The Ineos Grenadier Is An Unstoppable & Eye-Catching Off-Roader

An eye-catching off-roader that’s unstoppable in the rough? Motoring editor Jeremy Taylor and Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby drive an Ineos Grenadier to Scotland.

Car Review: Ineos Grenadier

JT-P – I love the fact that we still have people so enthusiastic about cars they go out and build their own!

JT – Yes, although it probably helps if you’re crazy rich and can afford to spend £1.3 billion on the project!

The Grenadier is one of a kind – not your usual SUV designed for urban commutes. It’s a go-anywhere machine that combines German engineering with British design to create a real brute of a car.

This is a four-wheel drive for people who live half-way up a mountain, aren’t afraid to stow a runaway sheep in the boot and probably prefer a drive across the Serengeti, rather than the Home Counties.

So don’t expect too many luxuries… The cabin is spacious and comfortable but strictly no-frills. Obviously there are comparisons with the old Land Rover but the Ineos boasts plenty of character of its own.

And like the long-serving Defender, the Grenadier is best off-road, with a commanding driving position and proper physical buttons for pretty much everything! A joy in a world of infotainment screens and multiple menus.

Unfortunately the Ineos is less enjoyable on tarmac. Steering is vague at best and the 3.0-litre, BMW-sourced turbodiesel engine is thirsty, noisy and pretty slow.

Prices start at around £65,000. So if you want to shun modern technology and prefer analogue and mechanical, this is the truck for you! 

Especially so if you’re planning a long-distance jaunt north of the border, where weather-planning is part of the daily routine in the autumn. The Grenadier will cope with anything you throw at it and Scotland is the perfect place to see what it can do. Where first?

First stop should be the privately-owned Old Manse of Blair, a classic, ivy-clad mansion nestled in the Perthshire countryside. The only thing beefier than the Grenadier here are Highland cattle grazing the fields.

Very easy to zoom past on the A9 north and miss it. The best marker is the popular House of Bruar shopping complex, just up the road. Set in the Cairngorms National Park, the Old Manse is also a couple of miles from Blair Atholl.

The main attraction here is a five star restaurant reenergised by chef Scott Davies to offer traditional Scottish fare with a modern twist. Ponder over smoked haddock rarebit, slow cooked lamb with hedgerow sauce, or Isle of Lewis grouse with game faggots.

Sounds very tasty! And the rooms?

Lots of options. High-ceilinged bedrooms in the main house are big, spacious, and loaded with soft furnishings. The walled garden rooms are modern chic, while the former stable block is a dreamy stopover for equestrian lovers.

Tough to leave, but where next?

Head north-west, to the Isle of Skye and The Three Chimneys restaurant with rooms – Scotland’s restaurant of the year for 2025. Scott Davies previously spent nine years at this remote bolthole for serious foodies, situated on the shores of Loch Dunvegan. 

Quite the dramatic backdrop. Who’s running the kitchen now?

Paul Green is from Edinburgh and has worked with some of the UK’s top chefs, including Simon Rogan. He indulges in Skye’s abundance of superb produce, from shellfish and seafood, to fresh game and foraged fare.

Any recommendations for weary travellers?

Yes, eat at the Kitchen Table – a communal dining experience that seats you in the heart of the action. North Sea cod with braised lettuce, black garlic with onion and oregano rolls are a must.

So, you met some fellow travellers on the high road, even though you were dining on your own?

I did – and afterwards enjoyed a wee dram outside as the shooting stars sparkled over the loch. Quite a place.

Visit threechimneys.co.uk to enjoy a ‘Wee Winter Break’ at The Three Chimneys. Old Manse of Blair ‘Autumn Colours’ breaks start from £399 per room at theoldmanseofblair.com

Ineos Grenadier: Inspired By The Past

The Grenadier is the brainchild of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire boss of British petrochemicals giant Ineos and major investor in Manchester United. He also owns a chunk of the Mercedes-AMG Formula One team and has backed Britain’s bid to win back the America’s Cup sailing trophy.

A big fan of the original Land Rover Defender, when it ceased production in 2016, Sir Jim saw a gap in the market for an uncompromising off-roader – something altogether more rugged and less precious than the new Defender SUV.

When Land Rover declined his offer to buy the old Defender production line, Britain’s richest man set about creating his own.

The idea was conceived at Ratcliffe’s favourite drinking hole, The Grenadier in Belgravia, London. Later, Sir Jim bought the pub too. Built in 1720, the haunted property was once the officers’ mess for the infantry regiment.

The original Grenadier has now morphed into a small range of models, all based on the same off-road platform. Like the old Defender, there’s a no-nonsense commercial version, as well as the Quartermaster flat-bed pick-up. 

One model that hasn’t appeared yet is the long-awaited Fusilier, a pure electric version. The company delayed the launch and now says it will arrive in 2028.

Find out more at ineosgrenadier.com

Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby is Director of Programmes at London College of Fashion, studying for a PhD in sustainable e-textile design.