Auto Review: Desert dueller, wadi warrior

Like most great ideas, which are often conceived at public watering holes so was the design of the INEOS Grenadier. As the story goes, it was a close friend of billionaire Jim Ratcliffe who put pen to paper and drew an unsurprising, but inspiring 4x4 vehicle design. It took a classic 2-box silhouette, contrary to newfangled ideas proposed, to tug at the heartstrings of the businessman in search of a “proper 4x4”.

Fast forward a few years to last month and we were waiting in front of Adamas Motors showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road adoring a line of Grenadiers. Ratcliffe’s dream of building a hardcore off-roader has finally become a reality and I, along with a select few, was invited to take his new creation on an epic journey that involved dirt, rock, tarmac and sand. The Grenadier has proper old-school charm. The stepped bonnet, round lights, black plastic wheel arches, beadlock wheels, and spare tyre hanging out the rear is vehicular nostalgia at its finest. It even has a utility belt that runs around it to carry additional equipment. And if you think it looks much like the old Land Rover Defender, I agree, and thank the eternal witness for that.

Then we set off for Wadi Showka and in the many kilometres that followed, I got a good feel for the interior. It’s intentionally rugged — with an industrial quality to it — with touches of technology and luxury neatly integrated to complement its look and feel. Expectedly, everything in the cabin is either squared, straight or slatted. The steering wheel looked uncannily similar to that in a MINI Cooper and knowing a partnership exists between INEOS and BMW Group gave it some sense. Interestingly, it also has a small red button on it, not a starter button or for ‘Sport’ mode but a special horn to alert cyclists, in a mild manner. The piece-de-resistance, however, was the fancy aircraft-like overhead controls. It looks complicated at first, but in fact they provide easy access to the various driving modes, differential locking systems, low-range gearing, and switches for ancillary equipment.

The unusually large window sill provided a great spot to rest my elbow over the long haul. The seats too proved comfortable, but they did squeak a little. The other niggle was that the side view mirror didn’t tilt up as much as I’d wish, giving me a disproportionate view of the sky.

On the move, I also had to get used to the steering wheel which doesn’t return to centre naturally as it does in regular vehicles. But it’s said to improve stability off-road. We also noticed the slight rumble coming off the groovy all-terrain tyres while on the highway. But it rides well and brakes well, especially for its class.

After navigating dusty trails, we entered a challenging rock crawling section. But I made it through with the fewest scuffs in my group thanks to my obedience to the spotter’s instructions and the Grenadier’s generous wheel articulation and suspension travel credentials. We even drove past a gentle ford to give that 800 mm wading depth a test and it “swam” past with ease.

The following day, we ventured into the sands enroute to the popular off-road destination, Camel rock. The power from the turbo inline-6 is ever present. We just floated up and over the cascading dunes like nobody’s business. It even scaled the steepest off gradients effortlessly with the 8-speed auto in first gear. There was no delay of power or scrambling for traction — it was just instant gratification in the form of controlled mobility. Starring at Camel Rock from a distance and at ease, my doubts about its off-road prowess had completely vanished. This thing is so capable right out of the box that if you were to plonk it in the middle of the Empty Quarter, it would just shrug the dust away and be on its way back to civilization.

And it’s not just the dynamism in the dirt, the Grenadier is packed with all the utility demanded of a 4x4 and all the modern features that makes it a compelling deal. It has a Rhino Roof Rack option with a static load of 420kg and a dynamic load limit of 150kg which means you can plant a tent on the roof. With the 2nd row folded down, 2035 litres of space can be made available for luggage and furniture. It’s also equipped with Bluetooth, Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay as standard; and a responsive 12.3-inch touchscreen that can be controlled via a BMW-like iDrive-like click wheel or the swipe of your fingers. All the necessary safety acronyms are present too.

By bringing the retro-styled Grenadier to the Middle East, INEOS has given us the opportunity to get closer to the elements on demand. It is a proper 4x4 vehicle with a charming outlook and superlative off-road performance. With a respectable starting price of Dh 267,000 and no major issues at first encounter, INEOS seems to have a winner in their hands. But whether it trumps local hero SUVs like the Patrol, Land Cruiser and Defender is something only a full-fledged test drive can reveal.

FUN FACT

INEOS Automotive’s Hambach plant, acquired from Mercedes-Benz in January 2021, is a state-of-the-art 210,000 sqm facility that employs a workforce of over 1,000.

SPECIFICATIONS

Body type: 5-seater; 5-door premium mid-size SUV

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