An interview with billionaire Jim Ratcliffe/Ineos
Estimated price:
more than NIS 600,000
Competitors:
Toyota Land Cruiser 250, Mercedes G Wagon, Land Rover Defender 110
We liked:
SUV without compromise, great cabin, engines, quality of materials and durability
We didn't like:
price, not quiet and luxurious enough, Fuel consumption
Score:
9.5/10
We could have started the story of Inaus Grandir by conquering deserts and jungles, the roar of engines and gears, or by comparing its dashboard to that of a Boeing 737. But I actually prefer to gather in an anonymous pub in London, where the multi-billionaire drove Jim Ratcliffe to have a beer with the guys. Like the hundreds of thousands of fans of the old Defender around the world (among whom I am writing these lines), Ratcliffe also freaked out in 2016, when he saw where the people of Land Rover were going with the replacement of the iconic Defender. One can understand the business considerations of Francie Land Rover, but how to kill the motoring icon, full of charisma?
We were all freaked out by Land Rover's choice, but Jim Ratcliffe isn't just 'all of us'; In 1998, Ratcliffe founded the petrochemical concern Ineos, whose value today is estimated at about 16.5 billion dollars. Ratcliffe is one of the owners of the Mercedes Formula 1 team, Manchester United football club, America's Cup yachts, bicycle racing teams and other pastimes of the rich. How rich? Last year, the "Sunday Times" estimated his fortune at 30 billion pounds, and stated that he is the second richest man in Britain.
Ratcliffe offered Land Rover to buy the coveted brand from them, and give the Defender a new life. Land Rover did not agree, and Ratcliffe continued his moves - While waving over him a lawsuit from Land Rover, which accused him of stealing intellectual and commercial property. Just like the Mercedes G, Toyota 75 or Suzuki Jimny that share the same territory and the same design needs."
The technological concept: the fact that Ratcliffe could not be built on the production lines of the old Defender, allowed him to start the design with a blank sheet of paper, with an estimated investment of about 800 million dollars. But as the court ruled, technological logic kept it fairly close to the old Defender configuration; The Grenadier also sits on a sturdy ladder frame and two live axles (made by Magna, which also manufactures the Mercedes G axles), has a mechanically operated transfer case (rather than fiddly solenoids), Brembo brakes, and wears 32-inch all-terrain tires on simple, durable iron rims - Everything Old School is known and proven. The Grenadier comes with two engine options, familiar BMW 3-liter engines, gasoline or diesel; This is also a technology with a high reputation and reliability.
Production takes place at Smart's old factory in France, which has remained idle since the brand's production was moved to China and was purchased by Ratliff for the project.
Grandir's approach is to give the customer everything - dozens of 4x4 items installed in the vehicle, starting with anchor rails along the sides, for a canopy and grab bars on the roof, preparation for an additional battery under the back seat, a roof ladder, AUX switches waiting for lighting accessories or radios. The Grenadier comes with ventral protection and side steps, it has a hidden winch in the front bumper, preparation for a removable rear winch, and much more. It's a lot of fun, but many customers will not take advantage of all this abundance - even though it increases the price of the product. But the Grenadier isn't meant to be a cheap SUV; In Europe, the test vehicle will cost you about 85,000 euros before extras - this is very close to the price of a hybrid Defender, which costs about 685,000 shekels in Israel. It is also about NIS 150 thousand more than the new Land Cruiser 250. But you may find solace in the fact that the Grenadier costs only half as much as the equivalent Mercedes G. The Grenadier should reach us towards the end of the year, imported by UMI - only then will we know final prices.
Design: Despite the court ruling, I actually think the Grenadier is remarkably similar to the sweet 1995 Defender I had a generation ago. After years in which the British told us that it was impossible to adapt the old Defender to modern safety and pollution requirements, Ratcliffe came and proved that everything is possible. The Grenadier has the same vertical sidewalls of the old Defender, cubed butt, sloping nose (great for off-road driving), black wings, roof vents replacing the Alpine windows - it looks like someone did a massive facelift to the old Defender, I loved it.
The Grenadier has 17-inch steel rims that wear 32-inch tires, which is great for off-road work. LED lighting gives a modern touch, the bumpers are softly rounded. The front grill is a bit ornate for my taste, but it's really not bad. The Grenadier is offered in an elongated station wagon version like the blue test car, some versions do not have rear seats for UK tax benefits.
Those who really need to give work will order the elongated Quartermaster van, its front part is almost identical to the test vehicle; The van costs 15% less than the fancy passenger version. There will be no short versions, or a tarp, as in the classic Defender.
You can like or dislike the cubic design, but it conveys utility and robustness, suitable for serious field mice, and for institutional customers - firefighters, security agencies and state institutions. Those will have to choose between two trim levels: Trailmaster tuned for off-road work (with the test car's snorkel, 17-inch wheels and cloth upholstery) and Fieldmaster intended for lifestyle customers, with leather seats and 18-inch wheels.
Cabin: The cabin of the old Defender was abject and spartan, a masterpiece of poor human engineering on the level of an outdated tractor. It had a crooked sitting position in front of the steering wheel, there was no room for the left elbow, the engine was shaking and smelled of burnt oil. No one misses all these. The new Grenadier is another world of comfort and efficiency. It is not luxurious and luxurious, on the contrary: everything is functional and durable, the Ricoro seats are among the finest I have sat in recently, there is excellent space for 4 passengers and even 5. In front there are two bright skylights that can be easily disassembled, for the purposes of 'safari observation' above the roof. But for now there are no giraffes in Tel Aviv, nor is there a shading curtain under the skylights. We will see them in Ayalon at 38 Celsius!
The side windows are large and the sense of space is excellent, but the front window is low in my opinion; It closes in on you a bit, but I was happy to discover that from the driver's seat you can see the edges of the front wings, it's great for maneuvering between rocks or trees. The glove compartment is surprisingly small, as are the storage compartments in the doors or in the central console; It's a bit disturbing, in relation to a touring car. The huge trunk opens with two vertical doors. This allows easy access to the cargo, but completely blocks the view of the rear interior mirror; Why didn't they install a rear video camera there?
The most impressive detail in the cabin is a huge console, reminiscent of a jumbo cockpit; Its lower part is intended for activating air conditioning and seat heating, defrosting steam and more - it's impressive, although a bit wasteful in utilizing the space. An analog compass is installed in the middle of the console because "Jim Ratcliffe believes that a GPS must always know where north is, even without a navigation app." The upper part of the console is mounted on the roof, between the disintegrating windows; From there, the pilot activates external lights, navigation aids, choice of driving modes, AUX switches to activate optional equipment. It is very cool and unique, convenient to operate with gloves.
The dashboard is demonstrably clean and modest, with a 12.3-inch display used for receiving information, operating navigation, music. The design of the monitor is intentionally internalized and textual, as if they were shying away from an overly creative design. The rev counter appears as a row of small bars, we didn't like it. I would have loved to find satellite navigation with the Tracks4Africa software, but for now we will settle for the smartphone pairing and a somewhat simplistic display for such an expensive vehicle - including a medium-level reverse camera. There is a lot of space in the rear seats, with a suitable high seating position For a long trip. There are fasteners for installing a separation net from the huge trunk, the carpets can be disassembled and the floor can be washed with a hose. Despite some small jets, this is a very spacious and useful cabin that looks like it will last forever.
Engine Performance: Inaus didn't waste time on engine development, they implanted the 6-piston BMW in the nose of the Grenadier. This is an old engine that is very popular in BMW and other cars, including in off-road and track racing. In the diesel version, it delivers 245 hp, the gasoline produces 282 horsepower. These are strong and beefy engines, but with a weight of 2.7 tons and the aerodynamics of a grain barn, they have a hard time knocking the Grenadier out of its place.
I drove both versions and to my surprise, I liked the gasoline better: it is strong, quiet and refined More than the diesel which was quite rough. It is not that the diesel is lazy, but it is certainly not fast in the initial acceleration and in the intermediate accelerations, this is what is suitable for such a vehicle , at a level of NVH refinement reminiscent of a 4X4 van that costs less than half. Top speed is electronically limited to 160 km/h.
But there is something very pleasant and trust-inducing in this mechanical roughness, which tells you: "This is not another chubby crossover for the road, or a Chinese tram that does 0-100 in four seconds; you are now embarking on a long journey, take your time." The diesel accelerates to 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds, the gasoline will shorten the acceleration to 8.6 seconds.
The sound of the air being sucked into the snorkel is pleasant to the ear, it reminds me of a G Wagon. .MW doesn't do well in the tough space of a Grenadier. The fuel consumption will be around 8 kilometers per liter, depending on the driving style and the type of engine you chose. Inaus sells about 110 Grenadiers a day, 2/3 of them are ordered with the gasoline engines In the US market, unfortunately, the only active safety measure in the Grenadier is autonomous braking, in addition to basic warning systems and airbags; drive carefully, and good luck.
Comfort and road behavior:
at the time of purchase, the customer is invited to choose between solid suspensions for road travel, or a softer and more comfortable off-road setup. The test vehicle sat on the relatively stiff road suspensions, and they performed excellently. The vehicle is comfortable and maintains a balanced chassis, even in sharp turns or under sharp braking. It doesn't have the softness of modern crossovers, but it's also not as stiff as the sporty ones. The test drive did not allow an in-depth examination, but the feeling was excellent, including on a bumpy path. I have no doubt that with equipment and people on board, it will be even better. It should be noted that, of course, the suspensions and shock absorbers are completely mechanical - not adaptive, not pneumatic, nothing that can break down in the middle of a woodpecker.
With two live axles and rough off-road tires, you can't expect eloquent road behavior. The Grenadier is tall and heavy, and has no intention of being sporty. The British installed Recirculating ball steering, a helical steering box. It's a durable and reliable mechanism but it's heavy to operate, doesn't center itself and requires frequent steering adjustments - not what you'd want in city driving, but great for absorbing the occasional rock impact. Despite 3.85 turns from lock to lock, you need to use hand power, and you get a longer turning diameter than desired, 13.5 meters. Here, too, a choice was made in favor of off-road driving, at the expense of the comforts of the road. The attitude should be one of calm and flowing driving and then the Grenadier will be an excellent companion, even for a long drive to your favorite off-road track.
Going off-road:
the only justification for the existence of a vehicle like the Ineos Grandir is its off-road capability. This ability is demonstrated in its classic off-road configuration, and in the best assemblies available. Apparently we could have wanted bigger tires (33 or 35 inches?), but it is easy to assume that the British chose 32 inches for reliability in driving trips, as opposed to extreme offenses or high speed.
The off-road driving I was able to do didn't even begin to scratch the surface of the Grenadier's capabilities; It has a beefy engine and slow, short 'short' gear ratios, excellent body angles and excellent suspension travel, and 70 gauge all-terrain tires that allow the air pressure to be lowered to 15-25 PSI. The headroom is a decent 26.4 centimeters, but in Europe, 2.5-inch Eibach+King lifting kits are already being sold, for 9,000 euros. The transfer case is activated by a mechanical lever, and allows driving in LOW with the center differential locked or open. There are two lateral locks, downhill descent control. The feeling is of very good bump damping (even at full air pressure), and solid and tight underbody assemblies. This is a rare feeling these days, where comfort and indulgence are emphasized.
Australian purists have already complained about excess computing, but what did you want, for the car to drive with a Six carburetor? It seems to me that the British lacked electronic tricks even though the "Successful" mode, for example, definitely creates over-computing. The limit defined by Ineos was to allow the Grenadier to submerge in water 80 centimeters deep, stop the engine for fifteen minutes, then start and continue moving. The test is not only in restarting, but also in tightness. For this purpose, the system seals all kinds of openings in the floor of the passenger compartment and in the engine, restricts the entry of water into the air filter, disables electrical systems such as heating and air conditioning. It is very impressive, but in my opinion there is an over-sophistication here that could damage credibility. We'll see how it will work in floods in Nahal Paran. In any case, the Grenadier inspires a lot of confidence in the field, this is also the impression of car writers who have had a more challenging off-road immersion than mine.
The bottom line:
the Ineos Grandir is the victory of a stubborn redhead over the British industrialists or if you like, a mechanical version of David versus Goliath (just need to decide who is Goliath here, Land Rover or Ratcliffe). For lovers of the British brand, here is the resurrection, the return of the father of the family in an immeasurably upgraded version. Grenadier is a vehicle with a lot of uniqueness and charisma, a machine that was designed by engineers full of motor passion, and not by publicists and marketing people.
I fell in love with it at first sight and despite a few side notes, I think the British have done an amazing project here. On the other hand, anyone who is not a true field mouse should be warned - this is not a branded and hardened version of a modern 5X or 110; The Grenadier is a rough and bumpy off-road vehicle, on the road it is really not much fun - unless you know that at the end of the asphalt an adventurous journey in Africa, or in the Negev Mountains awaits you. Another question mark hanging over the Grenadier is its future reliability - the concept looks excellent and the assemblies are the best, but it will be years before we know how British design and German technology, manufactured in a factory in France, age together. In the meantime, we will settle for a five-year bumper-to-bumper warranty with no mileage limit, and a 12-year warranty against rust.
The Grenadier should arrive in Israel this year. It is not yet known how high its price will be, but there is no doubt that many and good people will desire it. I don't know how many clients and institutions will pull out their checkbooks, but I'm already longing to see him in a rosy or pink one! And after all that, what do you think happened to the humble 'Grandir' pub in London? Of course, Ratcliffe also bought the pub.
On the technical side: Ineos Grenadier Trailmaster
Engine:
3-liter 6-piston in-line made by BMW
Diesel:
245 hp, 55 kg
Gasoline:
282 hp, 45 kg
Gearbox:
automatic 8 gears
Drive: double for road and off-road, gear
Offense aids
power :
Traction control, 3 differential locks
Performance (manufacturer):
Acceleration 0-100 (seconds):
Gasoline 8.6, Diesel 9.9
Maximum speed (km/h):
160
Dimensions:
Length (meters):
4.90
Width (meters):
1.93
Height (meters):
2.04
Wheelbase (meters):
2.92
Space:
Ground clearance (cm):
26.4
Approach / departure angle (degrees):
35.5 / 36.1
Tires:
A/T 265/70R17
Net weight (kg) ):
2,736