Sick of waiting

[Beormund]

Sigh. Local dealer had said that Ineos were aiming to get the next batch of contracts out this side of Christmas. Before that it was "in the next few weeks" (loop several times). No comms, no contract, and a supposed build date of Jan 13th. New Year is make or break for me as I'm without a car. I'm starting to feel strung along.

 

[DCPU]

Well today's Friday, last working day before Xmas.

I think some if not all the Mark Tennant videos have gone out on a Friday ~ so rather expecting something today.

As to contracts, I think someone else posted very recently that mid Jan was next contract batch?

I've signed my contract and only have "estimated delivery by 1st Feb", so really are in the same position as you. In fact, I'm worse off as I've locked in my deposit.

 

[bemax]

When they sent out the first contracts on 7th of November they also communicated that they would sent out contracts every week. To me it appears that the 7th of November has been the only day they sent contract out by now.
Does anybody has a contract with another date on it?

 

[DCPU]

My contract was sent out on Wednesday 9th November, and then again on Thursday 10th November.

The contract itself seems to only get dated when you do the digital signing, so that date can be anywhere between the date you get it (or perhaps first access it) and the date it expires (7 days later)

 

[DCPU]

Well there's at least one more PTO3 doing the rounds in the UK:
View attachment 7798187

So a third PTO3 spotted in Scotland, maybe making it's way North for that journo bun fight next month:

 

[bemax]

So a third PTO3 spotted in Scotland, maybe making it's way North for that journo bun fight next month:
View attachment 7798765

Green with black roof is very nice as well!

 

[JOB]

So a third PTO3 spotted in Scotland, maybe making it's way North for that journo bun fight next month:
View attachment 7798765

Another one on the road in the U.K. not wearing British plates. I still don’t think they’re approved for registration yet.

 

[DCPU]

There's been UK registered ones on the road for a good while, it's a separate issue to full type approval.

 

[JOB]

There's been UK registered ones on the road for a good while, it's a separate issue to full type approval.

There have been UK registered ones since October, you're right, but without wanting to be pedantic there are NO photos and NO evidence that these cars have been on the road. If that was the case, why wouldn't the registered PTO-2 cars be available to dealers for test drives.

 

[DCPU]

There have been UK registered ones since October

I think we've had them earlier than that.

, without wanting to be pedantic there are NO photos and NO evidence that these cars have been on the road.

Photos on the road:

why wouldn't the registered PTO-2 cars be available to dealers for test drives.

They're still classed as prototypes, so not available to the public to drive on public roads, and as prototypes, not that useful to a potential owner for a road test.

 

[bemax]

I think we've had them earlier than that.


Photos on the road:
View attachment 7798767
View attachment 7798769
View attachment 7798768


They're still classed as prototypes, so not available to the public to drive on public roads, and as prototypes, not that useful to a potential owner for a road test.

I understood that there haven’t been cars with an -registration on the road by now. Did I get him wrong?

 

[Barney]

Hi together, in Google maps Hambach you see a lot of bigger cars, hope Grenadiers, and some smaller „Smarts“.
Barney

 

[bemax]

Hi together, in Google maps Hambach you see a lot of bigger cars, hope Grenadiers, and some smaller „Smarts“.
Barney

I just measured the small and the big cars on Google Earth. The small ones are 2,50 meters long and therefore Smarts. Unfortunately the big ones are too small to be Grenadiers as well

 

[Barney]

 

[Barney]

Are you sure?

 

[McPharmer II]

I guess bemax is right, they are far to small for Grenadiers. Streetview shows a photovoltaic installation where the parking space is, so I think the satelitte-picture is quite old.

 

[JOB]

I think we've had them earlier than that.


Photos on the road:
View attachment 7798767
View attachment 7798769
View attachment 7798768


They're still classed as prototypes, so not available to the public to drive on public roads, and as prototypes, not that useful to a potential owner for a road test.

None of the cars photographed are in U.K. plates.

Your point about prototypes not being allowed on the road is actually incorrect. In fact it’s quite the reverse; prototype vehicles if they display “PROTOTYPE VEHICLE” are allowed on the road and do not have to pay road tax. Land Rover models can regularly be seen conducting trailer testing operations in the Peak District around where I live wearing “Prototype” stickers.

I’m amazed we haven’t seen any “Prototype” Grenadiers - the fact that we haven’t is actually a worry.

 

[Davman]

When speaking to Ineos at the Melbourne day, they said that the usage of the PT vehicles was on a business case by case basis, and whether the insurance risks etc were worth the overall benefit.
So if they felt that driving them in any specific situation was not warranted, then even the top brass wouldn’t drive it.
So driving down the shops to get milk is a no no, whereas driving it on the roads to a drive day would be a yes, here are the keys.

 

[DaveB]

None of the cars photographed are in U.K. plates.

Your point about prototypes not being allowed on the road is actually incorrect. In fact it’s quite the reverse; prototype vehicles if they display “PROTOTYPE VEHICLE” are allowed on the road and do not have to pay road tax. Land Rover models can regularly be seen conducting trailer testing operations in the Peak District around where I live wearing “Prototype” stickers.

I’m amazed we haven’t seen any “Prototype” Grenadiers - the fact that we haven’t is actually a worry.

Different manufacturers use different areas to test so they don’t intrude on each other.
The areas they share are usually booked so they have privacy.

 

[Inez]

I think the largest hurdle is that off road/closed course conditions are way different than on public roads vis a vis allowing a civilian to drive vs a company employee. Whenever I have been a dealer employee in a test drive scenario, I have had plenty of latitude compared to a "customer". Of course we all had to sign waivers. I think that putting a prototype on the road in the hands of a "customer" is a bridge too far for their insurance coverage.