Exclusive: Kiwi buyers test Ineos Grenadier in NZ

A prototype of the Ineos Grenadier was driven by buyers in Auckland. Photos: Ineos

Kiwis who ordered the Ineos Grenadier had a chance to check out a prototype of the vehicle on Tuesday at Jonkers Farm in West Auckland.

The Grenadier was designed by Ineos Automotive Ltd, a company founded by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe. The Grenadier is strongly reminiscent of the old Land Rover Defender and is powered by BMW six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.

The Grenadier, which uses a laser frame chassis co-designed with Magna Steyr, will be sold as a five-door SUV style and as a double cab ute. 

The SUV model, which Ineos calls a station wagon, is priced at $95,000 while the two-seater ute model starts at $94,000.

There are also two special models available, the Grenadier Trialmaster Edition and the Fieldmaster Edition, both priced from $107,225. 

The Trailmaster is named after the iconic Belstaff Trialmaster Jacket which debuted in 1948 and was designed to cope with the gruelling conditions of the Scottish Six Days Trial.

The Fieldmaster is named after the iconic Belstaff Fieldmaster Jacket, and it’s a modern take on a classic design engineered for outdoor pursuits.

Ineos has revealed the interior of the Grenadier.

The four-wheel-drive Grenadier can also be configured to suit the buyer.

While the prototype had been in Australia for testing, the event on Tuesday was for buyers only.

The Kiwi buyers were hosted at Jonkers and checked out their purchase.

One buyer told AutoMuse they were impressed with the Grenadier but couldn’t comment further.

Armstrongs will be the exclusive seller in NZ, with sales and services centres planned for Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.

The official launch of the Grenadier is expected in the coming months.