Thursday 16th January 2025

Ineos restarts Grenadier production

Recaro is back in business, so Ineos' Hambach factory is as well...

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It was only last month that PH reported fresh investment for Recaro. In early December Proma Group said a relaunch could happen ‘as soon as January’; and here we are, just halfway through the longest month of the year, with Recaro up and running again and Ineos - one of its most significant clients - able to assemble cars at Hambach once more. 

Both Grenadiers and Quartermasters are online now, with the first car rolling out the door yesterday a Scottish White five-seat Utility Wagon. It has been followed by two cars in Devil Red, a ‘bold’ new colour for all models and surely a nod to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s recent acquisition of a stake in Man United . Which Ineos has failed to take any pictures of. Coming down the line soon, better late than not at all, are the Grenadier 1924s, a special edition that added ‘lifestyle accessories and premium design flair’ to mark the centenary of the British fashion brand. With smart ForTwo production winding up at the end of last year (the Hambach facility was a Mercedes plant), there’ll be no holding back Ineos development with more space on offer. 

Indeed, despite the unexpected pause, Ineos sales were up 44 per cent year-on-year in 2024, and Mexico and China were added to the new markets list before 2025 arrived. So there appears to be good momentum behind the brand. CEO Lynn Calder added: “We are so proud to have more than 20,000 Grenadiers on the roads and trails around the world. Significant new markets like Mexico and China created incremental demand just when we had to hit pause on the production line, so it is heartening to already hear the familiar ‘toot’ as vehicles roll through the quality check lines again. We’ve got some catching up to do, but we’re up for the challenge.”

For those that are keen, the Ineos configurator has been updated for 2025, including Devil Red as a £740 option. Expect deliveries in due course - or, for those that can’t wait…

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• Make way for the Ineos Quartermaster Kaiju
• 2023 Ineos Grenadier | PH Review

[Julian Scott]

I know these have been moaned out (product, business and owner), usually for political reasoning as much as anything, but there are an increasing number on the road round here, and even more interestingly, I spent 2 weeks over Christmas in North Shore Illinois, there are a considerable number on the roads out there.

[fantheman80]

I listen to the Chris Harris and mandem podcast and Neil Clifford said he wanted to love it, but it was a bad product and moved it on. The poor driving position etc cant be helping - hope mk2 rights these wrongs

[John-22dpg]

You omitted "Belstaff" from the text.

[Biggles Flies Undone]

A few friends have/had them and I've spent a bit of time in them. I can't say I am impressed and in their cases, nor were they. 3 sold them on very quickly and 1 has kept his, but grumbles about it.

The standard comments have been about them being uncomfortable, noisy, lumbering and drink fuel at an unholy rate. Coming from ex-landy owners then I have to admit I was surprised, but I suspect they all thought it would be more refined than just a workhorse.

This could well be them getting their expectations wrong, but at the same time, when you are spending £80k+ then you are probably right to expect quite a lot.

[CH80]

How exciting! I am glad Recaro are back to business - great seats.

[jmcc500]

Interested how Ineos qualify to have this story in 'British Cars' section? Engineered in Austria, made in France/Portugal.

[FaustF]

Good news, glad to see it happen for both Ineos and Recaro.

Seeing more Grenadiers about the place, I'm really drawn to them, I'd like to see that red though!

[garypotter]

not a fan of the Ineos line up and i wonder how they are selling as i get ads on everything offering cheap lease deals etc - a sign that they are not selling well??

[BOR]

They need to think about dual-sourcing more of their parts or stock-piling parts to buffer themselves against supplier problems.

Recaro won't be last supplier to circle the plughole this year I'm sorry to say.

[Bernt Tuakrisp]

Unless you spend pretty much all your time properly off road (and have £80k to spend) why would you choose this over a D350 Defender which is vastly better in every respect except the outer limits off road that virtually no one needs and then you are in a specialist vehicle, farm buggy, tractor Unimog etc. The new Landcruiser would also be a better option if you want Toyota build quality.

None of the charm of the old Defender but with most of its faults, at a cost of a new Defender with few of its improvements.

[Macboy]

Undoubtedly the production halt was bad for the balance sheet but unsold stock in UK dealers suggests they were glad of an excuse to not have more heading out to dealers for a few months. Yes, you do see them on the road but they've only just made the 20,000th since production started I recall reading when they forecast sales of more than 30,000 a year. I imagine, based on the revolving door of staff at Ineos HQ, that it's not a happy place to work with the pressure to make a flawed product sell to people who don't need it.

I was quite shocked when I spent a day in one to barely scrape over 20mpg having pitched up in a 4x4 that gets more than double that without trying hard. Like many people I'd enjoy the fantasy Instagram lifestyle that lets me justify one with a roof tent and an expanse of uncharted roads ahead but for everyday use it comes low on my list.

[Biggles Flies Undone]

Macboy said:

Undoubtedly the production halt was bad for the balance sheet but unsold stock in UK dealers suggests they were glad of an excuse to not have more heading out to dealers for a few months. Yes, you do see them on the road but they've only just made the 20,000th since production started I recall reading when they forecast sales of more than 30,000 a year. I imagine, based on the revolving door of staff at Ineos HQ, that it's not a happy place to work with the pressure to make a flawed product sell to people who don't need it.

I was quite shocked when I spent a day in one to barely scrape over 20mpg having pitched up in a 4x4 that gets more than double that without trying hard. Like many people I'd enjoy the fantasy Instagram lifestyle that lets me justify one with a roof tent and an expanse of uncharted roads ahead but for everyday use it comes low on my list.

One friend with one said it feels like you have the handbrake on all the time when you drive it. You take your foot off the throttle and it slows massively and it just feels like it is having to work hard just to get the wheels to turn. I doubt that would help the fuel consumption.

The lump they have fitted is a really good one, so it has to be in the transmission or axles that all that energy is getting zapped.

[Venisonpie]

The lack of supply chain resilience for something as ubiquitous as a seat is appalling. But not surprising.

[The Pistonsdead]

CH80 said:

How exciting! I am glad Recaro are back to business - great seats.

With you on that one

[Alex@POD]

It makes me laugh seeing how many people take the time to comment on these threads just to make sure others know how little they think of the Grenadiers

[Snow and Rocks]

Macboy said:

I was quite shocked when I spent a day in one to barely scrape over 20mpg having pitched up in a 4x4 that gets more than double that without trying hard.

Out of interest - what equivalent 4x4 gets more than 40 mpg without trying hard?

[Snow and Rocks]

Biggles Flies Undone said:

One friend with one said it feels like you have the handbrake on all the time when you drive it. You take your foot off the throttle and it slows massively and it just feels like it is having to work hard just to get the wheels to turn. I doubt that would help the fuel consumption.

The lump they have fitted is a really good one, so it has to be in the transmission or axles that all that energy is getting zapped.

It'll be mostly a combination of the draggy BFG AT tyres and aerodynamics - it's a pretty normal sensation in a "proper" 4x4, my Hilux and previous Land Cruisers are exactly the same. As a bonus it does at least mean the brakes last forever.

[Konan]

jmcc500 said:

Interested how Ineos qualify to have this story in 'British Cars' section? Engineered in Austria, made in France/Portugal.

Because they're rooted in defender nostalgia and produced by a firm owned by a billionaire who's British until it comes to paying tax.

[CoolHands]

Alex@POD said:

It makes me laugh seeing how many people take the time to comment on these threads just to make sure others know how little they think of the Grenadiers

Whereas with your comment we know even less

[Black S2K]

The Pistonsdead said:

CH80 said:

How exciting! I am glad Recaro are back to business - great seats.

With you on that one

Thirded.