Grenadier on the Highway

[Max]

I get it too Max.

I have been in the design and marketing arena now for over 5 decades and have to say Manufacturers of any sort promoting a product are only able to show exactly that product...classic example and the world's burger makers...what is in the burger is all they can show no more, no less...they used to use smaller buns but now they stack the front of the burger to increase visual perception of large... so the Grenadier prototype would fail on so many criteria, Volvo staked cars on top of each other to prove strength and safety, then were busted for reinforcing the car shells... happy motoring

 

[painter]

I get all the potential reasons (prototypes, early days, soft openings etc.) but my only point is that when probably the majority of owners will drive the majority of their Grenadier km's on bitumen roads, much at good speeds, INEOS have only focussed on off road driving to date to "prove" the car.

I thought it would be fairly important for potential buyers to know how it handles fully laden at 100/120kpm towing a trailer with a strong cross-wind.

Yep 100%. I'd be down with seeing some highway / general driving reviews. It's an important part of the decision making.

 

[Max]

Yep 100%. I'd be down with seeing some highway / general driving reviews. It's an important part of the decision making.

You might have to wait for the media and you tubers videos to start up for that type of imagery because the manufacturers won't go where there are too many variables...plus they are only prototypes and maybe have no towing ability...asking too much too soon...it will come..happy motoring

 

[Sam]

Also important to me - because of local climate - is the performance of the air-conditioning

2009-2016 Defender is just about acceptable, in this respect

 

[grenadierboy]

INEOS have been demonstrating the car at events in the Middle East. 55C in the middle of summer - so I sure hope the aircon is beefy!

 

[OGrid]

At the Sydney 4x4 show I specifically asked a senior Ineos representative there how the IG handled at 130 km/h.

Was told it was solid. They then smiled.

Northern Territory (an Australian territory) has some long 130 km/h sections (once unlimited, those days have gone).

 

[emax]

> why wasn't Lewis Hamilton filmed?
I remember that Michael Schumacher wasn't allowed by contract to drive anything else publicly but the brand of his F1-team.

Therefore, he was never seen in a Porsche (of which he was told to own more than one).

EDIT: typo

 

[DCPU]

I get all the potential reasons (prototypes, early days, soft openings etc.) but my only point is that when probably the majority of owners will drive the majority of their Grenadier km's on bitumen roads, much at good speeds, INEOS have only focussed on off road driving to date to "prove" the car.

I thought it would be fairly important for potential buyers to know how it handles fully laden at 100/120kpm towing a trailer with a strong cross-wind.

If the proof is in the pudding, then doing it this way, with no on road tests shared, doesn't seem to have hurt the number of orders taken. So initial potential buyers don't seem to have been put off.

Maybe there's a second tranche of buyers who are more concerned about the issues you raise, sitting on their hands right now and waiting for the "hard" launch and associated road driving experiences from the usual core of motoring journalists.

My problem with waiting for these on road tests, is I drive a 2013 Defender. If I look back at any on road review by these same journalists then they all laboured on how poor the vehicle was on road, cramped driving position, understeer when pushed into corners, notchy gearbox, etc, etc.

Frankly, their words were useless to me, other than a form of checklist to compare how their views really didn't match mine.

 

[DCPU]

I am just mildly surprised we haven't seen it in official video; e.g. why wasn't Lewis Hamilton filmed?

Who says it wasn't?

It may just be a little time before it comes out.

I think it was over 6 months between filming the Aussie interior film and it being released publically.

 

[cheswick]

> why wasn't Lewis Hamilton filmed?
I remeber that Michael Schumacher wasn't allowed by contract to drive anything else publicly but the brand of his F1-team.

Therefore, he was never seen in a Porsche (of which he was told to own more than one).

I'm just guessing but I'm willing to bet Lewis has inserted some "green" clauses into his contract to protect his personal brand - he probably has a get-out on endorsing anything that could be interpreted as damaging the environment, climate, etc, i.e. a large diesel powered 4WD.

Nevermind the round the world circus powered by petrol, diesel and jet fuel that is Formula One - that's the money maker

 

[Max]

It is hard to understand but Lewis and Jim might be mates and Lewis Hamilton's contracts would be 14lawyers' pages long, so to be seen or even heard promoting a vehicle might not be in the budget, I remember seeing early footage of the car on a test track and it looked pretty good, flat and stable. I also believe that legals will be in place regarding what a prototype can be endorsing or showing off when it is not actually the end product, certified by all the governing bodies for every different need the world over, mind-boggling...happy motoring

 

[Max]

DCPU
If the proof is in the pudding, then doing it this way, with no on road tests shared, doesn't seem to have hurt the number of orders taken. So initial potential buyers don't seem to have been put off.

I believe you are right...I think that all that has gone before building this car as a prototype and put on and off the road is understood...potential buyers are excited and very optimistic...happy motoring

 

[Michael H.]

 

[Max]

View attachment 7794838

It means a test drive...happy motoring

 

[DCPU]

I'm just guessing but I'm willing to bet Lewis has inserted some "green" clauses into his contract to protect his personal brand - he probably has a get-out on endorsing anything that could be interpreted as damaging the environment, climate, etc, i.e. a large diesel powered 4WD.

I've seen some posts of his trying to "green up", selling his hypercar stable, driving around in an electric car, trying to undo the damage of posing on the roof of his private jet, etc but he has (in the past) actually endorsed the Grenadier:

 

[grenadierboy]

I should have remembered the recent "Trails Australia" video released by INEOS showcasing the Grenadier driving through outback South Australia.

The Australian INEOS team drove a Grenadier 9 hours, mostly on bitumen, to the start of "Googs Track" in the outback.

There is some fleeting video of the Grenadier in the highway (at 2.24) but no commentary on how she performed. I suspect it's taken as given it will be good on the road for a 2700kg real 4x4.

(and no - the Grenadier didn't do that burn-out!)

 

[Michael H.]

I should have remembered the recent "Trails Australia" video released by INEOS showcasing the Grenadier driving through outback South Australia.

The Australian INEOS team drove a Grenadier 9 hours, mostly on bitumen, to the start of "Googs Track" in the outback.

There is some fleeting video of the Grenadier in the highway (at 2.24) but no commentary on how she performed. I suspect it's taken as given it will be good on the road for a 2700kg real 4x4.

(and no - the Grenadier didn't do that burn-out!)

View attachment 7794848

Just in case you weren’t aware, the full series of 5 videos has been up on the INEOS Grenadier YouTube channel (as opposed to the INEOS YouTube channel) for over 6 weeks now. They are also all available on the INEOS Grenadier website under Films & Images.

 

[Clunster]

Has anyone seen a video of a Grenadier (or better still been in the car) driven at some speed on bitumen where we can see/assess the driving characteristics?

My wife and I were driven on a narrow tarmac section in Shropshire in a PT02, the test driver floored it and the acceleration was so remarkable and the ride so stable my wife actually stopped talking. Quite amazing on both fronts.
I was in the back seat and started giggling like Muttly... which was a bit embarrassing but I was convinced it had had adaptive dampers until shown otherwise.

 

[DCPU]

I am just mildly surprised we haven't seen it in official video; e.g. why wasn't Lewis Hamilton filmed?

First snippet I've seen now out:

[Video] INEOS Automotive on LinkedIn: #grenadier #ineosgrenadier #lewishamilton #f1 #mercedesamgf1⦠| 24 comments

Who wants to see Sir Jim Ratcliffe introduce Lewis Hamilton to the #Grenadier?  â â #INEOSGrenadier #LewisHamilton #F1 #MercedesAMGF1 #BuiltOnPurpose #4X4 | 24 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

 

[emax]

A (very little) bit more: