- Ineos will shift gears and will go upmarket with its Grenadier SUV
- Dealers reportedly asked the startup automaker to make more exclusive, expensive models
- Ineos hinted at future Grenadier versions at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed
Ineos was born out of a mission to deliver relatively affordable, no-nonsense off-roaders akin to the original Land Rover Defender, to be aimed at both commercial buyers and enthusiasts.
The company made significant progress with the launch of the Grenadier SUV earlier this decade, and had planned to follow it up with the Fusilier electric SUV and a more compact offering.
However, meeting all the regulatory hurdles the new vehicles would have required is proving too steep of a challenge for Ineos, the company’s commercial director and founder, George Ratcliffe, told Autocar in an interview published on Friday.
He added that the extra sales of those vehicles would have also taken Ineos beyond the threshold of being a small manufacturer, which would have resulted in the company needing to meet much stricter carbon emission targets. In Ineos’ home market of the U.K., it would have also required a minimum number of EV sales.
“What we wanted to achieve is no longer possible,” he said. “With the modern world and what you need—engines, pedestrian protection rules, CO2 emissions, regulation on vehicles—you cannot do that any more.”
Instead, Ineos will focus on launching more upmarket versions of the Grenadier and remaining an exclusive brand, something Ineos dealers are asking for, according to Ratcliffe.
The more upmarket versions could be limited editions, like the Grenadier Detour revealed in July. The debut model from Ineos’ Arcane Works personalization department features luxury elements to rival a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and will be built in a run of 200 units only.
Ineos also used the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed last month to hint at additional versions of the Grenadier that may be developed, like a V-8 model, a rally-raid-style model, and a rugged off-roader complete with portal axles.
The Grenadier is currently available in the U.S. with a starting price of $71,500. A Grenadier Quartermaster pickup is also available and priced from $86,900.