Ineos Grenadier prices increased by up to $13,000 as order bank grows

Ineos Grenadier prices have jumped by up to 14.8 per cent or $13,000, with the company saying it’s had to pass on spiking energy, materials and transport costs.

The price of entry for a Grenadier is now $97,000 before on-road costs for the two-seat Utility Wagon, with the five-seat Station Wagon starting at $98,000. The previous entry points were $84,500 and $85,500 plus on-roads.

The price increases will affect those ordering a Grenadier from now, but existing order holders (early brand ambassadors) will be price protected – including on order amendments they might make.

Ineos Grenadier prices increased by up to $13,000 as order bank grows

While customer deliveries do not get underway in earnest until early next year, Ineos’ Australian arm holds an order bank that stretches into late 2023 – meaning today’s orders will be on vehicles built around August or later.

Though the company does not divulge the size of its order bank, Australia is currently the third-largest source globally behind the UK and Germany – though the US is yet to come on stream.

A deposit payment of $5000 – refundable until the vehicle contract is signed – remains the amount required to secure a build slot.

While the price hikes might be hard to swallow for new buyers, options in the hardcore 4×4 market are limited considering orders for the LandCruiser 70 remain closed on the back of rampant demand unmatched by supply.

There’s no haggling, with Ineos using an ‘agency model’ with set pricing. The company will control inventory and pricing, and pay dealer partners a “straight-forward commission”, much in the style of Mercedes-Benz and Honda.

Ineos will still charge the same for the straight-six diesel and petrol options, both of which have been sourced from BMW and are codenamed B57 (diesel) and B58 (petrol). Matching the class-leaders, the Grenadier will also have a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity.

MORE DETAILS ON THE CAR: 2023 Ineos Grenadier price and specs

The Grenadier is the brainchild of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the British billionaire engineer and chairman of multinational petrochemical giant Ineos. No expense has been spared on his passion project.

The official story says Ratcliffe was hanging out in London’s Grenadier pub in 2017, bemoaning Land Rover’s decision to kill the old Defender and replace it with the more modern and luxurious new SUV model.

Ineos Automotive Australia will be a factory-backed operation rather than an independent licensed distributor, with Australia considered an important launch market with a large audience of “hand-raising” workers and recreation lovers lining up and engaging already.

The company will support the launch of its rugged 4×4 in Australia with 29 retail sites , many of which will fittingly be based in areas beyond the city limits. Among the launch partners are dealer groups, but also 4×4 specialists and even agricultural equipment dealers.

The company has appointed Justin Hocevar to head up its Asia-Pacific operations, who previously ran Mini Australia and Renault Australia, and was a senior executive at Jaguar Land Rover and BMW Motorrad.

Production Grenadiers are going to be built at an old 210,000 square-metre Mercedes-Benz (Smart) plant in Hambach, France, since purchased by Ineos. Since 2019 the plant has received a claimed $770 million AUD in upgrades, funded by both Mercedes-Benz and Ineos.

The bespoke development vehicles were built by Magna in Austria, and underwent a widely covered and public torture-testing program.