Ineos EVP Americas Interview - The Globe and Mail

‘Who is buying the Grenadier and how is Ineos fixing the teething issues? We talk to the new VP for the Americas’​

Who is buying the Grenadier and how is Ineos fixing the teething issues? We talk to the new VP for the Americas

Gregor Hembrough spoke to The Globe and Mail about the company’s outlook for the Canadian market, quality issues, Grenadier customers and what to expect from the brand’s coming smaller SUV

www.theglobeandmail.com

I didn’t encounter a paywall, others might.


No mention of HVAC. Apparently HVAC isn’t considered an issue (?)
(This article may have been posted already, couldn’t find it)

 

[DenisM]

No no no, I'm told by reputable sources on this forum that G wagon owners/ buyers are not interested in the Grenadier.

Petty post I know.

At an Ineos tech info night last year, discussing demographics, the sales manager related the story of one of his customers, reputed to own numerous McDonalds franchises. He owns a late model 'dark' coloured Mercedes G-wagen, but was not game to drive it to his stores anticipating a negative reaction from employees. So he purchased a dark coloured Grenadier similar in colour to his G-wagen..... and is happy enough to arrive at his stores in a Grenadier ....

 

[CRH]

So he purchased a dark coloured Grenadier similar in colour to his G-wagen..... and is happy enough to arrive at his stores in a Grenadier ....

I would rather turn up in a Grenadier than a newish Range Rover of the same value. I'm sure all my customers would think I was making too much out of them in an RR. The Grenadier is more of a talking point and curiosity to them.

 

[holdmybeer]

Grenadier vs G-Wagen? From a minimum wage perspective, that's rich people splitting hairs.

Unless you're arriving on public transit or in a rusted out 1984 Toyota Corolla, your McD's employees are gonna quietly hate your bossy rich ass.

 

[LeeroyJ]

It is interesting to hear that, as it means the marketing demographic has been significantly shifted from 18-24 months ago where there were multiple different markets they were approaching and several different customer types...

Personally, I feel like this is a disheartening choice and effectively shooting themselves in the foot by further detaching themselves from the people who actually use the product as it was intended; instead are following the marketing shift of the EU team into an "up market" segment that, bluntly, the Grenadier has no business being in (it isn't nearly refined enough nor does it have the pedigree and status to rub shoulders in that segment).

For what it's worth, the only one of those demographics I fall into could be the first, through having a fair bit of off-pavement experience both in weekend trips and multi-week travel

I didn't read it as a shift in target audience they are marketing to. Instead I read that to mean that's the demographic who it turns out are actually buying the IG. I suspect Ineos was just as surprised as we are.

Does Ineos now being aware of who the actual buyers are mean that they will shift the targets of their marketing? I guess that remains to be seen.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

Dude I have NEVER seen a traded in g wagon at my Ineos dealer.. Plenty of toyota, Jeep, LR…

A few anecdotes of g wagon owners taking a liking to Ineos is just that…

 

[Emil]

I would rather turn up in a Grenadier than a newish Range Rover of the same value. I'm sure all my customers would think I was making too much out of them in an RR. The Grenadier is more of a talking point and curiosity to them.

I get asked: „What is this?“ And: „Why do you need it?“ There is any number of socially accepted answers, from „I’m in plumbing“ to „I like skiing.“ The claim of some practical need conveys agreeability. Not so in the case of a G63 AMG, or Range Rover (especially if wearing fur) - there may be motives for driving such cars, such as the want to be different or to display a certain image, but there are no socially accepted, real-world applications.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

I get asked: „What is this?“ And: „Why do you need it?“ There is any number of socially accepted answers, from „I’m in plumbing“ to „I like skiing.“ The claim of some practical need conveys agreeability. Not so in the case of a G63 AMG, or Range Rover (especially if wearing fur) - there may be motives for driving such cars, such as the want to be different or to display a certain image, but there are no socially accepted, real-world applications.

I view the IG’s novelty quotient equivalent to importing an obscure JDM vehicle like a Toyota Century… if the latter was as easy as going into a sales room, I probably would have paid 40% of what I paid for the IG, and got myself a 30 year old LC 70 series