INEOS' rugged SUV "Grenadier" to be launched in the U.S. in 2023.
Rugged, off-road oriented SUVs such as the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, and Land Rover Defender may soon face competition from a powerful new competitor developed by the automotive division of British chemical giant Ineos.
That competitor is the Grenadier, a boxy, go-anywhere SUV modeled after the Land Rover Defender of a generation ago and in production at a French plant since the summer. The car will begin deliveries in Europe and other markets in the fourth quarter, and Ineos is building a U.S. dealer network.
Ineos has insisted since the car's inception that the U.S. market was part of its plan, and last summer it hired Greg Clark, a former marketing executive for Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz, to help launch local sales.
In an interview with Automotive News (subscription required) published last week, Clark said that Ineos has already received 5,000 reservations for the Grenadier from U.S. residents and is in the process of signing dealers to turn those reservations into sales. He said he wants a more traditional dealership model, rather than a direct sales model like many rival startups. [Clark told Automotive News that Ineos plans to have about 35 dealers in the U.S. and Canada, and that many BMW dealers and European import dealers have expressed interest. Many of the Grenadier's mechanisms, including the powertrain and transmission, are common to modern BMWs.
Clark previously said that the Grenadier could go on sale in the U.S. before 2023 is over, and to keep things simple, the company is planning one powertrain for this market, a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder. In the Grenadier, this engine will be paired with a four-wheel drive system with an eight-speed automatic and two-speed transfer case. Diesel is offered in other markets.
Further along, a pickup body style and a hydrogen-electric powertrain could be offered. Ineos has also suggested a small electric SUV.
Pricing has yet to be determined, but rumors put the base vehicle price at around $75,000. Prices in Europe start at 68,990 euros (about $69,800).
