Ineos has showcased potential future Grenadier variants at this week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, with prototypes highlighting the versatility of the body-on-frame 4×4. Among them were the rugged portal-axled Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster and the short-bed ‘Shortermaster’ pickup.
Taking the Grenadier Quartermaster Pickup’s off-road capabilities to literal new heights, German vehicle modifiers LeTech introduced a raised chassis fitted with portal axles and offset wheel hubs that increase ground clearance by 250mm to 514mm and wading depth from 800mm to 1,050mm. Larger off-road tyres complete the modifications. The portal axle Grenadier already has real-world applications, as similarly modified vehicles were recently delivered to the fire brigade in Mühlheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
A short-bed Quartermaster Pickup, nicknamed the ‘Shortermaster’, has been created by Ineos engineers at the Hambach production plant in France. Based on a standard Grenadier Station Wagon, the wheelbase of the double-cab pickup measures 2,922mm, 305mm shorter than the Quartermaster. The rear seats have been pushed forward to maximise the load bay capacity, which is fully integrated into the chassis.
The eight-seat Safari game-viewer is a converted Quartermaster pickup by Botswana-based Ineos Kavango, which creates extensive specialist modifications for the conservation, safari, anti-poaching, veterinary, primary healthcare and film production sectors. The vehicle comfortably accommodates three tiered rows of seats, offering excellent visibility for all passengers. It also has enhanced off-road protection from bespoke front and side protection bars and bespoke alloy wheels shod in off-road tyres to tackle the most demanding safari terrain.
Ineos has also been showing off a V8-powered station wagon built by apprentices at engineering partner Magna, the first FIA-compliant rally-ready Grenadier created by Buzz Special Vehicles, and the first special model from the newly created Arcane Works division, the Grenadier Detour, limited to a production run of just 200.
“The Grenadier’s body-on-frame chassis has already proven itself to be incredibly versatile, so as we look to future product and limited editions, we want to keep innovating,” commented Lynn Calder, CEO at Ineos Automotive. “As our new brand campaign states, the Grenadier is Built For More, and over the next few years we will be showing just what that means.”
