A Funky Machine With A Lighter Side
The INEOS Grenadier is now available to view, test drive and order at Bowker Ribble Valley. Here Paul Agnew reviews a recent test drive. Photography: Peter Austin
And now for something completely different. Those of a certain vintage will recognise that catchphrase from Monty Python’s Flying Circus back in the day.
Some 50 years on and it is a word-perfect description for a vehicle that you can expect to hear a lot about, an awful lot about.
Take guard. This is the INEOS Grenadier.
If you thought it unlikely, perhaps impossible, to combine simplicity, strength and sophistication, then think again.
For the INEOS Grenadier – a 4×4 workhorse aimed at producing optimum performance day in and day out, irrespective of weather or ground conditions – is gearing up to be far more things to far more people.
Designed to offer off road perfection and incredible performance over the toughest terrains, it also manages to be something of a funky machine with a lighter side.
You certainly don’t have to be a landowner, builder, farmer or rural vet to appreciate its overall charm and appeal. The INEOS Grenadier is about great driveability on any road from town to motorway to twisty mountain pass… but expect a tractor load of fun along the way.
As great to drive on the road as it is off, this is a built-for-purpose, ready for anything, accept-any-challenge machine of incredible capability. Tuned and calibrated specifically for great driveability on any road, from city to motorway to twisty mountain pass.
It is the brainchild of global manufacturer INEOS. Under the supervision of chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe (motor enthusiast and experienced adventurer), INEOS has identified a gap in the market for a stripped back, utilitarian, hardworking 4×4 vehicle engineered for modern day compliance and reliability.
Under the banner of INEOS Automotive, a specialist team of automotive professionals has brought a vision into reality and when they scoured the land in search of suitable Agents, they found Lancashire car supremo Bowker Motor Group to be the perfect fit.
You can now view, test drive and order the INEOS Grenadier at Bowker’s Ribble Valley dealership on the A59 in Osbaldeston, and I urge you to do precisely that.
At first glance this might appear to be something of a niche vehicle, yet the early signs suggest that the buying market could be much wider.
For my ‘test’ I climbed aboard the Trialmaster, named after the iconic Belstaff Trialmaster Jacket which debuted in 1948 to cope with the gruelling conditions of the Scottish Six Days Trial.
You start up the engine with a key, one of several throwback features to times when cars were not over-complex and unnecessarily crammed with zillions of might use, might not use, gadgets.
You actually press buttons and turn dials – there is even a manual handbrake; nothing is complicated, but that’s not to say this is old school, far from it.
All the necessary modernity is there with every detail to satisfy the demands of the urban sprawl. Don’t worry! Apple CarPlay/Android Auto is right there, as is an automated gearbox and a whole host of up to the minute features. The BMW three litre, six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines offer smooth power and plenty of torque, while always having something in reserve.
You’ll find a refined interior with a spacious and light cabin and super supportive seats to ensure a smooth ride. Civilised on every journey with absolutely no need to trade on road comfort for off road capability.
The Grenadier is rugged, durable, and seriously capable, but there’s more to it than meets the eye with a range of specifically designed, warranty-backed and fully tested accessories.
Take the rear 70/30 door, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thanks to a foldable tailgate camp table specially designed to fit and taking up minimum space. No bouncing around off road, just a handy food/drink preparation surface that’s rugged, rattle free and ready to go.
It can carry up to 90kg on its roof whilst on the move – general luggage, tools, tents, bikes whatever you need to get to however far you need to go. A full-length (Rhino) roof rack helps you go the distance and hold it all in place. The more you fit on top, the less you have to keep inside, leaving even more cabin room for passengers and kit.
Solid side runners, with their flat, rubber-protected and slip-resistant surfaces, make it easier for passengers of all sizes and ages to get in and out, while the bike carrier will transport your two-wheel friends to the hills or forest trails with minimum fuss.
There is a generous palette of traditional bodywork colours and interior styles to select from – even a high-vis wrap!
Plenty of choice and options… and when you need to make a move or move some stuff, then the willing Grenadier more than pulls its weight.
It lets you load it, tow it, drag it, recover it or strap it to the roof with a staggering 3.5 tonnes of towing capacity, up to 2000 litres of load space and 5.5 tonnes winching power.
The rugged, reliable INEOS Grenadier is a genuine head-turner. Expect to find an admiring audience whenever you rock up at the country show, racetrack, school gate or shopping centre.
For me, it is more than a vehicle for one purpose, more a versatile vehicle for multi-purpose, easily capable of fitting in and significantly enhancing most lifestyles.
A true one off. There is nothing quite like it on the road and that in itself, makes the INEOS Grenadier very special indeed.
Bowker Ribble Valley
Bay Horse Garage
Longsight Road
Osbaldeston BB2 7HX
01254 769069
bowkermotorgroup.co.uk/ineos-grenadier
facebook/Bowker INEOS Grenadier
