British firm Ineos recently hosted local and international media in the wilds of the Eastern Cape’s Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area to put the Grenadier Quartermaster through its paces. Our adventure journalist Gero Lilleike eagerly took the ‘wheel…

While sitting in the Grenadier pub in London with a pint in hand, UK billionaire and CEO of chemical giant, Ineos, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, experienced a moment of, some would say divine, inspiration.

The vision of what we now know as the Ineos Grenadier was conceived in that pub. In 2017, Ineos announced its intention to build an “uncompromising” 4×4 vehicle that would follow in the esteemed wheel tracks of the legendary original Land Rover Defender.

Sir Jim himself stated: “I’m a great admirer of the old Land Rover Defender and have enormous respect for its off-road capability”, adding that “we want to build the world’s purest 4×4 and are aiming it at explorers, farmers and off-road enthusiasts across the globe.” 

After considerable toil and many millions of dollars spent on Research & Development, Jim Ratcliffe and his team did it – the first Ineos Grenadier Station Wagon rolled off the production line in Hambach, France in 2022, in a Mercedes-Benz factory, of all places…

South African order books for the Grenadier (station wagon) opened that year, while order books for the Grenadier Quartermaster double-cab opened in 2023. The Quartermaster has now officially gone on sale in South Africa and Ineos was keen to showcase the newcomer in the metal in tough conditions. 

The Baviaanskloof is a remote wilderness reserve in the Eastern Cape – its roads demand respect. Only 4×4 vehicles with high ground clearance can venture here and river crossings keep drivers honest. 

What does the Grenadier Quartermaster offer? 

Ineos’ local line-up comprises the Grenadier Station Wagon and the Grenadier Quartermaster double-cab bakkie, the latter of which is the most expensive double-cab bakkie in SA, but more on that later…

As far as derivatives go, both body shapes are offered in Base trim or specialised trim, including the Fieldmaster (an urban-biased trim) and the Trialmaster (an off-road trim). As a utility vehicle designed to operate in difficult terrain, Ineos offers customers a wide range of accessories to meet diverse needs. 

If you’ve got time to kill, check out the Ineos Grenadier Configurator and build your ultimate off-roader!

With the mission of building the best 4×4 vehicle possible, Ineos has partnered with leading component partners such as Magna Steyr, Brembo, Recaro and BMW, to name just a few companies…

As you may have read, under the bonnet of the Grenadier Quartermaster sits BMW’s highly regarded 3.0-litre, inline-6 turbopetrol engine that produces peak outputs of 210 kW and 450 Nm of torque and comes paired with an 8-speed ZF torque-converter automatic transmission. The widely used B58 motor was specifically chosen for the Grenadier because of its excellent performance and proven reliability.

For buyers who would prefer a diesel engine, Quartermaster variants powered by BMW’s 3.0-litre, inline-6 turbodiesel (with outputs of 183 kW and a useful 550 Nm of torque) are expected to arrive in South Africa soon. We expect most buyers in the local market will opt for the turbodiesel automatic powertrain.

What’s the interior of the Grenadier Quartermaster like?  

When you step into the Grenadier Quartermaster’s cabin for the first time, you’re met by perhaps the most striking fascia designs ever employed on a series-production 4×4 off-road vehicle.

Drawing inspiration from a military fighter jet, the cabin layout eschews the current automotive trend of minimalist and buttonless interiors and provides large surfaces, both on the dashboard and roof, where oversized buttons are splayed out in a fashion not seen in contemporary cars. It takes some time to soak it all in and familiarise yourself with the cockpit layout, but the grandeur of it all soon grows on you.   

Note that a conventional instrument cluster is absent and key driving information, such as speed and fuel consumption, is displayed on the right-hand side of the infotainment screen. A BMW-style command dial in the centre console provides access to the vehicle’s off-road and infotainment menus. The familiar BMW transmission stalk is flanked by a “manual handbrake” and a low-range transfer case. 

The chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel is a treat to wield and we love the “Toot” buttonl which is a polite hoot to alert those pesky cyclists to keep well out of your way as you barrel along in this new-old-school offroader. 

The cabin is robust and you can tell by the hard-wearing materials used in its construction that it’s built to last. The firm and supportive Recaro seats can be trimmed in your choice of utility cloth upholstery or leather, heavy-duty utility flooring with drain valves implies that the interior is designed to handle wet conditions and there are also grab handles fitted, which are useful while off-roading. 

Despite the vehicle’s longer chassis and a wheelbase of 3 227 mm, the Grenadier Quartermaster has a rather compact cabin – rear passenger space isn’t generous. Ratcliffe, who stands over 6ft (1.83 metres) tall, claims the model offers occupants class-leading off-road comfort, but suffice it to say we’d pay good money to see Sir Jim squeeze into the back seat of the Grenadier Quartermaster. 

What’s the Ineos Quatermaster like to drive? 

Close your eyes, turn the key and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’re sitting in a BMW M340i xDrive. 

The raspy burbles emanating from its discreetly placed exhaust tips afford the Quartermaster a unique aural character, perhaps only vaguely comparable to the petrol V6-powered Ford Ranger Raptor. It sounds good!

Lively throttle responses, a well-calibrated ZF transmission and a powerful 210 kW inline-6 turbopetrol BMW engine ensure brisk and more-than-adequate acceleration from the Quartermaster; it represents quite a feat of engineering when you consider that Ineos’ double cab has a kerb weight of 2 643 kg. 

The Grenadier Quartermaster does, however, exhibit some quirks that deserve to be mentioned.

Perhaps the Quartermaster’s most glaring oddity is its steering setup. Because the Grenadier variants are off-roaders by design, Ineos equipped them with a Bosch hydraulically-assisted recirculating ball steering. It’s well-suited and preferred for driving off-road, but not so much on tar or in an urban setting. This isn’t a Sandton pavement hopper, but regardless of what I tell you, you’ll probably find many there! 

In a world where sharper, more responsive steering setups are the norm, the Quartermaster’s steering requires familiarisation. The steering feels near-as-dead in the top quarter and its response is slow and imprecise. Heaven forbid that you have to quickly dodge a pothole or any kind of object in the road! 

In its defence, the steering comes into its own as soon as tar becomes dirt. The Grenadier Quartermaster is not entirely cumbersome as a passenger vehicle but only truly makes sense as a dedicated off-roader. 

Its ride quality and refinement on dirt are excellent and superior to most of the new-age off-road SUVs and bakkies we have driven recently and that speaks volumes of its its hardcore, heavy-duty chassis.

Our destination was a pop-up wild camp smack-bang in the centre of the Baviaanskloof. We had to drive in the dark to get there on rough, water-weathered dirt roads flanked by steep drop-offs into the rocky kloofs below – it was a harrowing route, even for seasoned off-roaders. 

With our favourite songs pumping on the quality audio system, it’s times like these you learn to live again and trust your vehicle instinctively. It was slow going navigating in the dark, but the Quartermaster took every ditch and donga in its stride. When we finally reached the camp, the fire was burning high and we enjoyed a warm meal prepared by none other than South Africa’s ultimate braai master, Justin Bonello.

The next morning, after downing a sweet “moer koffie” straight off the fire, we headed west into the Baviaanskloof. The Grenadier Quartermaster is properly kitted out for hardcore 4×4 adventures. In the Trialmaster and Fieldmaster trim, the Quartermaster is equipped with centre-, front- and rear differential locks, so even the toughest obstacles stand little chance against this formidable Grenadier. The grade of the obstacles encountered in the Baviaanskloof, however, seldom required such heavy intervention. 

Then, the convoy came to an abrupt halt. Recent excessive rain had flooded the valley and the Kouga River and Baviaans River were swollen. This scenario was the perfect opportunity to test the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster’s wading ability! 

On the roof console, you can press the Off-road button to deactivate proximity sensors – they can be annoying while navigating through the bush – followed by the Wading button to deactivate the engine fan (to prevent water from being sucked into the engine) – the latter’s a rather nifty off-road feature that sets the Grenadier variants apart from other off-roaders. 

With low-range engaged, we rolled into the watery depths and waded through the flooded river bed lined with reeds. Minutes later, our Grenadier Quartermaster emerged at the other end without any problems. 

After that, we winded our way up the pass to the spectacular Two Fangs viewing point to appreciate the environment that we had just traversed. On our way back to camp, we crossed the Kouga River – again, and without a hint of hesitation (or a splutter) from the test unit – and spotted some wildlife along the way. The Grenadier Quartermaster got us here and got us out. It did its job and it did it well. Bravo!

How much does the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster cost in SA?

Pricing includes a 5-year/100 000 km warranty. Service and maintenance plans are optional.

Summary

Our first drive in the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster was both a positive and illuminating experience. 

Sure, the Grenadier Quartermaster is a niche product and it isn’t perfect. It has its quirks, but none of them are deal breakers. If you can afford one, the Grenadier is undoubtedly one of the most capable 4×4 off-roaders you can buy and you’ll probably never need another off-roader in your lifetime…

In saying that, Ineos, in the automotive space at least, lacks the crutch that most traditional 4×4 vehicle brands depend on for sales success — legacy. 

In the absence of a legacy, why should anybody buy an Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster? The truth is that quality has a price and if you consider that the Grenadier has been engineered or, to be perfectly frank, over-engineered to a standard well beyond the market average, then legacy becomes superfluous.

Should you buy a Grenadier Quartermaster? The short answer is yes. But there’s a big BUT… even if you can afford the significant outlay, you must be certain that you’ll use ALL of its immense off-road ability.