GRENADIER GRANDEUR

If you are a loyal reader of CAR Magazine and I hope you are - you would have read my initial thoughts on the beautiful new off-roading beast that has finally made its way to market... the Ineos Grenadier.

- Ryan O'Connor

And if you are an avid follower of CAR Magazine's website - let's hope so - you would also have seen me bouncing around in the cabin of this impressive vehicle as we filmed our test drive from Inverness to Loch Long in Scotland. Or rather, 'The heart of the heartlands' by Ineos' own description. Nevertheless, whether you've been following closely or this is your first insight into our take on the Grenadier, here lies my most comprehensive review yet, where I'll be breaking down the look, feel and all the finer details of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's brainchild. It was at the Grenadier pub in London where the British billionaire sat with some friends and conceptualised their very own 4x4. The idea came in the wake of that iconic British off-roader, the Land Rover Defender, being discontinued.

At the time, the overlanding fraternity and motoring industry at large thought this typically British idea had its merits, considering the new luxurious direction the Defender had taken. After an extended teaser campaign and extensive testing in a variety of harsh conditions the most anticipated offroader is finally ready for the public. Does it live up to the hype?

Old-school charm

In many respects, the Ineos Grenadier pays homage to the Land Rover Defender the iconic, boxy UK overlander icon that changed very little in look, or ultimately also in practicality, since the first series was released in 1948. Designed with a similar attention to the boxed, utilitarian aesthetic of the Defender and other classic off-roading cars think 70 Series Land Cruiser and Mercedes’ G-Wagon the Ineos Automotive team did a fantastic job of merging the classic off-roading appearance with contemporary design elements in their first ever iteration of the Grenadier. There’s a good reason for this design and it comes down to practicality when tackling rough terrain, where approach and departure angles matter most.