- Ineos is about to start production of the Grenadier, a 4×4 inspired by the original Land Rover Defender
- The company wants to add a smaller and more eco-friendly model to its lineup
- The electric powertrain could come from BMW, although this has not been confirmed
Ineos, a new automotive company that was set up by a British Billionaire to pay tribute to the original Land Rover Defender, is thinking of adding a second model to its portfolio.
Back in 2020, the company revealed the Grenadier, a traditional 4×4 that looks so much like the original Defender that it prompted legal action from Land Rover.
This model will be a true off-road vehicle equipped with locking differentials and a choice of diesel or gasoline engines sourced from BMW.
Obviously, this model will not be popular with everyone, especially not with people who often need to drive in the city.
In order to broaden its appeal, Ineos is reportedly working on a new model that will be smaller and more affordable than the Grenadier, in addition to being fully electric.
This upcoming vehicle will be another SUV, possibly with only three doors, and it could also bore a resemblance to the Defender, despite the company’s CEO saying that it will not simply be an electrified version of the Grenadier.
Indeed, the new SUV will not even share its platform with the brand’s other model since it is supposed to be built on a brand-new architecture.
No details are currently known about the provenance of the battery and the electric motors that will power this upcoming vehicle, but since Ineos currently buys powertrains from BMW, there is a possibility the German automaker will also be the source of those components.
This model is not expected before a couple of years at least since production of the Grenadier has yet to begin at the former Smart factory in Hambach, France, where Ineos will make this second vehicle as well.
