The Grenadier: revealed

The shooting community is one of the few that actually take 4X4s off the streets and into the countryside. Whether Guns or Keepers, beaters or pickers up, we know a thing or two about what an off-roader should be, and what it should do.

 

So when INEOS first told us about the Grenadier - a 4X4 built in Britain aimed at the gap in the market created when the Defender was retired - we knew it would excite the shooting world. After all, it excited us! However, we could only speculate as to what it might look like. Today that changes as we get our first look at the exterior design of the vehicle.

The Grenadier’s looks are sure to delight those with a fondness for the great off-road vehicles of yesteryear, with its boxy, straightforward aesthetic. The Grenadier’s modern yet functional exterior was created by Head of Design at INEOS Automotive, Toby Ecuyer. Ecuyer is a trained architect and internationally recognised product designer who has extensive experience designing and custom building super yachts, and a track record of designing products with a purpose and a function.

 

“The brief was simple. We set out to design a modern, functional and highly capable 4X4 vehicle with utility at its core”, he said. “A design that is ‘easy-to-read’, with no ambiguity about the Grenadier’s role in life. There to do everything you need, and nothing you don’t. Nothing is for show.”

The principle used throughout the design process is that “form follows function”, and capability was the first priority, along with the notion that a 4X4 with purpose should always look like a proper 4X4. However, as part of the process of designing the vehicle the team carried out extensive research into the best utility vehicles of the past and noted that the ones with a strong track record were viewed with great fondness and were seen almost as a family pet.

 

They also found that people used words like “faithful” and “reliable” and these attitudes became touchstones for the design team. Other key design aspects included the ability to hose the vehicle down both inside and out, a 1 Tonne carrying capacity (you can fit a pallet in the back) and an ‘open source’ mindset allowing users to tailor the vehicle to their specific needs.

 

The vehicle’s angular face recalls the legendary Willys Jeep and other classic off-roaders. With a powerful, sloping v-shaped bonnet which echoes the Grenadier logo, there is a flat area over the wheel arches, meaning you’ll always have somewhere to rest your mug of tea.

 

 

The round headlights are intended to give a simple, non-aggressive feel. These are mirrored at the rear of the vehicle, which gives the impression of a solid tube running from the front of the vehicle to the back. The bumper is large enough to sit on, which is a nice touch, while there is also external wiring from which you can power work lamps or other electrical tools.

The vehicle’s flanks feature structural beams and door attachments left on show, a design decision based intended to convey the engineering principal of simplicity. There is also an optional ‘utility belt’ on the doors and rear body, to attach loads or accessories like a jerry can, or even a picnic table: perfect for elevenses on a shoot day or by the river.

 

Although there will be a range of accessories available from INEOS, the ‘utility belt’ has a universal attachment system meaning users will be able to incorporate existing kit and third party manufacturers will be able to develop compatible accessories. The rear side also has a storage box, suitable for muddy or smelly kit, or, as it might be, a brace or two of birds.

 

At the rear there is a 30/70 vertical split door. The smaller section opens first, meaning you can pop your gunslip or wellies in without letting the dog out. As mentioned above, there is space in the back for a europallet, and with a 1T carry capacity gamekeepers will be able to move a lot of game feed around! Guns, or more accurately, gundogs, will love the space back there too. The larger half of the door carries the spare tire for ease of access - no one wants to be lying in the mud under their car trying to get the spare when out on a grouse moor! There is also a ladder that allows access to the roof, where there is another electrical point. It could also double up as a game carrier for smaller days. The flat roof has bars and roof-strips, meaning you can carry loads (more game feed?) without a roof-rack, though one could also be fitted.

 

Although we have yet to see the interior, INEOS Grenadier are keen to stress that this is not a luxury SUV or ‘chelsea tractor’. That said, and perhaps with a nod to Ecuyer’s past work on super-yachts, we are told that the vehicle will be comfortable, and meet the expectations of 21st century consumers, with all the usual mod-cons, though with switches that can be operated in gloves. We also understand that the whole thing will be hose-downable (is that a word? It is now.) both inside and out.

 

It’s fantastic to finally get a look at the exterior of the Grenadier and we think you’ll agree that it looks the part. There are some really interesting and clever design features. We’re particularly interested to see what accessories will be available for the ‘utility belt’ - let us know in the comments what exterior add-ons you would like to see, or if you have any pieces of kit that you can see yourself attaching to the Grenadier. We’d also love to know what you think of the exterior so far - let us know below!

 

The next phase of the project will see the Grenadier undergoing vigorous ‘in plain sight’ testing - 1.8 million km of testing to be precise - in all conditions over the next year.