Monday 7th September

Here's the Grenadier Enhanced Protection Vehicle

Enough with the Land Rover already - here's how Ineos aims to woo the MOD

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Anything Land Rover can do, Ineos can do… well, better is unclear for the moment, but it can certainly do as well. Just a weekend after the reveal of the Defender Wolf, there’s confirmation from Ineos that its ranks are being bolstered in its attempts to get the MOD Light Mobility Vehicle programme. 

The Team Grenadier consortium now has Hobson Industries and TVS Supply Chain Solutions onboard; hardly romantic household names, but then that’s not really what making these machines is about. If they get the job done better, they’re in, with Team Grenadier suggesting the new recruits ‘bolster in-service vehicle management, maintenance and support capability.’ They join SMT Defender, NMS UK and, of course, Ineos Automotive in the consortium. 

That’s the important bit for the bid to be the MOD’s next Light Mobility Vehicle. The important bit for us is a first look at the Grenadier in Enhanced Protection Vehicle spec; we’d seen the Multi-Role Light Vehicle before - now it’s time to get serious. This thing looks like it’s just driven off a Fast and Furious set, all winches, rivets and snorkels. The windows seem to have come straight from a prison van. When they say enhanced protection, they mean enhanced protection alright. Like the Wolf, the EPV will be on show at the DVD 2026 military event at Millbrook later in September; the General Purpose Vehicle Grenadier and MRLV will also be in attendance. 

Ineos Automotive’s CCO Mike Whittington said: “Both Hobsons and TVS SCS bring considerable military understanding, commercial best practice, and proven programme delivery to the Team Grenadier consortium. Together we can deliver operational resilience, scalability and exceptional in-service support required by the MoD throughout the operational lifetime of the Grenadiers, while backing domestic industry and creating and supporting UK jobs.” 

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• Ineos officially launches new Grenadier MLRV
• All-new Defender Wolf Series II breaks cover

[Bluehorseshoe]

As JLR annouce 4000 job cuts this seems awfully prophetic about the UK. A company that looks British but is based over seas making kit for our armed forces.

[Bernt Tuakrisp]

Small company that’s never turned a profit operating a single factory making a small volume parts bin car with a very limited track record and limited support and service network, that’s expensive and poorly designed. They’re a shoe in for the MOD with those credentials. Who needs Toyota, Ford or Mercedes anyway, or even JLR.

[Thornberry78]

Armoured version looks cool as fluke in my opinion! They should spec the civilian version like this, perfect protection for a late night milk run to the dodgy Spar.

[dxg]

Bluehorseshoe said:

As JLR annouce 4000 job cuts this seems awfully prophetic about the UK. A company that looks British but is based over seas making kit for our armed forces.

You know, war - or the real threat of it - really does expose the folly of letting our industrial base whither away over the last fifty years...

[Lester H]

Thornberry78 said:

Armoured version looks cool as fluke in my opinion! They should spec the civilian version like this, perfect protection for a late night milk run to the dodgy Spar.

. And no one would argue with that on the school run, nor in the pub would anyone dare to accuse you of spilling their pint.

[_Rodders_]

From purely a looks perspective it beats the JLR entrant.

[Lefty]

Bluehorseshoe said:

As JLR annouce 4000 job cuts this seems awfully prophetic about the UK. A company that looks British but is based over seas making kit for our armed forces.

It is a British company that have a factory overseas. Not too dissimilar to how the Defender is made in Slovakia.

[Bernt Tuakrisp]

Lefty said:

Bluehorseshoe said:

As JLR annouce 4000 job cuts this seems awfully prophetic about the UK. A company that looks British but is based over seas making kit for our armed forces.

It is a British company that have a factory overseas. Not too dissimilar to how the Defender is made in Slovakia.

I noticed on a recent Euro trip that non-UK Grenadiers proudly sport a logo saying “Fabrique en France” along with the tricoleur down the flanks, I guess this is more effective marketing than the pretence at Britishness they deploy for UK customers?

[Lefty]

"British" ones have the same "made in hambach" and a french flag on the rear side windows.

I know that doesn't sit with your narrative, sorry about that

[777petrolhead]

Interesting, looks way more fit for purpose then the new Defender Wolf and more than likely more reliable ..

[Kawasaki2000]

Bluehorseshoe said:

As JLR annouce 4000 job cuts this seems awfully prophetic about the UK. A company that looks British but is based over seas making kit for our armed forces.

Like the nuclear deterrent? Or Tornado or Phantom? Lots of kit made overseas. Evne in WW2 the UK was heavily dependent on US manufacturing for transport craft, trucks and jeeps. Its just too expensive for a lot of domestic suppy. And even for the people who say 'we need to make it here to be self sufficient', we don't and never had the raw materials to be self sufficient. Rubber, steel and more all needs to come in even if we made the finished product here.

[Bluehorseshoe]

Kawasaki2000 said:

Bluehorseshoe said:

As JLR annouce 4000 job cuts this seems awfully prophetic about the UK. A company that looks British but is based over seas making kit for our armed forces.

Like the nuclear deterrent? Or Tornado or Phantom? Lots of kit made overseas. Evne in WW2 the UK was heavily dependent on US manufacturing for transport craft, trucks and jeeps. Its just too expensive for a lot of domestic suppy. And even for the people who say 'we need to make it here to be self sufficient', we don't and never had the raw materials to be self sufficient. Rubber, steel and more all needs to come in even if we made the finished product here.

My point is more the home grown provider JLR is cutting jobs. That is sad this looks good but it will see moneh flow out of the uk

[croyde]

Much prefer this to the Defender effort. Had to pick up a bottle of Malbec from the late night Sainsbury's Express here in Richmond Borough in the dark last night.

This would have been perfect

[mikeyr]

Ignoring the ins/outs of national security, more important is that this is effectively a press release bit of fluff rather than actual reporting or news.

[malaccamax]

Lefty said:

Bluehorseshoe said:

As JLR annouce 4000 job cuts this seems awfully prophetic about the UK. A company that looks British but is based over seas making kit for our armed forces.

It is a British company that have a factory overseas. Not too dissimilar to how the Defender is made in Slovakia.

Defender is engineered in the UK though.

[Lefty]

Grenadier engineered by Magna Steyr of G-Wagen provenance.

[JerryF]

As a Grenadier owner, the British Army must support British industry. Therefore, the Wolf must be the MOD's choice.

[WH16]

JerryF said:

As a Grenadier owner, the British Army must support British industry. Therefore, the Wolf must be the MOD's choice.

As a Range Rover owner and ex-soldier I would prefer they buy the best tool for the job. It would be nice if we bough home-grown, but it should not be the prime consideration.

[Lefty]

The defender isn’t built in the UK. None of the options are.

Such a shame

[LRDefender]

Lefty said:

The defender isn t built in the UK. None of the options are.

Such a shame

Isn't the owner of Grenadier the chap that enthusiastically supported Brexit and then fled to Monaco after the vote was announced?