Ineos starts production of the Grenadier

The Ineos Grenadier is a step closer for local buyers, with the news that Ineos Automotive has started series production of it at the company’s facility in Hambach, France.

‘‘We’ve come a long way since the project kicked off in 2017 and this is a landmark moment for INEOS Automotive as a vehicle manufacturer,’’ said Mark Tennant, Ineos Automotive commercial director.

‘‘To get to this point is a testament to the resilience and hard work of the entire Ineos Automotive team, our development partners and our suppliers.’’

The company says that while global supply chain issues continue to constrain output, global customer deliveries in volume are expected to begin in December. Dealer demonstration vehicles will arrive in New Zealand in December, with the first local customer deliveries arriving ‘‘soon after, closer to January,’’ with the majority expected early next year.

With four retail outlets in New Zealand (located in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin) and 28 across Australia, Ineos Automotive has built an extensive network of more than 200 sites worldwide in its preparations for the launch.

The company says it aims for the majority of customers in New Zealand to be ‘‘within a reasonable distance’’ of a sales and service location, with the dealerships forming the backbone of the service network in the country, and additional coverage being provided by accredited outlets.

‘‘The selection of sales and distribution partners across Australia and New Zealand is an extremely important process,’’ said Justin Hocevar, head of AsiaPacific

region, Ineos Automotive.

‘‘We are committed to working with partners who hold the right credentials to represent the Ineos Automotive brand not just within metropolitan cities, but in the heartland of Ineos Automotive’s customer base.’’

The Grenadier came about when the billionaire founder of petrochemical giant Ineos, Jim Ratcliffe, became frustrated by the reduction of availability of utilitarian 4X4 workhorses after Land Rover replaced the old Defender with a far more modern and upmarket model.

The Grenadier has been in development since 2017 and will initially feature a choice of BMWsourced petrol or diesel 3.0-litre, six-cylinder engines.

Both engines variants cost the same, with the two-seater starting at $94,000 in base trim. Jumping to either of the two higher-spec trims (the road-oriented Fieldmaster or the off-road focused Trialmaster) pushes the price to $106,225, while pricing for the five-seater Station Wagon starts at $95,000, up to $107,225 for either trim level.

Following on from the launch of the SUV, the dual-cab ute version will also come to New Zealand, which Ineos has previously indicated will be priced below the SUV, while a hydrogen version is extremely likely, thanks to an existing partnership with Hyundai.