Ineos Grenadier makes its way to Namibia

The Grenadier made headlines in the motor industry after Land Rover did away with the Defender shape, replacing it with a more modern Defender. This changed the whole playground when it comes to the renowned Defender’s rugged appearance.

Hence, Jim Ratcliffe and a few friends decided to put pen to paper to ensure the Defender’s shape will carry on.

This resulted in court action, as Land Rover took the matter seriously since the Ineos looks like a replica of the Defender.

But with some cosmetic changes and a few facelifts Ratcliffe’s determination to keep the British look going, paid off and now the Grenadier is in full production.

Top Revs was among a handful invited guests in March this year to see, witness and meet Charles van Rensburg from the business development team for southern Africa. It was evident during the meet and greet back then that there were high expectations that the Grenadier would not only be a durable but also a capable 4×4.

In an exclusive interview with Top Revs, Horacio (Rassie) Rietz from M&Z Motors, said they did some major upgrades to their building in Suiderhof to house and display the Grenadiers.

The showrooms are all standard across the globe and the specifications, designs and layout are all the same to comply with the Ineos’ corporate look and feel.

“We are waiting for our stock to arrive. Though we [might] experience stock delays, our two demo models are expected to arrive mid-November, latest end of November,” Rietz assured potential clients.

He said the showroom is about 95% ready – only the Grenadiers demo models are lacking. He added that once the vehicles arrive in Namibia and the rubber is on local soil, it is exciting times for M+Z Motors.

One can understand the excitement as Namibia is a 4×4 country, and the Ineos Grenadier was designed and built with going off the beaten tracks in mind.

The vehicles will be available in both petrol and diesel 3,0L BMW engines, with an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.

It is not only spacious, with lots of storage and packing space, but the vehicle is also designed to ferry both passengers and luggage with utmost comfort over almost any terrain.

The six-inline 3,0L BMW engine delivers 183kW at 3 250-4 200 revolutions per minute (rpm) and 550Nm of torque.

The uniqueness of the Grenadier is that a client can literally build and design a 4×4 to his/her own liking, Rietz said.

This can be done online and there is even a two-way communication between the client and the Grenadier’s team about progress, price and expected delivery to the client. The build-to-order can be done through Grenadier’s website.

About the after sales service, Rietz assured Top Revs that the vehicles will be serviced and parts supplied from the Mercedes workshops in Windhoek.

When it comes to their regional sub-dealers, plans are underway to assure clients the vehicles will get the much-needed attention to assure owners of a good backup service.

During an earlier visit to Namibia this year, Van Rensburg told potential clients and dealers that they did not reinvent the wheel, but took the very best of each component to build the Grenadier.

The vehicle’s agility and ruggedness is a sure winner for hardcore off-roaders.

Top Revs learnt through the grapevine that there are already customer orders placed for nine vehicles.

Though the Grenadier comes at a price, any avid off-roader will tell you that it is not about the price tag, but reliability and ability for the car to get you to your destination.

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