Grenadier SUV gets a production home
Wednesday, 9 December 2020
Despite originally intending to build its rugged Grenadier 4x4 in Wales, Ineos Automotive has purchased a manufacturing facility in Hambach, France, from Mercedes-Benz and says it will start to build the SUV there in late 2021.
Ineos says that the acquisition secures the future of the site and safeguards many jobs that might otherwise have been lost – the site currently builds Smart EQ fortwo electric vehicles and some Mercedes-Benz components, which Ineos will continue to produce alongside the Grenadier on a contract manufacturing basis, which when combined with Ineos’ plans for the Grenadier translates into roughly 1,300 jobs.
Ineos says that Hambach is the “ideal facility for production of the Grenadier”, being one of Europe’s most modern automotive manufacturing sites and home to a highly experienced and capable workforce.
“Hambach presented us with a unique opportunity that we simply could not ignore: to buy a modern automotive manufacturing facility with a world-class workforce,” said Ineos Group Chairman and man behind the Grenadier, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
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“Ineos Automotive set out a vision to build the world’s best utilitarian 4x4, and at our new home in Hambach, we will do just that.”
According to the company manufacturing at Hambach will ensure that it remains on track to meet its plans to deliver the Grenadier to customers in early 2022.
“This acquisition marks our biggest milestone yet in the development of the Grenadier,” said Dirk Heilmann, Chief Executive Officer of Ineos Automotive.
“Alongside the exhaustive testing programme that our prototype vehicles are now undergoing, we can now begin preparations at Hambach to build our 4x4 from late next year for delivery to our customers around the globe.”
The Grenadier is the brainchild of Ratcliffe, the billionaire founder of Ineos, and was developed in the wake of the demise of the original Land Rover Defender and the reduction of availability of utilitarian 4X4 workhorses in general.
Sitting on a traditional ladder chassis, the Grenadier features a steel body with aluminium 'hang-on' parts, such as doors and the bonnet. Initially it will be powered by a choice of either diesel or petrol BMW six-cylinder engines hooked up to an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission.
Ineos recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai to jointly investigate opportunities for the production and supply of hydrogen and the worldwide deployment of hydrogen applications and technologies.
The agreement also included the evaluation of Hyundai’s proprietary fuel cell system for the Grenadier as well, meaning it could well become the first hydrogen-powered off roader to be offered for public sale.