numerous selection within the area that we intend to occupy. The community is extremely amped up and prepared for this automobile, notably all of the regional guys.”

“We’ve received very robust order numbers right here in Australia, [but] we’ve nonetheless received a really robust reservation quantity,” Mr Hocevar added, referring to those that apparently put down Grenadier deposits when the wagon went on sale – for the unrevealed ute as an alternative.

MORE: Greatest off-road ute revealed – Ranger vs HiLux vs RAM vs Silverado vs Triton vs BT-50 vs D-Max vs Cannon vs Navara vs Musso vs Gladiator

“These had been those that put down that $800 reservation charge again in October 2021, there’s an enormous variety of these those that… have parked that cash there with us for a few years almost to be first cab off the rank in the case of the dual-cab.”

“That’s a extremely robust indicator to us that there’s some folks on the market which can be hanging out for this automobile.”

We clearly don’t know precisely how a lot the Grenadier ute will price, however for context the station wagon opens at $98,000 for the bottom mannequin with no choices – that means it’ll probably be a six-figure automobile as soon as on-road prices are factored in.

Count on the Grenadier pickup to share many of the similar specs because the Grenadier wagon – engines, axles, front-half panels, inside – however to additionally provide an extended wheelbase and the next payload than the wagon’s 932kg inventory most.

The Grenadier wagon – the ute is a by-product of the identical platform – gives BMW-sourced inline-six diesel (183kW and 550Nm) and petrol (210kW and 450Nm) engines, mated to eight-speed automated transmissions and 4×4 with low-range.

It has Carraro beam axles at each ends suspended with five-link Eibach coils, a box-section ladder chassis, everlasting 4×4 with a Tremec switch case, three diff locks, a gross automobile mass of 3550kg, and a 3500kg towing skill.

Background

Australia is among the essential international markets for the rugged Grenadier, billed by some as a non secular successor to the unique Land Rover Defender.

The Grenadier is the brainchild of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the British billionaire engineer and chairman of multinational petrochemical large Ineos. No expense has been spared on his ardour venture.

The official story says Ratcliffe was hanging out in London’s Grenadier pub in 2017, bemoaning Land Rover’s resolution to kill the previous Defender and substitute it with the extra fashionable and opulent new SUV mannequin when he determined to convey the automotive to life.

Ineos Automotive Australia shall be a manufacturing unit operation slightly than an unbiased distributor. The corporate has round 30 model shops in Australia promoting by way of a fixed-price company mannequin, together with 5 in capital cities and 25 in regional hubs, reflecting the Grenadier’s audience.

Manufacturing Grenadiers are constructed at an previous Mercedes-Benz plant in Hambach, France, which was bought by Ineos. Since 2019 the plant has acquired a claimed A$770 million in upgrades, funded by each Mercedes-Benz and Ineos.

MORE: Ineos Grenadier deliveries start in Australia
MORE: 2023 Ineos Grenadier evaluate
MORE: 2023 Ineos Grenadier worth and specs

MORE: Ineos plans to assist unbiased mechanics and the 4×4 aftermarket



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