2022 Ineos Grenadier: A new strategy to win over Australians

British company Ineos is embarking on a mammoth task – introducing a brand-new car into the Australian market, and in a segment which demands absolute reliability.

The 2022 Ineos Grenadier may well be the de facto successor to the original Land Rover Defender, but the freshman brand is rolling out a strategy to attract a wider audience – and it isn't following the typical new-car handbook.

As engineers complete a total of 1.8 million test kilometres with prototypes around the globe – including here in Australia – the company says it’s created a proper off-roader as an antidote to the softening of other four-wheel-drive models on the market.

“We will offer some versions that will go up in the range with nicer interiors for example – for those that want more comfort – but what’s not on the cards for us is going down this direction of ‘SUV’,” Ineos Australia sales and marketing manager Justin Hocevar told 4X4 Australia.

“We will remain a utility vehicle brand.”

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Priced from $84,500 before on-road costs, Ineos will kick off the Grenadier with a two-seater commercial van. Toyota LandCruiser Troopcarrier buyers and grey nomads are firmly in its sights, and it is doing all it can to build trust with its customer base.

Along with a strong online presence, Ineos says it will have 16 agents in major cities in Australia, as well as providing a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and five-year roadside assist package. Buyers will also be able to pick up a five-year service plan for fixed-price maintenance.

To give those in regional areas a first-hand look at the new Grenadier range, the company is also planning to attend field days across the country.

Backing it all up will be 34 hand-picked Bosch Service Centres providing servicing and repairs.

“About 30 per cent of [our agents] are not traditional automotive dealers,” Hocevar told 4X4 Australia.

“We’re really looking for those types of business partners that have got a close relationship with their customers, and ideally have already got a 4X4-oriented business.”

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Like the Grenadier, Ineos has taken a “clean-sheet” approach to building its aftermarket support software, creating a program which provides a ‘bouncing ball’ step-by-step tutorial to repairing its vehicles – coupled with 3D animations.

The program also integrates; parts catalogues, inventory tracking, parts ordering, invoicing, as well as the digital repair manual, to help make life as easy as possible for mechanics and parts interpreters to support Ineos customers.

But unlike most car manufacturers, Ineos says it has an open-source approach, and will be happy to supply the software to both owners and workshops – helping to ensure vehicles are repaired correctly, even in remote areas.

Along with developing and testing its own bolt-on parts for the Grenadier, Ineos is providing computer-aided design (CAD) files to four-wheel-drive accessories companies as well as providing access to prototype vehicles to help build a foundation of aftermarket products.

While reservations will open mid-October and orders are expected to begin in March 2022, the Ineos Grenadier is slated for a fourth quarter launch next year.