Ineos, a British producer of chemicals, will be
releasing a retro-style SUV called Grenadier. Inspired by the design of the
classical Land Rover Defender, it will be assembled in Wales and go on sale in
2021.
Interestingly, despite its geographic proximity to the Ford factory
in Wales, the company says it will not be using Ford’s facilities or drivetrain
components in the production process. That said, since that factory will be
closing soon, Ineos plans to rehire any Ford ex-employees willing to do the
switch.
Former Mercedes-Benz designers will help design the
Ineos Grenadier for the mass market, and the car will come powered by a range
of BMW engines. Magna International, which currently has cooperation agreements
going with BMW, Tesla, Toyota, and Volkswagen, will design the chassis.
According to its creators’ vision, the new SUV
should fill the ‘hardcore, no-holds-barred utility vehicle’ niche left empty
with the discontinuation of the old Defender (and the newer models no longer
quite fitting the above description).
As we said above, the Ineos Grenadier will go on
sale in 2021. Gas and diesel-powered vehicles will be the first to reach the
market, followed by the more expensive models using alternative fuel sources.
