Grenadier resembles Land Rover 110
Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
AN-LOGO-BLUE
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Account
  • login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Dealers
    • Automakers & Suppliers
    • News by Brand
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • China
    • Shift
    • Mobility Report
    • Special Reports
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • This Week's Issue
    • VW badges rtrs web.jpg
      VW Group operating profit drops by half in 2020
      Washington Auto Show postponed amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
      Subaru expands Feeding America donation, advertising
      Mass. dealership group to pay $1 million in unemployment scheme settlement
    • Audi to build EVs at new company majority owned by VW Group
      European Chamber rules out American, European export curbs as cause of chip shortage
      Used-vehicle market posts first contraction in 2020
      Tight chip supplies could persist for as long as a decade
    • Detroit Aerial Panorama during sunset
      Developing future workers to fuel growth in mobility
      Getting around in Las Vegas often involves long waits for a crowded monorail ride, below, or taking escalators up and down to cross elevated pedestrian walkways along the Strip.
      Las Vegas offers best and worst in transportation challenges
      Where is transportation headed?
      In pandemic environment, RV industry ‘roaring back'
    • Crashes involving electric vehicles, such as that of a Tesla Model X in California in 2018, pose battery-fire concerns for first responders.
      NTSB says automakers need to better arm emergency responders
      An EVgo electric vehicle charging station
      Charging network EVgo near merger to go public, report says
      The Cruise AV autonomous vehicle, based on the Chevy Bolt
      Honda taps GM's Cruise to bring new mobility to Japan
      Aurora teams with PACCAR on self-driving truck development
    • Elon Musk interview
      Tesla’s Model Y, on sale since March, is a showcase of EV technologies competitors will benchmark.
      Technologies of Electrification
      Cadillac’s Lyriq EV will be unveiled Aug. 6.
      Future Product Pipeline
      A CALL TO ACTION
    • GM, Unifor go from strife to ‘right solutions’
      Crashes involving electric vehicles, such as that of a Tesla Model X in California in 2018, pose battery-fire concerns for first responders.
      NTSB says automakers need to better arm emergency responders
      The Toyota C+Pod’s interior has a stripped-down, minimalistic feel, with big knobs and buttons.
      EV design for Japan's tight turns
      Genesis' delayed relaunch back on track with new crossovers, upcoming EV
    • Access F&I
    • Fixed Ops Journal
    • Marketing
    • Used Cars
    • Retail Technology
    • Sales
    • Best Practices
    • Dealership Buy/Sell
    • NADA
    • NADA Show
    • Automakers
    • Manufacturing
    • Suppliers
    • Regulations & Safety
    • Executives
    • Talk From The Top
    • Leading Women Network
    • Guide to Economic Development
    • PACE Awards
    • Management Briefing Seminars
    • World Congress
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls-Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Fiat Chrysler
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Ferrari
      • Fiat
      • Jeep
      • Maserati
      • Ram
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
      • Holden
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Genesis
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • PSA
      • Citroen
      • Opel
      • Peugeot
    • Renault
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
      • Seat
      • Skoda
    • Volvo
    • (Discontinued Brands)
    • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
      • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
      • KIA: 2021 K5
      • LEXUS: 2021 IS
      • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
      • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
    • Auto Shows
      • Detroit Auto Show
      • New York Auto Show
      • Los Angeles Auto Show
      • Chicago Auto Show
      • Geneva Auto Show
      • Paris Auto Show
      • Frankfurt Auto Show
      • Toronto Auto Show
      • Tokyo Auto Show
      • Shanghai Auto Show
      • Beijing Auto Show
    • Future Product Pipeline
    • Photo Galleries
    • Car Cutaways
    • Design
  • OPINION
    • Blogs
    • Cartoons
    • Keith Crain
    • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
    • Columnists
    • China Commentary
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send us a Letter
    • Nikon turns lens on auto factory, build quality
      Bosch_information_domain_computer web.jpg
      Bosch, Continental battle to supply the brain of the connected car
      A victory lap for Detroit car design
      Stellantis_logo_blue_background web.jpg
      In 'merger of equals,' PSA is buying FCA, Stellantis prospectus says
    • view gallery
      1 photos
      A New GM
      view gallery
      1 photos
      The Bridge
      view gallery
      12 photos
      Leo Michael's best of 2020
      view gallery
      1 photos
      UAW Deal
    • Shifting gears away from the stick shift
      SEMA still a wonderful circus
      Penske still has plenty of races to win
      Ford's turn in the hot seat
    • January 19, 2021 | Small car part causes big problem
      January 12, 2021 | Automotive industry shined in 2020
      December 8, 2020 | In a year that lacked luster, All-Stars showed how to shine
      November 24, 2020 | Female talent in automotive is expanding
    • Dan Shine
      Don't totally ‘forget about 2020'
      Jamie Butters
      Big auto show era truly over
      John Possumato
      Missing piece to the mobility puzzle: Helping carless people
      Dave Versical
      Female CMO is new norm
    • How Tesla, GM transformed EV market in 2020
      Is sales recovery nearing an end?
      Beijing's uphill battle to boost EV sales
      Nasdaq-like Star Board poised to become key finance platform
    • EV charging
      Time for U.S. to embrace the EV
      Ford's ‘Finish Strong' ad sets right tone for '21
      UAW settlement brings justice, voting rights
      Dealers should be treated as partners in EVs
    • Is banning ICEs in our best interests?
      GM should share EV risk with dealers
      From Toyota store to hydrogen highway
      Ready to buy Mirai, but where to fuel?
  • DATA CENTER
  • VIDEO
    • AutoNews Now
    • First Shift
    • Special Video Reports
    • Weekend Drive
    • AutoNews Now: Tavares to have 38 direct reports at Stellantis
      AutoNews Now: VW to take 'radical, new approach' with flagship electric sedan
      AutoNews Now: Biden to revisit fuel efficiency rules
      AutoNews Now: Tavares: Stellantis needs to be 'great rather than big'
    • First Shift: Ford prices Takata recall at $610M
      First Shift: Honda to test Cruise AV in Japan
      First Shift: Trump pardons former Google self-driving engineer Levandowski
      First Shift: GM's surprise path to building electric delivery vans in Canada
    • N.J. dealer helps position peers for ‘electric revolution’
      DCH Millburn Audi
      'Finding the diamond in the rough': How 2020's No. 1 dealership retains talent
      Don Johnson Motors
      'Distinctive culture' cuts turnover, carves career paths at Wis. dealership group
      Why 2020 could be a record year for buy-sells
    • Why the pickup is the auto industry's 'battleground'
      Carlos Ghosn's quest to restore his reputation
      Why Ford must execute to avoid 'deep trouble'
      Why Honda is 'locked and loaded' for 2020
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Events
    • Awards
    • Congress Conversations
    • Retail Forum: NADA
    • Canada Congress
    • Europe Congress Conversations
    • Leading Women Conference
    • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
    • ANE Shift
    • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
    • Shift: The Future of Mobility (CES)
    • 100 Leading Women
    • 40 Under 40 Retail
    • All-Stars
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
    • PACE Program
    • Rising Stars
    • Europe Rising Stars
  • JOBS
  • AN Solutions
  • +MORE
    • Leading Women Network
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • In the Driver's Seat
    • Publishing Partners
    • Classifieds
    • Companies on the Move
    • People on the Move
    • Newsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • RSS Feeds
    • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
    • Special Reports Podcasts
    • Daily Drive Podcasts
    • AAM
    • Gentex
    • Reputation.com
    • Ricardo
    • Ricardo
    • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
    • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
    • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
    • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
    • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
    • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
    • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
    • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
    • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
    • IHS Markit: Autonomous vehicles: Automotive and transportation disruption
    • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
    • IHS Markit: The battery electric vehicle (BEV)
    • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
    • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
    • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
    • Ally: Do It Right
    • DealerSocket
    • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
    • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
    • Guide To Economic Development
    • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Manufacturing
July 04, 2020 12:00 AM

The British are coming — with familiar-looking 4X4

Richard Truett
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Ineos decided to debut the production-intent Grenadier SUV to create buzz among potential customers pining for the classic Land Rover Defender.

    Ineos decided to debut the production-intent Grenadier SUV to create buzz among potential customers pining for the classic Land Rover Defender.

    Britain's Ineos Group, one of the world's largest chemical companies you've likely never heard of, is preparing to enter the auto industry with a new-from-the-wheels-up utilitarian SUV.

    It's a boxy, rugged-looking, midsize four-by-four whose size and shape makes it a near doppelganger for the classic Land Rover Defender 110 wagon that ended production in 2016. And it could land in the U.S. in 2022.

    The Grenadier's perhaps-too-strong resemblance to the iconic Land Rover could be a risky bet.

    Jim Ratcliffe, the Richard Branson-esque chairman of Ineos Group, tried to buy the classic Defender's production tooling from Jaguar Land Rover in 2016 and continue production. When JLR declined, Ratcliffe, one of Britain's richest men, decided his company would build its own utilitarian SUV aimed it at the same market — adventurers, sportsmen, builders and farmers, a segment Ratcliffe believes Land Rover left in the dust with the 2020 Defender.

    The new Defender, which has no carryover parts from the classic model, is just now arriving at U.S. dealers.

    It's far more civilized, refined and advanced than the original agrarian Defender, a vehicle which traces its roots back to 1948.

    When JLR learned Ineos was planning to build a vehicle similar to the classic Defender, company lawyers moved to trademark its shape. But last fall, a judge in Britain's Intellectual Property Office denied JLR's request, reasoning that the Defender's shape was not much different from other off-road vehicles. JLR is appealing that decision and has moved to protect the Defender's shape in other markets.

    Jaguar Land Rover tried to trademark the shape of the classic Defender when it learned about Ineos’ SUV plans.

    "We have the classic Defender shape trademarked in the U.S.," Jaguar Land Rover spokesman Richard Agnew told Automotive News in an email. "The Defender shape is core to our heritage, a key indicator of our brand and instantly recognizable. We still trade on the classic Defender shape through JLR Classic, and merchandise, so we have absolutely not turned our back on it," he added.

    Not the typical startup

    Unlike some other newcomers to the auto industry, Ratcliffe doesn't have to worry about raising capital to fund the $1 billion Grenadier project. Ineos last year booked $61 billion in global sales. The company employs 23,000 people in 34 businesses in 183 manufacturing centers in 26 countries. It produces specialty chemicals, petrochemicals and oil products used in thousands of products, such as paint, mobile phones and medicine.

    Ineos' financial heft enabled the company to hire many of the industry's top suppliers and write whatever checks were needed to fast-track the Grenadier to production. Magna Steyr in Austria is handling the Grenadier's body engineering. MBTech, a German company partially owned by Daimler, is doing much of the product development work. BMW will provide gasoline and diesel engines. The rugged steel frame comes from the same supplier that builds the Toyota Land Cruiser's frame, Ineos officials say.

    A plant under construction in Bridgend, Wales, gives Ineos access to an experienced work force. A Ford engine plant there is closing this fall after 40 years.

    Land Rover lookalike

    The Grenadier SUV has the same boxy silhouette as the classic Defender 110. The grille, with its two round headlights; the body side, with its distinctive shoulder line; the upright, flat windshield; and the roof, with its four "Alpine" windows, all look extremely similar to those on the classic Defender.

    Ineos decided to debut the production-intent model now because it wants to test the vehicles free of camouflage and also create a little buzz among potential customers pining for the old Defender. But showing the final design now might also have a legal angle. If JLR sues, a legal dispute could be settled by the time the Grenadier goes on sale.

    JLR has fought to protect its intellectual property. In recent years, it won a lawsuit in China against an automaker that was building a compact SUV virtually indistinguishable from the Range Rover Evoque. JLR also successfully sued Canadian company Bombardier and prevented the use of the Defender name on small, recreational off-road buggy.

    Classic Defenders, big money

    The cottage industry catering to the classic 1948-2016 Land Rovers has grown in the four years since classic Defender production ended. Companies in the U.K., U.S. and elsewhere are hauling dilapidated old Land Rovers out of barns and garages. They are rebuilding them with modern components and selling them for six-figure prices. The business is so lucrative that even Jaguar Land Rover's classic division is restoring and modifying customers' classic Defenders.

    It's this Defender-mania that the Grenadier is hoping to capitalize on. If all goes according to plan, the Grenadier will start production sometime in 2021 and arrive in the U.S. the following year with two models — an SUV and a stubby short-bed, four-door truck. U.S. distribution plans have not yet been worked out. The thinking is to "land and expand," said Mark Tennant, Ineos Automotive's commercial director. That is, the company would start sales, possibly direct to consumers in markets where demand for rugged SUVs is highest.

    During a media preview of the 2021 Grenadier, company officials said the vehicle has been designed to be capable, durable and reliable.

    They said the Grenadier's bill of design was inspired by the same requirements that created the original 1940 U.S. Army jeep — the exact vehicle after which Rover Co. patterned the original Land Rover.

    "From the earlier discussions about the old Land Rover Defender being retired, [we said] could we do something similar because we believe there is a gap in the market," said Tennant.

    "What we wanted to do is get back to a simpler concept where off-road capability takes precedent. We were really very focused from an early stage making a vehicle that would stand on its own four tires. You look at the vehicle, and you know that's what it is intended for. There's a really strong sense of purpose in the design," he said.

    There will be at least one major difference between the Grenadier and the classic Defender — the interior. The Grenadier will have connectivity and screens, and will have a refined, spacious and comfortable interior, says Dirk Heilmann, Ineos Automotive CEO.

    Even if the Grenadier comes to market in its current form, it could still face a bumpy ride. It will have to contend with the new crop of tough off-roaders, such as the Ford Bronco, the electric GMC Hummer SUV, a pair of off-road-capable vehicles from Rivian, the evergreen Jeep Wrangler and the new Defender.

    Says Heilmann: "We have a massive task in front of us, building the brand and making sure everyone understands what the proposition is, what the vehicle is about and what we are about."

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Mexico gives automakers more time to meet USMCA rules
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

     

     

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    Mexico gives automakers more time to meet USMCA rules
    Mexico gives automakers more time to meet USMCA rules
    GM, Unifor go from strife to ‘right solutions’
    GM, Unifor go from strife to ‘right solutions’
    Ford Escape, Lincoln Corsair production halted again by chip shortage
    Ford Escape, Lincoln Corsair production halted again by chip shortage
    Sponsored Content: All-new 2021 Toyota Sienna – A behind the scenes look
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    See more newsletter options at autonews.com/newsletters.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Digital Edition
    Automotive News 1-18-21
    THIS WEEK'S EDITION
    See our archive
    Fixed Ops Journal
    Fixed Ops Journal 12-14-20
    Read the issue
    See our archive
    BREAKING NEWS ALERTS: Sign up and be the first to know when big news breaks.
    AUTOMOTIVE NEWS TV WITH TOM WOROBEC: Sign up for our afternoon newscast and catch up on the top news of the day with our brief video roundup.
    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    Subscribe Today

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    Our mission

    The Automotive News mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in North America.

    AN-LOGO-BLUE
    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit, Michigan
    48207-2997

    (877) 812-1584

    Email us

    Automotive News
    ISSN 0005-1551 (print)
    ISSN 1557-7686 (online)

    Fixed Ops Journal
    ISSN 2576-1064 (print)
    ISSN 2576-1072 (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • Subscribe
    • Manage your account
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • NEWS
      • Dealers
        • Access F&I
        • Fixed Ops Journal
        • Marketing
        • Used Cars
        • Retail Technology
        • Sales
        • Best Practices
        • Dealership Buy/Sell
        • NADA
        • NADA Show
      • Automakers & Suppliers
        • Automakers
        • Manufacturing
        • Suppliers
        • Regulations & Safety
        • Executives
        • Talk From The Top
        • Leading Women Network
        • Guide to Economic Development
        • PACE Awards
        • Management Briefing Seminars
        • World Congress
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls-Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Fiat Chrysler
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Ferrari
          • Fiat
          • Jeep
          • Maserati
          • Ram
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
          • Holden
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Genesis
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • McLaren
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • PSA
          • Citroen
          • Opel
          • Peugeot
        • Renault
        • Subaru
        • Suzuki
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
          • Seat
          • Skoda
        • Volvo
        • (Discontinued Brands)
      • Cars & Concepts
        • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
          • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
          • KIA: 2021 K5
          • LEXUS: 2021 IS
          • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
          • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
        • Auto Shows
          • Detroit Auto Show
          • New York Auto Show
          • Los Angeles Auto Show
          • Chicago Auto Show
          • Geneva Auto Show
          • Paris Auto Show
          • Frankfurt Auto Show
          • Toronto Auto Show
          • Tokyo Auto Show
          • Shanghai Auto Show
          • Beijing Auto Show
        • Future Product Pipeline
        • Photo Galleries
        • Car Cutaways
        • Design
      • Coronavirus Coverage
      • China
      • Shift
      • Mobility Report
      • Special Reports
      • Digital Edition Archive
      • This Week's Issue
    • OPINION
      • Blogs
      • Cartoons
      • Keith Crain
      • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
      • Columnists
      • China Commentary
      • Editorials
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Send us a Letter
    • DATA CENTER
    • VIDEO
      • AutoNews Now
      • First Shift
      • Special Video Reports
      • Weekend Drive
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • Events
        • Congress Conversations
        • Retail Forum: NADA
        • Canada Congress
        • Europe Congress Conversations
        • Leading Women Conference
        • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
        • ANE Shift
        • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
        • Shift: The Future of Mobility (CES)
      • Awards
        • 100 Leading Women
        • 40 Under 40 Retail
        • All-Stars
        • Best Dealerships To Work For
        • PACE Program
        • Rising Stars
        • Europe Rising Stars
    • JOBS
    • AN Solutions
    • +MORE
      • Leading Women Network
      • Podcasts
        • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
        • Special Reports Podcasts
        • Daily Drive Podcasts
      • Webinars
      • In the Driver's Seat
        • AAM
        • Gentex
        • Reputation.com
        • Ricardo
        • Ricardo
      • Publishing Partners
        • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
        • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
        • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
        • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
        • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
        • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
        • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
        • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
        • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
        • IHS Markit: Autonomous vehicles: Automotive and transportation disruption
        • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
        • IHS Markit: The battery electric vehicle (BEV)
        • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
        • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
        • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
        • Ally: Do It Right
        • DealerSocket
        • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
        • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
        • Guide To Economic Development
        • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
      • Classifieds
      • Companies on the Move
      • People on the Move
      • Newsletters
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • RSS Feeds