When you’re looking at automakers, there are familiar names everywhere you turn. Domestic brands like Chevrolet and Ford have more than a century of history, while imports like Honda and Toyota have had decades to cement themselves in the zeitgeist. But just because upstarts like Tesla and Rivian seem few and far between to casual observers doesn’t mean there aren’t fresh companies trying to enter the automotive market all the time. Some fizzle out quickly, while others find enough customers to stick around for a while. Learning about these companies early on can be exciting since you get to follow their growth and find out how far they’ll go.
With that in mind, we’ll be looking at INEOS Automotive. This British brand was founded in 2016, and by 2021, it was taking reservations from the general public for its first vehicle, a 4×4 off-roader called the Grenadier. This model was launched in the US for the 2024 model year as a classic SUV with a truck variant dubbed the Quartermaster. Is this company a serious contender or a fad from across the pond? Where did this company come from, and why has it entered the world of automobiles? What’s going on under the boxy exteriors of these rugged vehicles? We’ll dig into these questions and tell you everything you need to know about INEOS.
The Parent Company Behind the Wheel
There’s no such thing as a mom-and-pop automaker. A lot of resources go into mass-producing (or even just producing) vehicles, especially modern vehicles that meet the safety regulations of the countries they’re sold in and have the tech features today’s drivers are looking for. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that before INEOS got into the SUV-making business, it was already a global company generating billions of dollars every year. The company was formed in 1998 and has dipped its hand into plenty of different pots during its decades of existence. Its main claim to fame is manufacturing petrochemicals, though it has branched out into green energy, sports (including Formula One), and, of course, automobiles. Clearly, INEOS is no startup—this is a company that already has experience with manufacturing, research and development, and doing business around the world.
Why Did INEOS Get Into the Auto Industry?
The idea to add SUVs to the lineup of products that INEOS manufactures seems to have come straight from the mind of Chairman Jim Ratcliffe. Instead of focus groups and market research, the story goes that he got the idea to go against the grain of “soft” comfort-focused SUVs and create a “stripped-back, no-nonsense, utilitarian 4×4” in the style of older Land Rover models. In fact, it seems that Ratcliffe originally approached Land Rover directly to see if he could buy the rights to revive production of the classic Defender design and had to start from scratch instead when the firm declined his offer. The idea of building an old-school off-roader came to Ratcliffe while he was at a London pub called The Grenadier, and the vehicle that was created as a result of that idea is named after the pub where it was conceived.
The Grenadier & Quartermaster
As of now, the INEOS lineup consists of two models, both of which fall under the Grenadier nameplate. The Grenadier Station Wagon is an SUV heavily inspired by the original Land Rover Defender with serious off-road chops. The Grenadier Quartermaster essentially takes the same platform but turns it into a pickup with an open cargo bed in the back, not unlike what the Jeep Gladiator is to the Jeep Wrangler. Both versions of the Grenadier run on a 281 hp engine made by BMW that’s capable enough but certainly doesn’t deliver the kind of speed you’ll get from some of the modern off-road power players like Ford’s Raptor lineup.
INEOS is not subtle about the throwback nature of the Grenadier. At the time of writing, a large banner on the model’s official site reads, “They don’t make 4x4s like this anymore.” Unsurprisingly, given its origin story, the Grenadier looks very similar to the classic Defender and has some similar engineering under the surface as well. It has a ladder-frame chassis, solid axles, and recirculating ball steering, a combination of features you’re unlikely to find these days outside of the Jeep Wrangler. While it does have a large infotainment display featuring modern touches like wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and USB Type-A and Type-C ports, other features you might expect on a vehicle like this are absent; for example, there are no selectable drive modes for quickly adapting to different surfaces and situations.
While the basically universal consensus is that the Grenadier is capable off-road, and there are plenty of drivers who appreciate its nostalgic charm and use of physical buttons and switches alongside its screen, there are plenty of issues to take with the design. The base interior is certainly “no-frills,” for one thing. That hasn’t stopped the Jeep Wrangler from standing the test of time, of course, but while the base MSRP of the 2025 Wrangler is just shy of $33K, the 2025 Grenadier SUV more than doubles that with its base MSRP of nearly $79K. At that price, it’s fair for customers to expect a few frills. And while the off-road ride is exceptional, the on-road ride suffers, especially when it comes to steering. Put all of that together, and you get a 6/10 rating from Car and Driver and a MotorTrend review that asks if it’s “too retro for its own good.”
False Starts With Electric Powertrains
INEOS planned to expand its lineup with a smaller midsize SUV called the Fusilier, a planned electric model that was supposed to begin production around 2027. However, the company postponed development just a few months after its announcement, citing low demand and regulatory changes as the reasons for hesitation. While you won’t be able to plug in an INEOS model any time soon, it may bring zero-emissions off-roading to the trail another way.
INEOS has been talking about developing a hydrogen fuel cell Grenadier virtually since the model was announced. Tackling this is sure to take several years because, as anyone familiar with hydrogen fuel cells already knows, you not only need to develop a vehicle but also assure customers that there’s enough infrastructure to refuel it. INEOS is in a unique position to tackle this challenge, though, since it’s a global chemical company that already produces hundreds of thousands of tons of low-carbon hydrogen every year and has the capacity to capture and store it.
The last mile of creating the hydrogen infrastructure drivers will interact with is a rough one, and it remains to be seen whether the company can manage it. But while there hasn’t been much news from the company on this front, British publication Autocar took a prototype out for a test drive in 2024 and praised its smooth ride and rugged capability, indicating that INEOS is still pursuing hydrogen technology.
Is the Brand Worth Watching?
While the Grenadier is certainly an interesting off-roader that carves out its own identity in a crowded field, it’s unlikely to be a major player in the US auto market any time soon. Its low-powered engine won’t impress off-road enthusiasts who are used to the kinds of high-horsepower trucks and SUVs that are competing every year to offer better and better stats, and while there’s certainly a market for throwback styling and no-frills rugged capability, it’s hard to see INEOS making inroads with diehard Jeep fans or taking many buyers away from the more affordable Ford Bronco, which pairs its retro style with modern off-road features like selectable drive modes and trail control.
However, if you’re interested in the particular niche that INEOS is filling, then you’ll certainly want to follow along and see what Ratcliffe does next—he’s clearly coming at this project from a place of genuine passion and has the ability to bring his vision to fruition. If you’re interested in test-driving an INEOS model for yourself, there are already over 150 dealers across the US, which is more than can be said for many other automotive startups.
