Guy Loveridge reports from the Lake District with his impressions of the Ineos Grenadier…
(All words by Guy; photographs from Guy, and PFPR).
The Ineos Grenadier is simply a remarkable motor vehicle. From being sketched on a £5 note at the, of course, Grenadier pub as a dream of what could/should replace the out going Land Rover Defender to this hugely capable machine, both on and off road in just six years?
This is half the time some major manufacturers take to produce new models from scratch and yet, with the Ineos fortune behind him, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has given the world a small, but steadily expanding, family of off road confections which, quite simply, exceed ALL expectations.
Given half an hour of A and B road driving, I was amazed how good the Grenadier was on tarmac. It has a distinctly “classic” feel to its steering, but that is to my liking as I actually have to input my steering and feel it actioned – I like to be in touch with the wheels that are doing the steering. Acceleration was superb and the sound track, from tuned exhausts, to Sir Jim’s personal mandate, is sublime.
Once I got my half an hour off the smooth roads of the Lake District and there was simply nothing that could stop this wonderful device. In all truth, with the overhead switch panel delivering an apparently limitless combination of locked and unlocked differentials and driver assistance, there really is no equal to the combination of torque, power delivery and rubber.
I left the driving day convinced that this is the perfect blend of traditional G-Wagen and the lamented final series Defender. Exceptionally impressive, the only issue being, sadly, the price. It can now easily cost you 50% more than its initially announced price of £50,000 and is, sadly for the British Motor Industry, built in France.
