Hi folks, as ordered and promised, better late than never. I had my 15 minutes of fame with the "test drive for dummys" guided by an Austrian Steyr test driver in a 2B prototype. Here my experiences and thoughts. It was a petrol that sounded a bit like a diesel from the outside not only in my ears. It looked inside like a rolling laboratory as you know it from pics. The guy was nice. I said "Hey, Wiener Schmäh!" that means Vienna slang. He told my that I offended him cause he is from Tyrol. I was f**k'd. However, he talked while driving and showed me the functions of the multimedia screen. No view on engine allowed, no view below allowed, nothing to touch at all. Max. 100 km/h possible. Roads only. It was incredibly silent inside, he told me that sound insulation wan't even completed. Wheels have been with the BFGs. Impressive. The seats are sensational. Best part so far. The space is unbelievable in comparison with a Def110. As well back row, and for both rows at the same time. Load area smaller of course. The acceleration was really great from 50 to 100 km/h. Some seconds, great sound. It runs extremely stable like on rails, like a train, very road biased, not much body roll at all. Turning circle really small. Space above my head double as much as in a Def. Roof hatches directly above, coll views, Sir Jim wanted somtehing to shoot from when on safari, that is the story behind. Good one, I do not believe it, but good idea, so I tell it on - like the story with the pub ... Then the mock up. Can only drive onto the trailer. Showpiece only, but openly told to us. Most of the parts inside and attached outside have not been the real parts but 3d printer parts. A 50 feeter, come nearer and you see it clearly. So it was not for the haptics, only for a visual impression, feelings and atmospherics. No switch was usable, nothing worked. But we have been allowed to sit in it. Seats have been original. Movable. Battery will be under back row in the production. It is decided. Double battery system, hopefully with management system, can be ordered including the cable system and the above head switches. I understood that ordering the switchset above head means ordering the double batt sys and the special cabe tree. Underside: yes, the ladder frame is very low at some points. The tank is very low, the water cooler is very low and only with a thin protection guard that hopefully will be changed for something real. Overall it looks really beefy and overengineered strong below. In general, the Gren looks really lower than a Def110, looks like a workhorse, road and harsh piste vehicle and not like a hardcore offroad vehicle, with emphasis on speed, no extreme events car at least in the production setup - aftermarket changes another issue. Fine with me, exactly was I want. I talked to the young guy that was on duty, Volvo salesman. The dealer was a huge JLR Volvo chain in northern Germany, but they told me that is not fix yet that they will have a deal with Ineos on the countryside, where I visited the dealership event - but within Hamburg they will. Next events over weekend around May. There possibility to testdrive personally both petrol and diesel - for how long I do not know. They have to finalize homologation NLT end of June, after that deadline emission regs change again for the stricter. Ordering possible around early summer, not earlier than May, maybe later. Delivery start in Germany not earlier than late summer. They try to deliver all ordered Grenadiers from the list of reservations by early-adopters beta testers within the year. He was not able or willing to tell me when test vehicles will be permanently based at a dealer for longer test drive booked old school like we are used to it for 1 or 2 days, timewise flexible and without being connected to an event or so, hence linked to a specific date. For my taste, website and configurator developments and media/PR work is really lame at the time being. I even was a bit suspicious if something went wrong, off plan or substantially changed with the project. Ok, I do not show pics, you will all know enough footage inside out from the 2B. If I missed something I can deliver it later. Thanks, stay safe and healthy, best regards, Sven
