Thoughts and Musings on the Ineos Grenadier

[landroversforever]

11 hours ago, Stellaghost said:

Must be a trick of the light because the front bumper on that looks colossal, it would be one of the first things I would want to change to improve approach angle, could always put some 404's under it I suppose.........

Regards Stephen

Don’t think it’s any trick of the light! They’ve looked huge in other pictures too. 

[Escape]

Pretty much the same on the recent Wrangler. Could be something to do with pedestrian safety? I agree it looks terrible!

[elbekko]

Probably to have a modicum of crumple zone before a ladder chassis impales someone in a side impact.

[ThreePointFive]

The plastics look like they're already fading.

[jeremy996]

A review from the USA after a few hours driving in varied conditions by Jonathan Hanson.

https://www.exploringoverland.com/overland-tech-travel/2023/1/6/ineos-grenadier-first-drive

My favourite line? "The first owner to install a four-inch lift and 35-inch tires will be missing the point as far as I’m concerned."

Edited January 8, 2023 by jeremy996
Adding picture

[L19MUD]

A shame we won't be getting this

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/suvs/theres-new-five-door-suzuki-jimny-and-you-cant-have-it

[jeremy996]

Found in the wilds of the Internet, a Supplier Bulletin, Partner Edition, August 2021. 

A good read; I rather enjoyed it; the extended supplier list on pages 4 and 5 was very informative, explaining where all the bits are coming from. No wonder they have delays in build 

Grenadier-Supplier-Bulletin-Partner-Edition-2021.pdf

[Chicken Drumstick]

On 1/8/2023 at 8:22 AM, elbekko said:

Probably to have a modicum of crumple zone before a ladder chassis impales someone in a side impact.

Suspect the bumper size is crash related, as someone else said, check out the Euro version of the Jeep Wrangler JK and JL.

Not sure it is specifically ladder chassis related, plenty of other ladder chassis vehicles in production still. Pick up trucks, vans, SUV's...

 

Just to add further. If you look at a late Puma Defender model the bumper is also pretty big with plastic gladding. The main difference on the Ineos (and Jeeps) is there is no air gap between the bumper and vehicle. Which makes it look deeper than it would otherwise.

[Snagger]

The bumper did strike me as oversized, but the same is true on the late Jeeps.  As said above, it could be to provide enough absorption to better protect the chassis than the simple Defender bumper did, or to better fend off trees and other obstacles without the use of now (widely) outlawed bull bars.

[Bowie69]

The no gap thing is for aero, emissions reduction etc.

 

 

[Chicken Drumstick]

2 hours ago, Bowie69 said:

The no gap thing is for aero, emissions reduction etc.

 

 

The USA spec Jeep Wrangler has a gap on the bumper, only the Euro ones don't. So I suspect it probably isn't emissions as US is normally stricter on those. I wonder if it is more along the lines of not allowing pedestrians to be able to get limbs trapped or something silly.

[Bowie69]

They added them a few years ago: 

I removed the JL Wrangler Sport "Euro" Close Out Cover Bumper Pieces | Jeep Wrangler Forums (JL / JLU) - Rubicon, Sahara, Sport, 4xe, 392 - JLwranglerforums.com

Could well be pedestrian safety as well, of course.

[jeremy996]

Posh blog/youtube video related to the article i posted above - Overland Journal.

Favourite comment - "original Defender to "Scotsdale" Defender"

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by jeremy996
Adding stuff as I watch a video nearly an hour long!

[jeremy996]

These popped up on another forum, copyright David Dafr, test version of the long wheelbase doublecab pickup.

Edited January 19, 2023 by jeremy996
finger trouble - double posted picture

[elbekko]

Not sure about that rear end, it looks terrified of something behind it

[FridgeFreezer]

So, how long until someone starts selling a less fugly mock-Defender front end for these?

It still look like the lovechild of an Austin Gypsy and all the plastic tat RDX sell.

[Anderzander]

10 minutes ago, FridgeFreezer said:

So, how long until someone starts selling a less fugly mock-Defender front end for these?

It still look like the lovechild of an Austin Gypsy and all the plastic tat RDX sell.

Have you seen one in real life ? 

I thought the front looks much better in the real life than it does in photos. 

[ThreePointFive]

Looks a lot nicer in profile as a pick up. The fussiness around the rear quarter is neatened up substantially. I hope they'll do a proper canvas top.

Are there any plans for a single cab version or is that too niche/too L200-market for them to compete?

Before I decide if they've finally made one I like, I'm going to need to see how it fairs in the industry standard 'an HGV fell over on it' crash test. I hear Defender2s excel in this regard.

[Anderzander]

I think they’ve always said it wouldn’t get a 5 star NCAP - because that now requires a lot of electronic driver-assist stuff - like autonomous braking and lane change etc.

[landroversforever]

That double cab looks great. Maybe a little blunt around the back of the cab, but far nicer looking overall than any of the jap options. 

[deep]

12 hours ago, elbekko said:

Not sure about that rear end, it looks terrified of something behind it

Before I read your comment, I was thinking that back end looks better than pretty much any pickup on the market!  Taste is a very personal thing.

I personally dislike crew cab pickups in general.  Great for certain purposes but too much of a compromise for most things.  Yet I look at this and it just looks so very functional, as if the makers aren't even bothering going for the "my car is a truck" market.  I quite like that.

[jeremy996]

The YouTube video of the USA Expedition Portal having their initial drive of the Grenadier of-road in North America.

 

[Snagger]

I suppose this compares more to a 130DC than a 110DC, the latter of which always seemed a bit pointless to me, hobbled in rear interior space and load space alike.  This Grenadier isn’t pretty to me, but it does look very functional.

John’s joking aside, some aesthetic elements of the Grenadier are letting its looks down.  In general terms, I think it looks good, but certain details like grilles, bumpers, lighting and that prototype tailgate seem a bit cheap, like they were borrowed from Mahindra.  I’m sure there will be both genuine and aftermarket cosmetic options and mods available in short order.

[elbekko]

12 hours ago, deep said:

Before I read your comment, I was thinking that back end looks better than pretty much any pickup on the market!  Taste is a very personal thing.

I personally dislike crew cab pickups in general.  Great for certain purposes but too much of a compromise for most things.  Yet I look at this and it just looks so very functional, as if the makers aren't even bothering going for the "my car is a truck" market.  I quite like that.

It's just the lights, really. Replace those with a normal light unit and it'll look like any other pickup.

[landroversforever]

Other than big Americandually pickups I can’t think of any with any shape in the side panels? They’re all just big open and fairly flat. Hard to tell without being next to another brand…. But also possibly slightly lower sided?