When Kevin Costner’s Aspen Ranch Doubles as a Test Track, Ineos 4x4s Are a Requisite
Let’s just pretend for a moment that you’re a billionaire. You love the outdoors and you’re quite fond of the 1990s-era Land Rover Defender; partly because it’s incredibly capable wherever you want to go, and partly because it just looks cool. Unfortunately, that vehicle doesn’t exist in that shape any longer. Land Rover moved on, leaving the boxy body style behind. So you try to buy the design for the old Defender so you can build it yourself. But Land Rover says, “No thank you.” What do you do?
If you’re Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the ultra-successful owner of the $55 billion British global petrochemical manufacturer Ineos, you hire the best and brightest to conceive your own. According to CEO Lynn Calder, he cherry-picked the finest, first-class mechanical parts for his creation. That could have jacked up the price of the Ineos Grenadier to the sky, but somehow the company worked its magic for a starting price of about $77,000 for what is a very precise and bespoke machine.
This story is 100% human researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. Additionally, I was a guest of Ineos for this drive but all opinions are my own.
This Billionaire’s Dream Is Actually a Relative Bargain
“Jim likes nice things and he likes quality, and he was never going to want to put his name to something that didn’t have really high quality,” Calder told me on a drive in an Ineos Grenadier SUV in snowy Aspen, Colorado. “We set the price and most of our retailers turned around and said, ‘This is a lot of car for the money. And actually, I think your price point is really good.’”
How good is it? I took it for a spin on- and off-road in what seemed to be the unlikeliest of places: actor Kevin Costner’s Dunbar Ranch. At Costner’s ranch, which definitely gives off Yellowstone vibes, Ineos created a dirt playground that crossed sparkling-cold mountain creeks, climbed rock-strewn paths, and scrambled along snowy trails. We passed a few of Costner’s homes on the property and ended the day with dinner in the main house. The well-known actor and director wasn’t on site, sadly, but traces of him were woven into the décor.
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The Ienos Flagship SUV, the Grenadier, Is Built on Integrity—And a Beer
The Grenadier, which is named after a pub in London that’s now owned by Ineos, looks kind of like a cross between a Mercedes-Benz G-class and a 1990 Defender. It’s about four inches longer than a Jeep Gladiator, and is several inches wider than a Ford Bronco. Designed in the UK, the power comes from a German-sourced BMW engine, and it’s built at a former Mercedes-Benz plant in France.
Every Grenadier is four-wheel drive and equipped with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that generates a respectable 282 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. And the Grenadier is capable of towing 7,716 lbs. That’s enough to pull a substantial RV, boat, a couple of snowmobiles or personal watercraft.
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The Ineos Grenadier DNA is Proving Popular
As of last year, 21,000 vehicles were sold to buyers in 50 countries, including more than 6,000 in North America alone. Ineos has big goals. Currently, there are 30 Ineos dealers in the U.S., and the brand is planning for 41 this year and increasing its sales by 50 percent. At this rate, I won’t be surprised if they reach it. Or even surpass that.
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These 4x4s Have Plenty of Power, But They’re Thirsty
The Ineos 4x4s require a fair number of trips to the gas station, mind you, and they’ll run best when using 91 octane fuel. The estimated fuel economy hovers between 14 and 15 miles per gallon. Rival Mercedes-Benz’s G-class SUV gets between 17 and 19 mpg and the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler average out at 20, combined.
If you’re like me and like to drive your SUV or truck in challenging conditions, you probably won’t mind the gas bill. During my time in the Grenadier SUV and the Quartermaster pickup, I felt incredibly confident that they could tackle just about anything.
To my surprise, both the Grenadier and the Quartermaster are as pleasant on the pavement as they are off-road.
Capability is a Standard Feature
Ineos ensured all their 4x4s are equipped with numerous settings and low gearing so you can adjust it the way you like it, and it’s just as appropriate for a beginner off-road trail driver as it is for a veteran. I did notice that when pressing the brake, the pedal has to be pressed pretty far to reach the floor. It feels a little spongy, at first, but not to worry, there was plenty of stopping power.
Even the base Grenadier and Quartermaster are festooned with a row of physical toggle switches and buttons that run the length of the vehicle from the ceiling to the floor. You might stare in awe at first, marveling at the constellation of levers and knobs instead of the touchscreen-heavy new cars we’re becoming accustomed to as a culture. It feels a little like sliding behind the yoke of a fighter jet, I imagine, and what’s old is new again.
A Cabin Built For Business
Ineos opted for a Chinese company for the infotainment system and while the screen is on the smaller side (true to the Ineos low-hassle philosophy) it’s better than you might expect. Volume can be adjusted with one of the contoured round knobs in the lower part of the dash or with the steering wheel controls. I had trouble getting the right volume, as it seemed that level 2 was too soft and level 3 was just a touch too loud in the cabin.
The back seat is tight, even more so than the 2013 Land Rover LR4 my family sold last year after a (mostly) happy decade. Up front, the seat heaters work quickly and efficiently. Almost too quickly in one of my test models; my buns were warmed to the point that I needed to turn it off within minutes—and this on a snowy drive through Colorado in winter!
Ineos 4x4s Have Quite the Fashion Sense, Too
Ineos named two of its Grenadier and Quartermaster variants–the Trailmaster and the Fieldmaster–after the Belstaff Trailmaster jacket, which debuted in 1948, and the brand’s Fieldmaster jacket.
Belstaff itself was founded in 1924 and has it’s own a star-studded history. Steve McQueen reportedly cancelled a date to re-wax his beloved waxed-cotton Belstaff motorcycle jacket. Ewan McGregor and David Beckham each appeared in ads for the company. Others like Brad Pitt, Will Smith, and George Clooney have been seen wearing it. Sir Ratliffe saw an opportunity to buy the iconic clothing brand and sealed the deal in 2017.
Now Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group blends two things he loves into one venture, and the Trailmaster and Fieldmaster versions of the Grenadier SUV and Quartermaster pickup bear the Belstaff name and logo.
At Its Core, Ineos 4x4s Are Hearty Souls
When configured appropriately, the entire cabin may be hosed out completely, a nod to those who like to go out and get really dirty. Imagine, for example, that you like to hit the mud in your vehicle or are an outdoorsy fly fishing fanatic. In that case, you’ll appreciate the all-wheel-drive capability of one of Ineos’ vehicles as much as the durable interior.
After a day at the inaugural Snow League event, Olympian snowboarder Shaun White’s foray into organizing a global winter sports competition, the Grenadier was covered in snow. After a season of mud and/or the fluffy white stuff, I would imagine a good hosing-out would be satisfying. Ineos, incidentally, is one of the Snow League’s first sponsors, and the brand had a huge showing in Aspen this month.
Luckily, you don’t have to travel to Aspen, or even drive through snow, or be a celebrity to live the Ineos adventure. Sir Jim saw to that. All you have to do is follow his dream.
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