Ineos Grenadier Finally Heading To The USA

Ineos Automotive has announced that the first batch of Grenadier SUVs destined for America have left the production line in Hambach, France. The first US-bound example, a Belstaff Fieldmaster edition, is pictured below in Scottish White exterior paint.

The United States is the automaker's biggest market, with an impressive 7,000 orders from America alone. Deliveries are expected to commence in November, while our northern neighbors will get their Grenadier allocation in early 2024. "The start of production for North American vehicles is a significant moment for Ineos Automotive, and for Hambach plant in particular," said CEO Lynn Calder.

"We have been ramping up the production rate over the last six months to ensure we can deliver to customers as quickly as possible while maintaining the world-class quality standards we set for ourselves. With the addition of North America, Hambach is now producing for export to five continents. The Grenadier is truly a car for the world," she added.

Ineos purchased the Hambach facility from Mercedes over two years ago and spent more than $53 million revamping the factory. Upgrades included a fully-automated body shop, a semi-automated paintshop, and a new quality center. Mercedes-Benz built the Smart ForTwo and ForFour models at the assembly plant for several years.

Before the new Grenadier models touch down on American soil, the company will announce the official US dealer network for the brand. "We have spent a long time selecting an exceptional team of experienced dealers and are excited that we will soon be able to announce them and begin guiding the Grenadier station wagons home for our customers," said Greg Clark, Ineos' Executive Vice President for the Americas.

Last year, Clark confirmed that Ineos will have 35 dealerships across North America by the time the first examples arrive.

At the time, Clark said Ineos was very selective when choosing dealerships. While many retailers were keen to become agents for the brand, Ineos was only interested in dealers that fulfilled all of its requirements.

"We're looking for entrepreneurial, innovative, and quite visionary dealer partners who see the market opportunity for utilitarian 4x4 to increase customer choice in the market," said Clark. Retailers had to be situated in a convenient location and foster relationships with customers by creating a community through fun events.

"They don't just want to go on a coffee run but a full weekend or week's worth of expedition. Potential dealers will understand that and be presenting great ideas for that," he added. Reservation holders told Ineos that they wanted to be part of something special. If they wanted a mainstream experience, they would have purchased something else.

Pricing for the Grenadier starts at $71,500.