Thread: Ineos Grenadier, do you reckon it'll take off?

Originally Posted by Deefa

Perhaps, I was going to move mine on but now decided to keep it. there is plenty of demand out there for used Defenders. my feeling is with only about 35k at max capacity of the new grenadier built each year their going to easy sell that. the old Defender had about 10 to 20 thousand a year towards the end. Land Rover didn't bother with advertising them much. Thats without the massive US market which could easily swallow the whole production.

When I bought my TD5 they were selling 150-200 a year annually in Aus. So there is not a lot of them!

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

So.. can I just say.. on the Grenadier forum it's quite alarming how many Defender owners there are. Like almost universally with the occasional G-wagon person.

When Grenadier production gets going there is going to be an unusual supply of defenders on the second hand market...

Not surprising.... after all, it is a very keen Defender owning farmer who's decided that since JLR weren't going to manufacture the Defender any more that he'd build his own!. I'm not so sure that many classic 'Defender' owners will suddenly divest their vehicles when they take delivery of their IGs ... to be kept for special occasions perhaps?

Well I've seen my 1st Grenadier on an Australian road of sorts, while watching the Men's Nat'l Road Cycling Champs on TV held in Ballarat on 8th Jan, I spotted two Grenadiers, one silver, one dark green beside the road on Mt Buninyong, about 11 or 12kms from the finish line, I saw them a few times as it was a multiple lap format, won by Luke Plapp from the Ineos Grenadier team.

I think I saw one on the opposite carriage way on the Hume heading home from Sydney the other day, caught sight of some alpine lights and they weren't on a Defender so I'm assuming a Grenadier, unfortunately I only got a fleeting glimpse.

Regards,
Tote

So I had a good look over one yesterday. Didn't get to drive it. My thoughts are (in context of my 110 wagon).

The interior is awesome. Plenty of room comfortable. All we ever wanted in a real defender replacement. Basic but with fixed ergonomics. Brilliant.

The cargo area though.. it's nearly half a metre shorter than my 110. It is fabulously big and square though with minimal wheel arches and great access through the two doors. The reduction in volume will cause me issues though.

In off roading type considerations. It's a little lower than the 110 (although it's effectively lifted). Putting the steering damper as the lowest point at the front is an interesting choice. Everything does look solid and well built though. Where they route the exhaust over a crossmember might be a fire hazard in spinifex.

In summary as a package in terms of space and layout it reminds me greatly of a D2 which is not a bad thing. My issue is we do desert crossings with up to five people .. which in the defender is nothing short of an ordeal. But at least I can fit the stuff. In the Grenadier it would be a lot more comfy but I'm going to have to have a serious think about the packing. And then there is the issue of the 90l tank.. which means I'm going to have to stash a heap of fuel somewhere. Hopefully the aftermarket comes up with something quickly.

Either that or leave some kids home.

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

So I had a good look over one yesterday. Didn't get to drive it. My thoughts are (in context of my 110 wagon).

The interior is awesome. Plenty of room comfortable. All we ever wanted in a real defender replacement. Basic but with fixed ergonomics. Brilliant.

The cargo area though.. it's nearly half a metre shorter than my 110. It is fabulously big and square though with minimal wheel arches and great access through the two doors. The reduction in volume will cause me issues though.

In off roading type considerations. It's a little lower than the 110 (although it's effectively lifted). Putting the steering damper as the lowest point at the front is an interesting choice. Everything does look solid and well built though. Where they route the exhaust over a crossmember might be a fire hazard in spinifex.

In summary as a package in terms of space and layout it reminds me greatly of a D2 which is not a bad thing. My issue is we do desert crossings with up to five people .. which in the defender is nothing short of an ordeal. But at least I can fit the stuff. In the Grenadier it would be a lot more comfy but I'm going to have to have a serious think about the packing. And then there is the issue of the 90l tank.. which means I'm going to have to stash a heap of fuel somewhere. Hopefully the aftermarket comes up with something quickly.

Either that or leave some kids home.

Leave the kids at home. They'd probably be happier looking at their phones!

Yes I know what you mean. The defender is so thin in places like the doors and rear tub. The doors are only a couple of inches thick. The rear tub not even a couple of mm thick. Having substantial seals, some sort of soundproofing and metal there to support the roof etc takes up space.

Originally Posted by Deefa

Leave the kids at home. They'd probably be happier looking at their phones!

Yes I know what you mean. The defender is so thin in places like the doors and rear tub. The doors are only a couple of inches thick. The rear tub not even a couple of mm thick. Having substantial seals, some sort of soundproofing and metal there to support the roof etc takes up space.

It's virtually the same length over all. It's just that the packaging of the grenadier gives space back to the occupants. The defender might have been fine in the late 40's and 50's for a short journey around the farm or into town - but it's woefully inadequate for carrying 4/5 six footers for 3500k to the start of your trip. There would be no point to it if it replicated the packaging mistakes of the LR. Fortunately the roof loading is quite high.. much higher than the defender so can probably utilise that space more. The defender body structure.. is frankly terrifying. Close the door and watch the body wobble. The grenadier isn't like that.

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

I The defender might have been fine in the late 40's and 50's for a short journey around the farm or into town - but it's woefully inadequate for carrying 4/5 six footers for 3500k to the start of your trip.

On average, people are quite a bit taller than they were then. At 6'1" I was considered tall for my generation. I'm a pipsqueak these days.

In an earlier post you mentioned it reminded you of a D2 in packaging terms. I find my D2 to be lacking in driver's leg room, although I found one I borrowed with the HSE spec to be fine. How is the Grenadier there?