Ineos Setting up U.S. Ops to build Grenadier SUV here
There’s a lot of truck in SUV and off-roading circles about the Ineos Grenadier. People aren’t just talking about the Ineos because it looks a lot, like a lot, like a Land Rover Defender 110, but that it has a BMW drivetrain, promises old-school SUV good looks, and should be a beast off road. And, it should cost as much as a Ford Bronco and be available in the U.S. in 2023.
The Ineos Grenadier SUV looks like a Rover, but it isn’t one
Now, Ineos is moving forward with setting up its U.S. headquarters in Raleigh, NC according to the Raleigh News & Observer. The company was started by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe who believes that there’s a market for an old-school looking, but new-school performing, SUV. He also sees the U.S. as a big market for the SUV and plans to build some in Raleigh. But nobody denies that it was inspired by a Land Rover Defender 110.
The company plans to sell Grendier SUVs here by the end of 2022. Eventually, it plans on producing 35,000 vehicles a year. That may sound like a lot, but GM sold 7.7 million worldwide in 2020.
Grenadiers could eventually made in the U.S.
The Raleigh, NC, plant, the News & Obeserver said, will have up to 50 employees. On the Ineos website, the company lists several job postings for the Raleigh facility.
The company said it wants to produce Grenadiers in the U.S., but it hasn’t said where its facility will be. In the story, however, Ineos said that Atlanta is in the running for the plant.
The Grenadier is powered by a BMW drivetrain.
What will a Grenadier cost?
Today a Grenadier costs £450, or about $575 to reserve. Ineos hasn’t released an “official” price for the Grenadier yet. Depending on who you read, it can cost between $50,000 to $120,000. If you wanted to buy an old school Land Rover Defender 110, however, the prices are wildly unpredictable. On Hemmmings.com, for example, you can find one for $22,500 to $77,000 depending on condition, options, mileage and more.
So far, the company says 15,000 people have reserved Grenadiers.
Is the Grenadier available in the U.S?
The Grenadier is not available anywhere, yet. According to the News & Observer, the company will start selling the Grendaier SUV in Europe first, by the end of 2022. In 2023, the it’s expecting to export them to the U.S. However, by then many expect the new Double-Cab Pick Up to be ready. Grenadier uses the European two-word Pick Up to describe the truck, instead of the U.S. “pickup” to describe it.
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