jeremy996

https://asset-cache-4.hypemarks.com/video/fetch/https://video-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t50.16885-16/10000000_993734774772545_1606619336542902819_n.mp4%3F_nc_cat%3D105%26vs%3D18159335518094554_10919543%26_nc_vs%3DHBksFQAYJEdJQ1dtQUJCVTBEb3k0Y0RBQ1BhNlR2RzIwc1didlZCQUFBRhUAAsgBABUAGCRHRkc1dEF5LXBNUVBidzRCQUxqZGNlRnlnWUV1YnZWQkFBQUYVAgLIAQAoABgAGwGIB3VzZV9vaWwBMRUAACa01%2B7DioPWPxUCKAJDMywXQGErtkWhysEYEmRhc2hfYmFzZWxpbmVfMV92MREAdewHAA%3D%3D%26ccb%3D1-3%26_nc_sid%3D59939d%26efg%3DeyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InZ0c192b2RfdXJsZ2VuLjEyODAuaWd0diJ9%26_nc_eui2%3DAeF5-0isyOleWs-jdwrc9ph-PD8wKxxnynA8PzArHGfKcHR9k5Px1VCEwfqfkY-8hws%26_nc_ohc%3Dxier4bwSWioAX-vg_kP%26_nc_ht%3Dvideo-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com%26oh%3Ddc3ee06cc3ab955313c4ae899455720b%26oe%3D60E8D48A%26_nc_rid%3D6cc1f496ad The video clip, (I detest Insagram and the irritating video standards), lifted from the Ineosgrenadier site

An Autocar article, https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ineos-grenadier-interior-revealed-focus-luxury-and-utility, (not behind a paywall and they seem to have taken their own photographs).

And here is the press release:- Strict embargo: 00:01 BST, 07 July 2021 INEOS reveals Grenadier interior: ready for anything work and life throws at it · Innovative design proves that a capable body-on-frame 4X4 can still deliver on modern comfort and refinement · As with the exterior design, the focus is on practicality and utility – from switches and dials, to stowage and customisation options · Interior is built to endure, with hard-wearing materials and integrated tech that will stand the test of time · #GrenadierUnwrapped London, 7 July 2021 – The interior of the INEOS Grenadier is designed on purpose, to deliver the space, practicality and versatility owners need from a hard-working 4X4. Starting from a clean sheet, the design incorporates the modern technology and comfort expected of a vehicle for the 2020s and beyond. “When we started thinking about the Grenadier’s interior, we looked carefully at modern aircraft, boats and even tractors for inspiration, where switches are sited for optimal function, regular controls are close to hand, auxiliary ones are further away,” said Toby Ecuyer, Head of Design. “You can see the same approach in the Grenadier: the layout is functional and logical, designed with ease of use in mind. It has everything you need and nothing you don’t.” Toggle switches and dials on the centre and overhead consoles are widely spaced and clearly labelled. Auxiliary switches have been built in, pre-wired to support the addition of winches, work lights and other accessories. Advanced technology is included only where it benefits functionality and usability. The infotainment system is accessed via a 12.3-inch touchscreen, or by using a rotary dial. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration means users can rely on smartphone navigation which will always be up to date. And the off-road pathfinder navigation system allows drivers to programme, follow and record their route via waypoints, when roads and tracks are left behind. With hard-wearing surface materials throughout, the Grenadier is designed to endure. Drain plugs in the rubber flooring and wipe-down upholstery mean the interior can be hosed out. Water-resistant anti-stain Recaro seats provide ergonomic support and comfort on or off the road. Carpets and leather upholstery will be available for those aiming to leave the mud and sand outside. Stowage space has been maximised, with a dry storage box under the rear seat, a lockable central console cubby box, and secure side-mounted storage in the rear load area. There is also scope for individualisation, with a wide range of interior options and accessories to help each owner customise the Grenadier to best perform its role. Dirk Heilmann, INEOS Automotive’s CEO, said: “Inside and out, the Grenadier has been designed to do a job - to get people and their kit where they want to go in comfort, in control and with no fuss. It just works.” 130 second-phase Grenadier prototypes are currently half-way through their target of 1.8 million kilometres of gruelling testing around the world. Next stage: the dunes of Morocco. Reservations will open from October 2021 and deliveries will start from July 2022. -Ends- Contact details: Sarah Pelling, Head of PR, INEOS Automotive +44 (0) 7887 451773 sarah.pelling@ineos.com About INEOS Grenadier In 2017, INEOS Chairman Jim Ratcliffe, a car enthusiast and experienced adventurer, identified a gap in the market for a stripped back, utilitarian, hard-working 4x4 engineered for modern day compliance and reliability. INEOS Automotive Limited was formed and a senior team of automotive professionals assembled to bring the vision to reality with a fresh perspective of 4x4 development and manufacturing. Combining rugged British spirit and design with German engineering rigour, the Grenadier will be a truly uncompromising 4x4 built from the ground up. Engineered to overcome all conditions, it will provide best-in-class off-road capability, durability, and reliability to those who depend on a vehicle as a working tool, wherever they are in the world. INEOS Automotive is a subsidiary of INEOS Group (www.ineos.com), a leading manufacturer of petrochemicals, speciality chemicals and oil products. It employs 22,000 people across 34 businesses, with a production network spanning 183 manufacturing facilities in 26 countries. From paints to plastics, textiles to technology, medicines to mobile phones, materials manufactured by INEOS enhance almost every aspect of modern life. In 2019, INEOS had sales of circa $61bn and EBITDA of around $6bn. To find out more about Grenadier, visit www.ineosgrenadier.com

New article in the Telegraph, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/features/inside-ineos-grenadier-practical-fashionable-4x4-workhorse-without/ Inside the Ineos Grenadier: a practical and fashionable 4x4 workhorse without trying too hard The interior of the rugged off-roader has been revealed, along with details of who the car is being pitched at ByAndrew English, MOTORING CORRESPONDENT7 July 2021 • 12:01am “Just the thing for the zombie apocalypse,” says Mark Tennant with a wicked grin as he describes the new Grenadier 4x4 utility slated for deliveries next July with a starting price of about £45,000. Ineos Automotive’s commercial director attributes the quote to a group of American off-road enthusiasts who have been polled by the company as it developed the Grenadier. They were part of a large group of potential customers for the go-anywhere vehicle aimed at filling a gap in the market vacated by Land Rover’s old Defender, the Mitsubishi Shogun and Toyota Land Cruiser. Most current 4x4s such as the latest Defender have eschewed the Grenadier’s old-style body-on-frame layout and have car-like monocoque bodyshells rather than a separate chassis with long-travel suspension. The two-seat commercial version of the Grenadier will cost from about £45,000 including VAT (a commercial version of the all-new Defender is already on sale). Five-seat commercials and two- and five-seat station wagon versions will be available in July. A double-cab pickup is definitely on the way and the company hasn’t ruled out a short-wheelbase version. Ineos Automotive is a subsidiary of the chemicals giant owned by Jim Ratcliffe although there’s plenty of experience in the team developing the new car, which has had a partial unveiling last week. While the silhouette of this near five-metre-long utility has definite links with the old long-wheelbase Land Rover Defender, Toby Ecuyer’s design is unique in its overall shape and details. This is especially so in the interior, which shuns the current trend for touchscreen and voice-recognition technology and derives heavily from aircraft flight decks, plant- and agricultural-equipment facias, as well as the marine control panels which form Ecuyer’s background. While there is a centre touchscreen which looks very like that from BMW (which also supplies the six-cylinder twin-turbo petrol and diesel engines) the ancillary buttons including those for the heating and ventilation are separate, large and etch-marked with their function. These are located in screw-mounted metal-finish switch panels in the centre console and roof; the facia owes more to the Isle of Wight hydrofoil than it does state-of-the-art car manufacturing, but Ecuyer is adamant that this is a long-lasting and durable solution. “We did look at a fashionable car, but realised that this would make statements that would be fast out of date,” Ecuyer says, “so we quickly dialled that back." Instead, the no-nonsense mien is tough and easy to use, and it really is a hose-out floor at least, with rubber bungs to drain the water. Most of the potential options such as winches and roof lights are already pre wired, so there’s no requirement to dismantle the interior to fit these extras. Similarly, saddle-leather options for things like the steering wheel cover will stain and adopt the shape of the user's hands over time. Ineos is keen to open-source its wiring and luggage-locking systems to encourage outside suppliers to create specialist equipment for the Grenadier. In spite of the Grenadier’s rough, tough approach, the interior feels airy and comfortable with lots of room for rear seat passengers – at least in the station wagon version that was on display. “Always in our minds was the need for a practical vehicle, but not [because it is utilitarian] rubbish inside,” says Ecuyer. “There’s no reason why a utilitarian vehicle can’t keep you warm, dry and comfortable.” Ecuyer has worked closely with the main design and engineering offices at Magna Steyr in Austria, which is one of Ineos’s engineering partners. This Austrian four-wheel drive specialist is part of the Canadian engineering giant Magna and has worked with Mercedes-Benz on its acclaimed G-wagen, as well BMW and Jaguar, and also runs a number of contract-assembly plants. On the exterior the Grenadier has a number of other innovations such as the racking systems built into the rear panels, doors and roof to enable extra carrying capacity. These attachment points will also be open-sourced to encourage aftermarket equipment suppliers. There are built-in attachment points on the side of the roof (where the old Safari window lights were mounted on a Defender) and rubbing-strip panels which means the Grenadier will be able to carry up to 150kg up there without requiring a roof rack. Exterior equipment storage is possible, but the planned lockable boxes were ditched because, as Ecuyer explains, “by the time we’d ensured safety and access, they really weren’t big enough to be useful”. Despite its utilitarian roots, Ineos thinks Government and emergency services will form just 10 per cent of orders, with the majority (more than 55 per cent) going to lifestyle markets especially in the US where hunting and fishing pastimes often demand specialist off-road vehicles. Utilitarian markets such as farming and estate management along with ski and safari adventure firms are predicted to occupy a quarter of sales, while 10 per cent of the output is anticipated to go to off-road driving enthusiasts who will value the Grenadier’s solid coil-sprung beam axles and three differential locks as standard. The company claims it has 300,000 unique users on its website, with 40,000 “hand raisers” who say they are prepared to buy. Zombie apocalypse excepting, Ineos plans to open reservations this October. Annual production will be around 25,000 to 30,000 when the factory is at full steam, and the main markets will be in Europe and North America with sales and servicing agents currently being recruited around the world. Named after a Belgravia pub, the Grenadier has been the topic of intense media interest since the start-up company ditched plans for a vaunted Welsh production site (along with a Portuguese plant) and bought the former Mercedes-Smart facility in Hambach in eastern France. In fact, since January this year, Ineos Automotive has been producing Smart cars under licence for Mercedes, while at the same time preparing for Grenadier production on a line formerly intended for a large Mercedes battery-electric SUV. “It’s given us confidence that we can produce cars to the standard required,” says Tennant. “The Smart cars we’ve produced have had a slightly higher quality standard and the plant safety has also improved.” The facts Ineos Grenadier Price/availability: from £45,000 including VAT/orders open in October for delivery in July 2022 Engines/gearbox: BMW straight-six-cylinder twin turbo 281bhp/332lb ft petrol and 245bhp/406lb ft diesel, eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox with two-speed transfer case giving a set of low-speed crawler gears, permanent four-wheel drive with three lockable differentials Construction: ladder frame chassis with separate body, coil-sprung solid beam axles (Panhard rod location at the rear) Towing capacity: 3.5 tonnes Length/width/height: 4,927mm (inc spare wheel)/1,930 (exc mirrors)/2,033mm Wheelbase: 2,922mm Wheels/tyres: 17- or 18-inch steel or alloy rims with Bridgestone or Goodyear all-terrain tyres (I've pulled images from the Ineos Grenadier press pack, rather than the Telegraph ones, although most of them are the same. The infographic is Ineos' own).

I was daft enough to watch the video on release and was thinking of what it reminded me of; '80s high end hi-fi, military radios and a late '90s sound mix desk. All it needed was a slider somewhere and I would be transported back to 2000, when I owned a music studio! Is it bad? No, it should be easy to use in gloves or with cold hands; it is not part of the modern car aesthetic, smooth screens and no clutter. From the conversation, it looks easy to add lights, and heavy current accessories without a major rebuild of the interior trim. Loved the seats; liked the idea of a floor with bungs for washdown, not crazy about the screen, but thought the iDrive controller was a logical solution. Can that bit be a delete option? Does the interior have a solution for CB/ UHF / Cellular radios? My 110 has two radios mounted; how do I replicate that?

I'm going on one too. I was sent a direct e-mail and I booked the same day, 20/08/2021 18:00 in darkest Hertfordshire. The wording suggests its more of a "sit in the passenger seat, hang on while we try to impress you", so I intend to turn up in my scruffy 110 and dare them! As it is the 2B prototypes, I doubt we will see production interiors, but should get some idea of space, basic capability and interior noise level. I'm childishly excited!

Looks like the interior reveal will be 00:01 07/07/2021 BST, announced on the Ineos Grenadier Facebook page.

I got an "Extended test drive" last Friday in a Defender 90 X, (the plush, 6 pot petrol 90 at £80k OTR). Compared to my '89 110CSW it was too much like the Starship Enterprise, but without the crew. It seemed well put together, but for £80k, expectations are very, very high. Sitting down with the manual and the vehicle for a few hours would have reduced the "how the f#~@ do I change something minor" factor, but I adapted to the auto box much faster than I thought I would. I could get comfortable easily and seeing the extremities was quite easy. It's big; even the 90 seems enormous and on narrow Leicestershire lanes it reminded me of a mates' Chevy Blazer, slightly too big for UK roads. They had a basic 90 hardtop in the showroom; this was much more to my taste and wallet, but the sales person warned me that the jump seat was not ideal for an adult on a long journey, (Although they've not seem one in the plastic), so this is not a solution to my transport issues. Fiddling around with the on-line configurator, a basic 90 car with tow pack and air suspension is £52,725 OTR, which seems like a lot of money, but other than Fuji White everywhere, it looks much like the £80k X, as a huge chunk of the additional options are electrical systems, like the posh cruise control, blind spot warnings and head-up display, together with the 6 cylinder petrol engine with 400bhp. I guess I could live with a much less highly specified vehicle and not feel too short-changed. I'll wait and see for the Grenadier; the auto box seems less of a barrier now, (no autos driven in 30 years!) The interior reveal promised in July could be a deal-breaker as the LR was a pleasant environment, even in the basic Hardtop.

Marshall's, my local LR dealer offered me an extended test drive in their demo 90 X petrol. First reaction, compared to my '89 110CSW it is like the USS Enterprise! I have no idea about most of the electronics but it was quiet, smooth and very fast. As a dealer demo it was very expensive too, £80k OTR. They showed me the basic 90 Hardtop too, which was much less blingy, but I gather the third seat is not an option for a real adult and a long drive, as there is no real place for the extra feet. Does anyone have practical experience? The dealership have not seen a three seat one yet.

They had an issue with balancing of prop shafts which the better dealers corrected before delivery. The Cossacks seemed to be slightly better inspected, but the build was always a little approximate!

Further on from the UAZ suggestion, the Telegraph had this today! A modified electric UAZ being evaluated by Natural England. Currently going through type approval............ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/land-rover/mwm-spartan-review-old-school-4x4-just-like-old-land-rover/ https://mwmotors.cz/spartan/

Loved it! The Halo Trust break vehicles; a great test and a good target to meet. If the reparability is as promised, I will be delighted.

So far as I can tell, all of the mechanical pumps "suck"; I have one that claims to be Delphi with a snapped operating arm. As I run most of the time on SVO, I am an accelerated wear test for mechanical lift pumps and I have struggled to find one to last more than 40k. Having said all that the Delphi ones seem better than the unbranded norm.

Just seem this on a FaceBook page

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ineos/grenadier Autocar review of the prototypes in off road action. "No modern-day monocoque could ever hope to provide quite the same degree of axle articulation, spring travel or sheer climbing ability. It can do things that off-roaders of more modern construction can only dream of. It also feels wonderfully engineered, with an almost Teutonic feel to the rigidity of its structure and weighting of various functions, including the door and boot closures." Greg Kable, European Editor Maybe Jim Radcliffe's "half price G-Wagen" was not quite so far off the mark? The Autocar wheelbases come back as 115" and 125", which suggest it is quite a bit bigger than a 110.

Auto Express article with the odd hint about the interior. https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ineos/grenadier/355270/ineos-grenadier-prototype-2022-review?fbclid=IwAR1o3x24KEqgGSVbIZLlegzPzwh3QPkJOJCWOzpWVMrxcq3ZPjBVk1TbSds

I can understand that completely - as organic lifeforms, we are at constant war with our environment, with pathogens trying to take over; what floored you for a few days would have put me straight into the morgue in short order. Unless you get regular doses of a low level of the pathogen, you do not maintain some immunity to it. A lot of modern humans live in a "clean" environment, so when something nasty comes, it comes hard. Poking holes in your skin is a good way of introducing some novel and nasty bugs, so I'm rather more careful at 57 than I was at 17!

Your highly trained immune system may be one of the things that saved you!

Wow! I've just had the sepsis talk from my local paramedic, (a client), who tells me that amateur motor vehicle technicians are regular callers to A&E. Not as regular as clumsy drunks or, in season, anglers with fishhooks embedded in them, but too frequently for comfort. These days I work in an office environment, so the biggest dangers are paper cuts or being stabbed by a biro; fixing metal junk in the garage may be a hobby, but cannot be taken lightly. I'd better check my tetanus shots are up to date. (As a 4x4 Response group we have a monthly trophy awarded to the person who did the dumbest thing in the previous month, the FUBAR, consisting of my old clutch mounted on a plinth; one memorable winner was a member who was run over by his own truck when he took the prop off, another unhitched a trailer, which rolled away, demolishing a wall. This month's likely winner rolled his mates "Mitsi" at Avalanche Adventures this Sunday. Our H&S reps love the trophy as it encourages people to think what might go wrong and 'fess up ASAP or be unmasked by their mates/relatives).

Ouch! I'm really glad I replaced mine a little while ago. Another part to be added to the list of stuff to buy when you see it cheap at an auto-jumble, farm sale or liquidation sale. (To go with Morgan indicator stalks, Ford 711M blocks, genuine Lucas washer pumps and bottles, etc.)

A US orientated YouTube video from Overland Portal containing a brief interview with Greg Clark, the VP of Ineos Automotive in the USA, (commences 23:50). Total video is 31 minutes. My takeaways are it is bigger than I expected, (according to them, anyway), and Sir Jim Radcliffe is customer no.1. The hosts made a comparison between Gerry and Jim and who would be most interested in how functional it is in practise!

I've bitten too. The chances of me seeing this in person are minimal - my wife does not do camping! (Roughing it for her is not having an en suite).

The various communities get more involved when the numbers are bigger! The Ferrari and Bugatti owners get very exercised with ringers and 'recreations', but enforcement is usually by High Court writ, not the Police or DVSA. The law around competition cars depends on one major decided case about a Bentley, Old Number One, http://middlebridge-scimitar.co.uk/downloads/The Case of old Bentley Number 1.pdf Then there's the case that damaged Stanley Mann as a Bentley specialist, http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2010/2444.html#back12 The DVLA have got involved in the titling of Bugatti copies by Pur Sang, but only at registration. Looking at the Telegraph today, there is a long article about Lord Brocket and his Ferrari fraud, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/classic-car-cold-case-rare-ferraris-involved-lord-brockets-insurance/ "It’s a fact that today there exist more Alfa Romeo Monza models, more Bugatti Grand Prix cars and more Jaguar D-Types than were ever made by their respective manufacturers. Indeed, 46 well-documented Ferrari Testarossas exist – yet the factory only made 33."

Another video from the Ineos Grenadier site - just pretty pictures of the later prototypes. Press video https://media.ineosgrenadier.com/ineos-grenadier-passes-gruelling-mountain-tests-with-flying-colours-2/ineos-grenadier-testing-b-roll-2/ (Too big to download to LR4x4)

Another video from Ineos Grenadier - very little vehicle content, but some seriously pretty pictures and an interesting job.