INEOS Automotive
INEOS Automotive is a British manufacturer of off-road vehicles, producing the Grenadier, a rugged 4X4 designed as a successor to the original Land Rover Defender. It is a subsidiary of the INEOS Group.
Company facts
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- CEO
- Lynn Calder
About
INEOS Automotive Ltd is a British manufacturer of off-road vehicles, established in 2016 and headquartered in London, England. The company is a subsidiary of the multinational chemicals conglomerate INEOS, founded by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The conception of INEOS Automotive stemmed from Ratcliffe's vision to create a successor to the original Land Rover Defender, a vehicle he admired for its rugged utility. When Jaguar Land Rover declined to sell the tooling for the discontinued Defender, Ratcliffe embarked on a project to design and build a new, uncompromising 4X4, codenamed Projekt Grenadier. The vehicle's name, Grenadier, was inspired by The Grenadier pub in Belgravia, London, where the initial idea was discussed. The company's flagship vehicle, the INEOS Grenadier, went into production in October 2022. It is designed as a robust, highly capable, and functional go-anywhere working tool, engineered to meet modern compliance and reliability standards while retaining a classic, utilitarian aesthetic. INEOS Automotive partnered with several leading automotive industry names for the Grenadier's development and manufacturing, including Magna Steyr for engineering and BMW for engine supply. The vehicle features a boxy body, a steel ladder chassis, beam axles with long-travel coil spring suspension, and is powered by BMW B58 petrol or B57 diesel inline-six turbocharged engines. Production takes place at a former Mercedes-Benz (Smartville) factory in Hambach, France, a site chosen for its excellent access to supply chains, automotive talent, and target markets. INEOS Automotive has established a global presence, with its North American headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a Sub-Saharan Africa headquarters in Cape Town, South Africa. The company aims to produce around 25,000 Grenadier models annually at full capacity and has already expanded its lineup with the Grenadier Quartermaster, a double-cab pick-up. Future plans include the development of alternative powertrain versions, including electric and hydrogen fuel cell models.