Ineos want to manufacture in US

FT article this morning

Ineos Automotive is searching for sites to move production of its flagship 4x4 vehicle from France to the US, as its billionaire owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to pump cash into the struggling carmaker.

Chief executive Lynn Calder told the Financial Times the group aimed to start producing its Grenadier off-roader in America “as quickly as possible” to meet local demand.

Client Challenge

 

[HereinDaRockies]

The US car industry developed and marketed the major model change every few years. Considering this if Ineos built a factory in the US would there be enough demand for new Grenadiers in five years without major technical and aesthetic changes? G Wagon, LR Defender, LC and Nissan Patrol wagons all changed considerably to keep relevant in the current market.

G wagon has not changed in 40 years.. the us market has had the same Toyota 4Runner for 15 years at one point

 

[AWo]

G wagon has not changed in 40 years.. the us market has had the same Toyota 4Runner for 15 years at one point

Of course it has changed. Just look at the suspension change in 2018. There also have been facelifts and engine changes over the years

There was also a new military model W464 introduced in 2023.

AWo

 

[Logsplitter]

How much money does IA want to burn?

IA: Yes

I don’t know how much IA wants to burn but if I had to make a bet and I’m not a betting man, then I would trust Jim Radcliffe’s judgement over the judgement of many on this forum. Lynn Calder notes that moving Grenadier production to the US will depend on clarity about the EU’s petrol engine ban that is due to take effect in 2035. Ineos cannot make such an investment before knowing it would be able to use the French plant to produce its new Fusilier.

 

[AWo]

Ineos abandoned the development of the Fusilier and kicked out Magna. This situation was homemade, all that legislation was known before Hambach was choosen. It is up to them to continue and to see if the Fusilier can be made in Hambach. They had talks with Chery about building Chery cars in Hambach.

Developing the Fusilier will eat up another billion and more. Where from?

AWo

 

[Baron von Teuchter]

Personally I’m not convinced I see a market for the fusilier tbh.

More variants of the Grenadier - absolutely. SWB Station Wagon, SWB Van, LWB single cab, XLWB 2 door van etc. even an SWB soft top might sell well and all on an established platform.