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Grenadieris a miracle. It shouldn't have existed. In 2017, when British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe announced that he was going to build a cool, old-school 4×4 in the image and likeness of the original Land Rover Defender (which had been discontinued a year earlier), most industry insiders doubted that he would succeed.
Creating the Grenadier "turned out to be a lot more difficult" than he expected, Jim admits. If you asked me the question, "Would we make the same decision knowing what we know today in 2017?" - I am not sure what they would accept. What didn't help was that in the midst of all this we had Covid, Ukraine and China. Three huge problems. How many we hadparts made in Ukraine - 158, something like that. All kinds of software came from China. And all this in the midst of the development of the first car - it was very difficult."
Ineos Grenadier: Well made, comfortable and determined
Pulling out of the parking lot, the Grenadier immediately feels spacious, well-made and comfortable.Instrument panel made in the style of an airplane cockpit, completely unique, Recaro seats and excellent visibility through a flat, vertically positioned windshield.
But the most impressive thing is the behavior in motion. When Ratcliffe was just designing his car, he wanted a chassis withstepped frame(essentially steel beams under the body), rigid axles and heavy-duty suspension - in general, the way old Land Rovers were built back in 1948. But it is not for nothing that most manufacturers have moved away from this scheme: "heavy-duty" means "heavy". The Grenadier weighs about 2,700 kg (depending on the configuration) - much more than the new Defender. But the teamIneoswell hid this mass, andwhen driving, the Grenadier seems submissive and obedient, but at the same time well controlled. Body movements are well controlled.
That the company managed to achieve such high standards on its first attempt is impressive, but itachieved this by choosing excellent partners, rather than trying to do everything on its own. When we move into a new field of activity, - explains Ratcliffe, - we need to recognize that it takes time to master it and involve high-class specialists from other fields. The automotive industry is no different."
Yes,for the Grenadier is offered as an optionBMW-supplied 3.0-litre straight-six petrol or diesel; eight-speed gearbox - ZF; bridges - from the supplier of Carraro tractors; springs andshock absorbers- Eibach. Everything is of premium quality. ButMagna Steyr became a key partner, located in Graz (Austria). Magna is an engineering company that designs cars for other manufacturers, including the 2018 Mercedes G-Wagen.
According to Ratcliffe, Magna Steyr employs 250 engineers who spent seven years creating the new G-Wagen. Then the new G-Wagen was released, and those 250 engineers, about three years ago, switched to the Grenadier. It changed the way we worked, and that's why many elements of this car are similar to the G-Wagen."The engineers in Austria and Germany just don't know how to make bad cars. They only work to one standard."
Compared to a Mercedes (or a modern Land Rover), the Grenadier's steering feels slow and vague. This delay and inaccuracy is a consequence of the good old daysbridges with a single supporting beam. They're good if you're going over a dune or swamp, but require a special type of steering that isn't "light" compared to most modern SUVs - including the Gelentwagen, which has a more modern independent front suspension.
At least on the road. Off-road, the Grenadier and its steering feel right at home. Ratcliffe does not hide that his car -this is an old technology, a mechanical approach, unlike the complex air suspension and electronics found in many modern SUVs. The Grenadier's off-road qualities are definitely its selling point," he says.I like the G-Wagen; I have several G-Wagens and love to drive them. But I wouldn't want to drive it across Africa, and I'm not going to drive it down a highway in Iceland when I go salmon fishing. I will ride the Grenadier".
The feeling of solidity and confidence is evidence that the carassembled at the former Mercedes plant in Hambas. And the realization that you can go anywhere on it - just skip work and go to Senegal - is simply tempting.
So, the Ineos Grenadierprice - 80-90 thousand euros. This is no small thing, considering that the new Grenadier does not slide and steer likethe new Defender", and does not have a reliable dealer network of BMW or Audi, but it will definitely find its audience - among off-road enthusiasts, researchers and car fans. In addition, cars built on the good old frame are becoming less and less every year, despite the fact that they are the best suited for the most difficult tasks and conditions of use.
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