Just like everyone else who knows about the Grenadier, I first learned about the car online through social media. That was back in 2019 when there was little known about the car. I read as much as I could find and decided to put my name on the early registration list to buy one. I was able to do that within hours of the list opening up so I have to believe I am rather high on the list.
That put me on Ineos’s mailing list for viewings. In December 2021 I was contacted with the opportunity to view (not drive) a prototype Grenadier in San Francisco. So on January 27th 2022 I went to the Mission District to check out the Grenadier in an art gallery during a private showing. Here are the photos from that event along with some first impressions.
This particular car did not run and many of the trim pieces were 3D printed so this was a good example of the Grenadier but far from the final product. Overall I was very impressed….here are my initial thoughts:
in person it looks fantastic if you appreciate the boxy old school look of the Defender or G-wagon
I think the footprint (wheelbase) is perfect, any bigger and the capabilities would be diminished and any smaller it becomes less practical for a do everything car
the back seat leg room is ok not great
the cargo area is ok for gear but given the back seat does not lay down flat you can forget about sleeping in the car when you overload
the seats are comfortable and the driving position is great (nice visibility and access to controls)
the ground clearance is great for a car this size
the utility nature of the design was well thought out by Ineos, analog switches, fewer sensors and less electronics to break down, spray down interior floors with drain plugs, pre-wired for aux power, etc
clearly the designers have spent a lot of time with Defenders when they designed the Grenadier…..case in point many of the electronics are under the back seat protected from weather and water crossings
while there is a strong resemblance of a Defender it is NOT a copy, Ineos really blended a few cars together to create something new, you can see elements of the G-wagon the Land Cruiser, and Jeeps here and there
it is refreshing to see an old school approach to the construction, one that has been time tested for reliability, capabilities, and strength…..bolt on body to a ladder chassis, sold axels, triple locked, coil suspension, two speed transfer case
After spending about an hour with the car and talking to the Ineos crew I walked away more confident that it was a car I was interested in buying. The real test will be when I can drive it off-road as well as on-road to see how the chassis, suspension, and drivetrain perform. But at least at the time of this initial viewing I left extremely impressed at what Ineos was building.