Ineos already has two automobiles primarily based on its rugged ladder-frame chassis, however the firm claims there’s “enormous scope” for extra configurations sooner or later.
The fledging off-road specialist model already affords the Grenadier wagon in two- and five-seat configurations, in addition to the 30cm-longer Grenadier Quartermaster ute in each pickup and cab-chassis physique kinds.
Talking with CarExpert, Ineos Automotive head of APAC area Justin Hocevar mentioned the platform underpinning the Grenadier is nice to work on.
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“I believe that there’s nonetheless enormous scope for us to essentially spherical out the total functionality of our Grenadier platform,” mentioned Mr Hocevar.
“It’s an awesome platform to work on. We need to keep in our lane be a specialist 4×4 producer, and I believe there’s nonetheless enormous scope for us to do all method of various configurations on high of this platform.”
On the Goodwood Competition of Velocity earlier this 12 months Ineos did reveal a big range of idea automobiles primarily based on the Grenadier and Grenadier Quartermaster.
Examples included a V8-powered wagon, a so-called ‘Shortermaster’ pickup, a portal axle-equipped Quartermaster, a FIA-compliant rally raid racer, and a Grenadier Safari car.
It additionally revealed a hydrogen fuel-cell (FCEV) Grenadier wagon demonstrator a month earlier.
At this stage it’s nonetheless unclear whether or not any of those ideas will really go into manufacturing.
When requested about whether or not a manufacturing V8-powered Grenadier is on the horizon, Mr Hocevar mentioned if it grew to become out there “we’d be placing our hand up for it, however we’ve received to stroll earlier than we run”.
“I believe Goodwood [Festival of Speed] received us all excited concerning the romantic notions of V8s, the sound, acoustic expertise and all the pieces like that,” mentioned Mr Hocevar.
“We’d have to really go a protracted technique to get the next output energy unit into the car that may be actually purposeful in it.”
The V8-powered Grenadier prototype has a Basic Motors LS-series V8 engine producing 317kW of energy and 625Nm of torque.
Though Mr Hocevar mentioned the Grenadier platform is nice to work on for physique configurations, there are particular sorts Ineos at the moment isn’t exploring. An instance of those embody a seven-seat model of the Grenadier wagon.
‘[A seven-seat SUV] is one which we’ve been wrestling with for a while already. Actually this was an idea that was thought-about very early on in improvement” mentioned Mr Hocevar.
“There are definitely some markets around the globe the place a third-row configuration can be actually fashionable.
“For us proper right here, proper now, with our manufacturing capability, the worldwide markets we’re launching in, the higher prominence of the five-seat market, implies that we’re going to remain targeted on that.
“However I believe it’s a watch and act. We all know that we’ve received that longer wheelbase [with the Grenadier Quartermaster].
One other Grenadier physique configuration Ineos isn’t at the moment contemplating is a single-cab model of the Quartermaster.
“For this market, it’s a relentless, ‘Hey, this is a vital section’ and we’d prefer to play in it,” mentioned Mr Hocevar.
Proper now, it’s not on this system. It’s a by no means say by no means, as I’ve talked about earlier than, we’re a specialist 4×4 firm, and we want to have the ability to provide a really various and specialised portfolio of automobiles.
“However proper right here, proper now, we’re a bit over a 12 months into launching the wagon. We’re now launching the dual-cab. That could be a a lot larger section than the single-cab market.
“The only-cab market, it’s an vital one, and we all know that there are consumers on the market for that kind of car, however globally talking, it’s extremely aggressive. It’s very price-driven.
‘The chance shouldn’t be fairly as giant for us, however we’ll definitely be retaining a eager eye on it, and if that chance exists, as I mentioned, by no means say by no means.”