Potential buyer

[Truffel]

Yesterday I saw the Grenadier, was behind the wheel but could not drive it. Probably within two weeks. Good sit position, very much liked the dashboard , also the buttons above. My daily driver is a Range Rover diesel V6 and I’d like to change to petrol. I drive only 15.000 km’s a year, because I also have 4 other cars (youngtimer, a classic, a cabrio). Give me good reasons to buy the Grenadier, and I will. My doubts? Maybe more an offroader, noise inside, the steering, mostly long on the highway between countries. Thanks in advance!

 

[klarie]

@Truffel welcome aboard.
Being entirely logic and unemotional - then the Grenadier is in your case nonsense. You are like me - you would probably not require it.
However I still ordered one. - In my case it is to replace a vehicle - and because of its capability to become a multirole vehicle, Towing, - travel, . hunting.
It is an offroader. No Doubt. -Noise inside - NO.. this vehicle is to my experience extremely quiet Steering is something that you need to get used - it is very light.. .. Mostly highway . it runs on road no doubt.. but that is not the intention of the vehicle.
The roof panel as a purchasing decision - maybe. I know at least one person - my gunsmith - who will purchase a Grenadier just because of this. .. For me its okay - but I do not have money to waste.

My opinion - go for a test ride - try it .. and then decide.

 

[DCPU]

Give me good reasons to buy the Grenadier, and I will.

It's a niche product, if the vehicle isn't already "talking" to you then maybe it's just not the vehicle for you.

Niche product equals relatively low production equals not that many people who need or want it.

A test drive on the road probably won't amaze you but may confirm that you could live with it; but that's a low bar.

 

[Tazzieman]

I have 7 classic cars on rotation, and have a petrol Grenadier in production. It will be used for driving to work , and other things.
I have no doubts, and neither should you! Get one!

 

[Ever Pragmatic]

It’s different, low volume, seems to have been built up to a standard not down to price. Has presence on road, should be easy to self support and maintain.

I think it appeals to independent thinkers, risk takers and not me too types.

My only complaint is that IA’s communications have been poor.

 

[Cheshire cat]

Hi Truffel and welcome to the forum.
My thoughts reflect exactly those of my colleagues here. In honesty, it doesn't sound like it will float your boat. I give the same feedback to lots of people that ask after my old Defender and fancy one themselves. You have to love the philosophy and heritage behind the product. You have to appreciate its rational or raison d'être before you consider such a vehicle.
Perhaps the answer will be, drive it and see if it grabs you in the way it has grabbed many of us.

 

[AnD3rew]

Yesterday I saw the Grenadier, was behind the wheel but could not drive it. Probably within two weeks. Good sit position, very much liked the dashboard , also the buttons above. My daily driver is a Range Rover diesel V6 and I’d like to change to petrol. I drive only 15.000 km’s a year, because I also have 4 other cars (youngtimer, a classic, a cabrio). Give me good reasons to buy the Grenadier, and I will. My doubts? Maybe more an offroader, noise inside, the steering, mostly long on the highway between countries. Thanks in advance!

No doubt it is somewhat more oriented to offroad, I am like you, I have several other cars, including some classics and so the IG will mainly be used for touring and camping trips etc but that will involve long highway drives as well. I have driven but only offroad, from a noise perspective I don’t think you need to worry, its very quiet for what it is and many of the reviewers have said the same, although I haven’t driven on the highway at speed so will have to see about that. In my offroad driving I didn’t notice the steering, obviously the reviews have called that out. Owning several classics, I am pretty sure I can get used to the steering, watch the most recent video from Ingmar the Hard Way Home winner and he shows that there is a little looseness in the centre when the steering is unloaded but seems pretty precise when you load it up to corner. Ultimately though it’s a personal thing and no one can say whether you can live with it all except you. The road manners, steering aside, by all accounts is extremely good and the seats very comfortable so I am pretty sure it will be a good highway cruiser as well as offroad weapon.

View: https://youtu.be/bmC0Rwcy7tA

 

[DaveB]

No doubt it is somewhat more oriented to offroad, I am like you, I have several other cars, including some classics and so the IG will mainly be used for touring and camping trips etc but that will involve long highway drives as well. I have driven but only offroad, from a noise perspective I don’t think you need to worry, its very quiet for what it is and many of the reviewers have said the same, although I haven’t driven on the highway at speed so will have to see about that. In my offroad driving I didn’t notice the steering, obviously the reviews have called that out. Owning several classics, I am pretty sure I can get used to the steering, watch the most recent video from Ingmar the Hard Way Home winner and he shows that there is a little looseness in the centre when the steering is unloaded but seems pretty precise when you load it up to corner. Ultimately though it’s a personal thing and no one can say whether you can live with it all except you. The road manners, steering aside, by all accounts is extremely good and the seats very comfortable so I am pretty sure it will be a good highway cruiser as well as offroad weapon.

View: https://youtu.be/bmC0Rwcy7tA

Watch the movement in this guys left hand for wheel corrections at 80kmh
I filmed this and then drove the same stretch a couple of times later.

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rqGVGFzH32U

 

[grenadierboy]

Viewing Ingmar's video travelling at 133kph - I see virtually no issue regards steering.

Yes - not as precise as a MB or BMW sedan is but for a large, heavy off road focused car it looks 9.5/10 to me.

I can tell you - driving my 1980's MB G Wagen, I would often moved the wheel 1/8 turn side-to-side to stay straight on the freeway at 100kph and in strong cross winds it was a total nightmare.

 

[davidwiz]

Overland Journal had an good article on a US-prototype. https://overlandjournal.com/grenadier-prototype-first-off-road-drive-impressions/