Grenadier from the inside looking out

The tough-as model inspired by the original Land Rover Defender has an interior familiar to tractor drivers and pilots.

LOOK through layman’s eyes into the cockpit of any aircraft and it’s an intimidating mess - knobs, buttons, screens and levers literally covering every single square centimetre, not only in front but overhead.

 Apparently, it’s not as complex or crazy as it seems. In the vast majority of cases, the various controls in the aircraft do one thing: Turn something on, or turn it off. What makes it appear complicated to you is that there are so many. But these individual controls are grouped together by system, in a way that actually makes pretty good sense.

So, anyway, now to the Ineos Grenadier. As a build-up to next year’s full global release of the ‘looks-like-a-Land Rover’, the maker has sent out images of the interior. Which, they say, differs from most in that it has taken reference from aviation.

Hence why in addition to filling the traditional spaces that carry instrumentation and controls, Ineos has put them elsewhere. Including, as photos plainly show, into the ceiling. The zone above and between the front seats appears to be loaded with toggle switches.

Just like a Cessna or an Airbus A380. And, quite possibly, just like a Massey Ferguson as well. The interior takes reference not just from aviation but also agriculture as well, according to the brand’s PR material. 

Anyway, chances the cabin’s design will resonate well with four-wheel drive enthusiasts; they’re into this kind of thing.

The interior unveiling is pretty the last big pre-launch reveal. It’s been kept under tight wraps until today.

The Grenadier’s exterior appearance, on the other hand, has never been. No point. Right from day dot Ineos Automotive – and its billionaire CEO Jim Ratcliffe – have never been shy about why it exists. The whole reason why Grenadier is coming is because the original Land Rover Defender is no longer around.  That icon has been wholly influential been for the genesis and development of Ineos’ own four-wheel drive. It’s not a copy; but a unique design developed in conjunction with Austrian engineering firm Magna Steyr. Yet if you looked at either one and were asked what it reminded you of … well, there’s only one response. 

 Anyway, from the firm’s point of view, the Grenadier is “built with purpose, to deliver the space, practicality and versatility owners need from a hard-working 4x4, with fun design cues inspired by Ineos’s passion for adventure and sport.
 
“Starting from a clean sheet, the design incorporates the modern technology and comfort expected of a vehicle for the 2020s and beyond.”

Moving inside, the only element that definitely seems to carry over from another vehicle is gear selector: it’s a BMW design, for good reason. The model run BMW-sourced drivetrains. The 3.0-litre petrol and diesel engines and eight-speed ZF automatic transmission are Munich’s. They send drive through a full-time four-wheel drive system with three locking differentials and a low-range transfer case. Unusually for a modern 4WD, the model has a manual high-low range selector.

Toby Ecuyer, the head of design, says the idea behind the instrument layout and control locations was developed from assessing modern aircraft, boats and even tractors. In these, switches are located for optimal function. Regular controls are close to hand, auxiliary ones further away.

 “You can see the same approach in the Grenadier: the layout is functional and logical, designed with ease of use in mind. It has everything you need and nothing you don’t,” Ecuyer attests.

 The two-spoke steering wheel has clear buttons on each side (including a red horn) and both reach- and rake adjustments.

It’s not totally clear if there’s a head-up display or some other means of seeing the speedo and revs other than looking to the centre display.

The 12.3-inch touchscreen which can also be controlled by a rotary dial between the seats “runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and also off-road pathfinder navigation that lets you programme, follow, and record a route via waypoints only.

Below this is an analogue compass and air vents, then a bank of buttons and toggles to control ventilation, window heating, volume, park assist, stop/start, hazard lights, and seat temperature.

Overhead? A further bank of hard touch points comprising pre-wired auxiliary switches, plus buttons to switch on the diff locks and change the off-road modes.

Grenadier is still undergoing its next stage of validation and development, with 1.8 million kilometres of driving slated across 130 second-phase prototypes.

Production is set to start in July 2022 in Hambach, France.