Dreaming up cars in the style of decades past and putting them into mass production is something we all daydream about from time to time, but such projects typically require the bank account of a billionaire. Luckily, there are enthusiasts out there who not only dream of the same thing, they're actual billionaires. A few are even willing to go through with something like that.
This brings us to billionaire businessman Jim Ratcliffe, who wants to pick up where the Land Rover Defender left off: A go-anywhere off-roader in the spirit of the classic Land Rover, but not loaded to the gunwales with luxury trimmings. Dubbed Projekt Grenadier and backed by petroleum giant INEOS, which has committed to spend north of $800 million on the idea, the company plans to design an uncompromising 4x4 off-roader from scratch and put a whole range of models into production. At a time when the most that car-crazed millionaires can muster is another supercar project that, if it's lucky, survives to enter limited production before stalling due to (pick your favorite) astronomical price, lack of demand, ridiculous design, jailing of its founders, unreliable part suppliers, engine fires, drug busts or cash-flow problems, the aim to create a no-frills rural workhorse is encouraging, and not just because it's backed by a company with vast resources.
“Our job is to create the world’s best and most uncompromising 4x4, and we are steadily moving forward with the project," says Dirk Heilmann, the CEO of INEOS Automotive and leader of Projekt Grenadier. "We have recruited a first-class management team, are making good progress in our search for a manufacturing site, and we are now launching the new Projekt Grenadier interactive website."
Gallery Land Rover Defender experience program
First of all, why the working title Projekt Grenadier? The Grenadier is a pub in the posh London district of Belgravia where Ratcliffe came up with the idea of such a no-frills 4x4. That's basically how all great ideas are born, over some ale, so the project has that going for it. Another thing it has going for it is manufacturing and engineering expertise; the company is already looking for a manufacturing site, and it plans to create 7,000 jobs in the U.K. Also going for it is the fact that the next-gen Defender, due in 2019, is expected to be quite removed from Defenders of decades past, which grew out of the old "Series" Land Rovers that were successive evolutions of the 1948 original. The next-gen Defender is expected to be a more direct competitor to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, which itself will be replaced by a wider and more luxurious SUV in the next couple of years -- for both vehicles, this means tons of modern parts-bin tech and a luxury price to match.
"The building of our new 4x4 is an adventure story in itself," says Ratcliffe. "We are used to taking on big, innovative projects and delivering them safely on time and on budget. We have vast amounts of manufacturing and engineering expertise and a proven track record of success, and we look forward to applying this to create a world-class 4x4."
But there are a few crucial ways in which the Grenadier will be different from the Defender that went out of production last year.
First, Ratcliffe wants it to be reliable, with the company promising "a massive leap in reliability." The last Defender, despite being seemingly uncomplicated and old-fashioned (how many parts can it possibly have?) was not exactly a shining example of reliability even after decades in production. Second, the Grenadier will not be particularly pricey like the last Defender grew to be and the next Defender will be. Ratcliffe's project is aiming for a base price of £35,000, which translates to about $47,500. Third, the Grenadier will not aim to be a mass-market effort aimed to please over a hundred global luxury vehicle markets; the company plans to produce about 25,000 vehicles per year.
Projekt Grenadier derives its name from a famous pub in London, but it likely won't be the 4x4's actual name. The company is now seeking advice on naming and design on its website.
What will it look like? The company still doesn't have a design for the 4x4, but an old-fashioned 4x4 can only look so many different ways. Given Ratcliffe's penchant for old Land Rovers, we're guessing a stylistic nod of some sort to the Defender is not out of the question. Another thing that's missing for now is an official name for the truck, even though Grenadier sounds fantastic and might actually stick unless INEOS comes up with something new really soon.
Speaking of names and designs, the Projekt Grenadier website is up and running with the company inviting advice and feedback for the new vehicle.
At a time when SUVs are quickly becoming luxury yachts weighed down by flat-screen monitors and massaging seats, it's refreshing to see something very opposite begin forming with some real funding behind it. We just hope it doesn't become the latest hipster car, with its promises of old-timey authenticity.
Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.
