INEOS AUTOMOTIVE HINTS AT FUTURE 4X4s, WITH A TROOP OF GRENADIER PROTOTYPES

INEOS Grenadier.

INEOS Automotive used the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed to demonstrate how far the Grenadier platform can be adapted beyond its standard production form. Rather than presenting a single finished vehicle, the display brought together a group of specialised prototypes and conversions, each exploring a different interpretation of the body-on-frame 4X4.

The most dramatic examples were portal-axle versions of the Grenadier Station Wagon and Quartermaster Pick-Up. Developed by German vehicle modifier LeTech, these vehicles use portal axles and offset wheel hubs to increase ground clearance by 250mm, taking it to 514mm, while claimed wading depth rises from 800mm to 1050mm. Larger off-road tyres complete the engineering changes. The approach is intended for demanding terrain where additional clearance beneath the axles can be more valuable than simply fitting larger wheels, and similar modifications have already been applied to vehicles supplied to a German fire brigade.

A shorter Quartermaster Pick-Up, known as the “Shortermaster”, explored a more compact load-carrying format. Created by INEOS engineers at the Hambach production plant, it uses a double-cab layout with a 2922mm wheelbase, 305mm shorter than the regular Quartermaster. The rear seats were moved forward to make more room for the load bay, which is integrated into the chassis. This concept illustrates how the Grenadier’s underlying structure could be reworked to suit operators who need a pick-up footprint without the full length of the standard model.

Performance development was represented by a one-off V8-powered Station Wagon. Built as an engineering project for apprentices at INEOS partner Magna, it replaces the production BMW 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine with a GM 6.2-litre V8 producing 317kW and 625Nm. The conversion required extensive changes to the engine mounts, electrical and electronic systems, cooling systems, exhaust components, transmission bearings, heat shielding and centre console. It is best understood as an engineering exercise rather than a conventional production specification.

The Grenadier’s suitability for specialist passenger transport was shown by an eight-seat Safari game-viewer based on the Quartermaster Pick-Up. Converted by Botswana-based INEOS Kavango, it features three tiered rows of seats to provide passengers with clear visibility, along with bespoke front and side protection bars and alloy wheels fitted with off-road tyres. The conversion reflects the vehicle’s potential in conservation, safari, anti-poaching, veterinary, healthcare and film-production applications where access and visibility can be equally important.

Motorsport provided another direction, with Buzz Special Vehicles displaying the first FIA-compliant Grenadier. Prepared for the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship, it uses an uprated version of the BMW 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine developing 260kW and 550Nm, supported by a sports exhaust, race suspension, uprated brakes and bespoke alloy wheels. Its stripped-out cabin includes an internal roll cage, racing bucket seats, carbon interior door panels and roof vents.

Together, these prototypes underline the flexibility of the Grenadier’s body-on-frame architecture. They also show how the same basic platform can be adapted for increased clearance, shorter cargo dimensions, specialist passenger use, high-output powertrains or competition work, while remaining focused on four-wheel-drive capability and practical off-road engineering.