I wanted to make a quick summary of my experience with the Grenadier, having driven over 4000 miles, often 10+ hours at a time.
I'll start with the positives first:
- The Grenadier is very well insulated from sound, and very little outside noise comes into the car - especially at low speeds (see cons below)
- The B58 is well tuned and power delivery is more than sufficient for both off road an highway driving & passing
- The ZF transmission is buttery smooth and well geared. Its a great pairing with the B58
- Hill descent control is excellent - I was able to use it extensively on the Shaffer Trail in Canyon land National Park
- The Grenadier is very smooth & confidence inspiring on irregular surfaces - whether at speed on gravel / corrugation or more technical terrain
- I absolutely love the commanding view and driving position - great visibility and light all around
- Thus far its been great off-road, I'm excited to see how it performs on some of the local trails
The Negatives:
- I'd like to be able to engage off-road mode without coming to a complete stop
- there is little to no accessible storage for the driver and passenger.
- I'd like for the diff lock indicators to be more responsive, especially when turning them off
- Obviously, the Grenadier has a large turning radius. This can often be mitigated by planning turns. I back into every parking space for this reason.
- I wish there was a true Neutral indicator on the Diff Lock - High / Low shifter, with an indicator in the tell-tale
- There is a lot of wind noise at speed (65-85 mph), I'm not sure if this is made worse by the safari windows.
- I really wish we got the diesel.
In summary, it is extraordinary.
I am amazed by what Ineos has been able to accomplish with their first vehicle out of the gates. I attribute much of this to the engineering partnership with Magna, and the brilliant acquisition of the Mercedes plant & staff in Hambach. Don't under estimate the value of the training and experience the existing staff brought with them - when it comes to the detail finishes and quality, I attribute much of that to those good people.
The partnership with Magna is likely also what brought us the B58/ZF package, as well as access to a variety of top tier OEM suppliers. It was a genius move by Ineos, and likely the only way this vehicle could have been produced. These are all good things. While many would have preferred another OEM for the engine - logistically, the feasibility of trucking engines from Germany to Hambach is much simpler than sourcing from any other supplier. The use of the "BMW" shifter was, again, a key cost savings measure - to certify a shifter for EU, AUS & US would have been horribly expensive. I think that Ineos is making the right decisions and compromises as they navigate this process.
![[ Adam ]](https://ineosforum-data.community.forum/avatars/m/9046/9046040.jpg?1705937698){kind=avatar}
