Last week INEOS Automotive proclaimed that progress on its Grenadier has barely been affected by lockdown, and this week the new British firm has unwittingly provided us with the evidence. Captured on camera here from what is clearly a secret vantage point, the highly-disguised 4x4’s Defender-influenced profile is seen in full for the first time – with earlier test cars having somehow evaded cameras during winter testing in the Arctic Circle.
It’s not entirely clear how much cladding covers the Grenadier’s shape, but we suspect much of what is visible will be prototype-spec parts, so don’t be surprised if different lights and bumpers make it onto the finished car. We do spot some familiar Land Rover-borrowed features though, with those front lights mounted either side of a simple slatted grille, topped by a raised V-shaped bonnet, all reminiscent of the car that INEOS aims to spiritually replace.
While our snapper was placed too far from the prototype to gauge what spec of engine it was running, we know INEOS has a partnership with BMW (coincidentally, so does Land Rover) that’s expected to deliver the firm’s turbocharged six-pot petrol and diesel engines. We’re not expecting any sort of Bavarian V8 to be added to the Grenadier’s ranks because – unlike the outwardly more rounded new Defender and its 5.0-litre V8 range-topper - INEOS’s machine is being honed primarily as a workhorse. High performance road versions are unlikely to be on the agenda.
The car's intended purpose is evident in this test mule’s stance, with a tall ride height and thick rubber wrapped around relatively small diameter (by 2020 standards) rims, protruding bumpers and short overhangs. It’s all very 4x4. The hardware underneath is set to include a pair of solid axles for permanent four-wheel drive, using a selectable low-range transfer case and locking differentials. The body – presumed here to be a camouflaged four-door – is mounted as a separate entity onto this frame rolling chassis, emphasising the robust focus of the design.
Barring what looks to be a pretty high-set seat to give the driver good visibility, we can’t see what’s in the cabin. But we know from INEOS’s previous comments that the Grenadier’s interior will be relatively simple. The Defender’s hose-able footwells are said to provide inspiration, so expect more rubber and plastic than fabrics and carpets, along with proper ancillary buttons and wear-resistant seat materials to deal with the gloves and hardened overalls of a farmer. We’d be surprised to not see some form of infotainment system and charging ports – but don’t expect much in the way of digitalisation.
INEOS’s latest internally-produced video would have us believe that Bridgend production factory delays aside, work on the Grenadier has been mostly unaffected during the pandemic. And now with some restrictions having lifted it seems the British company – which has a technical partnership with Austrian 4x4 specialist Magna Steyr – is still on course to ready its first model for launch in 2021. Expect to see plenty more sightings of test cars in coming months, hopefully with less cladding so we can get a better idea of just how far those Defender influences go.
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