Tech Specs

[stickshifter]

If Sir Jim is happy to have cold hands, he may not do a lot of ice-scraping in the dark, when its -20 Fahrenheit! Fifty degrees (F) below freezing is pretty cold.

I'm not really buying the "simplicity" argument. If a heated steering wheel fails, it has no impact on how the vehicle operates. You can drive your Grenadier for 30 more years after the heated steering wheel fails, and never repair it if that is what you choose. There are plenty of more complicated systems in the Grenadier that could have been omitted in favor of a simpler solution:

(1) A turbo-charged engine from BMW. While the B58 - overall - has a good reputation, there are much simpler engine designs available, with proven track records of reliability in truck and 4-wheel drive applications. A good naturally aspirated V8 will be more reliable, and easier to repair in remote parts of the world. A mechanic in Mongolia, Mali, or Madagascar will be able to work on a naturally aspirated V8; a turbo-charged engine from BMW - not so much.

(2) A computer-controlled automatic transmission: "Controlling the transmission is the integrated transmission control unit. The TCU works directly with ZF’s electronic valve body, also known as the Mechatronics. The valve body is the mechanical piece responsible for actuating shift changes and shift points. When combined with the integrated TCU, the electronic valve body could actuate the quickest shifts this side of a dual-clutch while reducing internal hydraulic drag during coasting for a significant bump in efficiency and economy" (Source: The Definitive Guide To The ZF 8-Speed Transmission). There are still excellent, robust, and simple manual transmissions in the market: Audi RS8, Dodge Viper, Dodge Charger with Hellcat engine, and many more.

(3) The manual lever for locking the center differential employs electronic actuation. Older versions were mechanical.

(4) There is a whole suite of features on the touch screen, including a feature that allows you to communicate directly with another Grenadier, and get navigation info from them. They could have just gone with a simple screen for the back-up camera (which is required by law in North America).

(5) There are heated seats. Are these LESS complicated than a heated steering wheel?

I'm going to stop here. My goal was not to rag on Ineos for their choices on the items I listed; rather, it was to point out that the "simplicity" argument for not including a heated steering wheel doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

I hope that other people feel as I do about a heated steering wheel and send Ineos a polite request on their Grenadier website. I'm tired of sticking my hands on the heater vent (once it has warmed up), trying to thaw frozen fingers before venturing out for winter adventures.

All the best!

 

[Stu_Barnes]

I’m in agreement with you there stickshifter. We just need to find out who to annoy enough to get something done. So for those that are still to go to the 2b tour. Please ask about heated steering wheel and who you can contact to make it happen. 
If we make enough noise then perhaps things can be done 

 

[PL1]

Good to see you're on first name terms with Sir Jim...  I'm still calling him m'lord, "please sir, can I have one of your cars?"  ?

The cold weather package is an important one because it's not just about a heated steering wheel.  If you don't have a heated steering wheel, it takes forever to warm up the steering wheel enough to be comfortable, and along with seats it's the part of the car you spend the most time in contact with.   I'm surprised the testers didn't address this when they did the cold weather testing.
I would have thought, for the opposite reasons, a warm weather package is a high priority for owners in Aus, the Middle East and South Africa.

I'll get up in someone's grill.

 

[Elijah]

If Sir Jim is happy to have cold hands, he may not do a lot of ice-scraping in the dark, when its -20 Fahrenheit! Fifty degrees (F) below freezing is pretty cold.

I'm not really buying the "simplicity" argument. If a heated steering wheel fails, it has no impact on how the vehicle operates. You can drive your Grenadier for 30 more years after the heated steering wheel fails, and never repair it if that is what you choose. There are plenty of more complicated systems in the Grenadier that could have been omitted in favor of a simpler solution:

(1) A turbo-charged engine from BMW. While the B58 - overall - has a good reputation, there are much simpler engine designs available, with proven track records of reliability in truck and 4-wheel drive applications. A good naturally aspirated V8 will be more reliable, and easier to repair in remote parts of the world. A mechanic in Mongolia, Mali, or Madagascar will be able to work on a naturally aspirated V8; a turbo-charged engine from BMW - not so much.

(2) A computer-controlled automatic transmission: "Controlling the transmission is the integrated transmission control unit. The TCU works directly with ZF’s electronic valve body, also known as the Mechatronics. The valve body is the mechanical piece responsible for actuating shift changes and shift points. When combined with the integrated TCU, the electronic valve body could actuate the quickest shifts this side of a dual-clutch while reducing internal hydraulic drag during coasting for a significant bump in efficiency and economy" (Source: The Definitive Guide To The ZF 8-Speed Transmission). There are still excellent, robust, and simple manual transmissions in the market: Audi RS8, Dodge Viper, Dodge Charger with Hellcat engine, and many more.

(3) The manual lever for locking the center differential employs electronic actuation. Older versions were mechanical.

(4) There is a whole suite of features on the touch screen, including a feature that allows you to communicate directly with another Grenadier, and get navigation info from them. They could have just gone with a simple screen for the back-up camera (which is required by law in North America).

(5) There are heated seats. Are these LESS complicated than a heated steering wheel?

I'm going to stop here. My goal was not to rag on Ineos for their choices on the items I listed; rather, it was to point out that the "simplicity" argument for not including a heated steering wheel doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

I hope that other people feel as I do about a heated steering wheel and send Ineos a polite request on their Grenadier website. I'm tired of sticking my hands on the heater vent (once it has warmed up), trying to thaw frozen fingers before venturing out for winter adventures.

All the best!

If your hands get cold while ice scraping you’re doing it wrong. They said Sir Jim wears gloves anyways and doesn’t care about a heated steering wheel. 
1) Like what? I don’t actually understand this argument. I’d love a Cummins 6BT with a NV4500. First you have to have a company to actually sell you the engine. And mate with a trans. And meet emissions around the world not today but future ones too. Plus other requirements..

2) auto is better for off-road. And you’re not gonna find a better modern trans than ZF

3) is this true? Front and rear are electronic but I believe center is mechanical.  

 

[Triple Seven]

While I have never had the luxury of a heated steering wheel in my Jeep, my wife has a Subaru Crosstrek and I must say that the heated steering wheel makes quite a difference.

On the topic of cold-weather packages… I never had a Land Rover Discovery either, but the idea of a heated front windshield was a great idea… Transport category aircraft have them for the same reason. With a car or truck, the reality is, that when it’s cold and in the presence of freezing precipitation, the windshield wipers can’t keep up with the build-up of snow and ice and the windshield and windshield wipers start to ice up, even in the presence of hot air blowing on the windshield… when it gets bad enough, the only remedy is to pull over and try to shake the snow and ice off of the windshield wipers and to re-scrape the windshield before continuing on. I’m not sure how heated front windshield works in a car, but it does seem like a good idea… Along with heated side mirrors of course.

Another feature which is very important with modern LED headlamps is a heating element, embedded in the lens. A few years ago I replaced my crappy headlights with LED head lights… But living in a cold climate, regular LED lights don’t put out enough heat to keep them from icing up in freezing precipitation… For that reason, it’s important to have a heating element embedded in the lights. I replaced my lights with a set of “Truck-Lites”, that have an embedded heating element that turns on at 10°C and below. The heating element works extremely well, exactly the way it was intended!

 

[Elijah]

Planes also heat their windows to help with bird strikes and always run the heat on. 

They did say the side mirror are heated. Only issue with heated front windscreen is $$ to replace it? Might still be an option though. I don't believe anyone has actually asked. Or asked about front LEDs heating. We will see what comes out this April(ish) in configurator if they say its only 40% complete. 

 

[PL1]

Back from the Seattle 2B Tour event...  I'm impressed.  Lucky I left my check book at home with "she who must be obeyed."  ?
More answers coming, I'm trying to figure out the right place to post my Q&A's.

Important topics summed up as a cold weather package - heated steering wheel, heated seats, rain sensing wipers and a heated windshield.
The answer is, "not in the first production version but this has come up a lot during the Tour events."
I said to Greg, when you get up into northern Canada and some of the midwest states, these aren't options because, bum & hands are in constant contact with the wheel and the seats, and it can take an awful long time to warm up.

 

[stickshifter]

Back from the Seattle 2B Tour event...  I'm impressed.  Lucky I left my check book at home with "she who must be obeyed."  ?
More answers coming, I'm trying to figure out the right place to post my Q&A's.

Important topics summed up as a cold weather package - heated steering wheel, heated seats, rain sensing wipers and a heated windshield.
The answer is, "not in the first production version but this has come up a lot during the Tour events."
I said to Greg, when you get up into northern Canada and some of the midwest states, these aren't options because, bum & hands are in constant contact with the wheel and the seats, and it can take an awful long time to warm up.

Thanks for the update PL1! Looking forward to hearing other things you learned.

 

[javcol]

If Sir Jim is happy to have cold hands, he may not do a lot of ice-scraping in the dark, when its -20 Fahrenheit! Fifty degrees (F) below freezing is pretty cold.

I'm not really buying the "simplicity" argument. If a heated steering wheel fails, it has no impact on how the vehicle operates. You can drive your Grenadier for 30 more years after the heated steering wheel fails, and never repair it if that is what you choose. There are plenty of more complicated systems in the Grenadier that could have been omitted in favor of a simpler solution:

(1) A turbo-charged engine from BMW. While the B58 - overall - has a good reputation, there are much simpler engine designs available, with proven track records of reliability in truck and 4-wheel drive applications. A good naturally aspirated V8 will be more reliable, and easier to repair in remote parts of the world. A mechanic in Mongolia, Mali, or Madagascar will be able to work on a naturally aspirated V8; a turbo-charged engine from BMW - not so much.

(2) A computer-controlled automatic transmission: "Controlling the transmission is the integrated transmission control unit. The TCU works directly with ZF’s electronic valve body, also known as the Mechatronics. The valve body is the mechanical piece responsible for actuating shift changes and shift points. When combined with the integrated TCU, the electronic valve body could actuate the quickest shifts this side of a dual-clutch while reducing internal hydraulic drag during coasting for a significant bump in efficiency and economy" (Source: The Definitive Guide To The ZF 8-Speed Transmission). There are still excellent, robust, and simple manual transmissions in the market: Audi RS8, Dodge Viper, Dodge Charger with Hellcat engine, and many more.

(3) The manual lever for locking the center differential employs electronic actuation. Older versions were mechanical.

(4) There is a whole suite of features on the touch screen, including a feature that allows you to communicate directly with another Grenadier, and get navigation info from them. They could have just gone with a simple screen for the back-up camera (which is required by law in North America).

(5) There are heated seats. Are these LESS complicated than a heated steering wheel?

I'm going to stop here. My goal was not to rag on Ineos for their choices on the items I listed; rather, it was to point out that the "simplicity" argument for not including a heated steering wheel doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

I hope that other people feel as I do about a heated steering wheel and send Ineos a polite request on their Grenadier website. I'm tired of sticking my hands on the heater vent (once it has warmed up), trying to thaw frozen fingers before venturing out for winter adventures.

All the best!

 

[javcol]

I have no doubt Ineos is monitoring this site. We should let it all hang out on this site - tell them what we want and expect.
I think Ratcliff wants to make this vehicle the best SUV in the world. His reputation, and the reputation of his company is at stake. That's why I trust him.

 

[Bushguide]

I for one don't want a heated steering wheel, and, surprise surprise I also don't want a heated seat. Thats what you get by living in the Tropics. Sorry about that! But I do want a very good aircon.

 

[PL1]

I mentioned the Grenadier Forum to Greg at the 2B Tour event and he was aware of it.  I hope Grenadier are paying attention so we get "everything we need, and nothing we don't" to quote the Nissan Xterra marketing message.

 

[Tazzieman]

[QUOTE username=Les Hiddins  Bushguide userid=8850676 postid=1331794870]I for one don't want a heated steering wheel, and, surprise surprise I also don't want a heated seat. Thats what you get by living in the Tropics. Sorry about that! But I do want a very good aircon.

[/QUOTE]Les I'm in the apparently freezing cold state of Tasmania and never felt the need for heated seats or steering wheel either.Aircon is only needed over summer , and often I just drive with the windows down like the old days , when men were men ;&lt?

 

[stickshifter]

And this is why cold weather packages should be an option, not standard equipment. If you live somewhere warm - don't order it! Heck, just about everything in a vehicle should be an option, so that folks who want a bare-bones stripped-down vehicle can get what they want for the cheapest price possible.

P.S.  Average winter temps in Tasmania are between 3 and 11 degrees Celsius. An average morning where I live in the winter is between -20 and -30 degrees Celsius. This morning, after it warmed up a bit, we started skiing into the backcountry and the temperature was -16 degrees Celsius.

 

[CountyV8]

When I spoke to the company reps yesterday they mentioned that it will be electrically triggered actuators which will engage/ disengage the diffs. I am guessing thats similar to how modern G-Wagens, 4Runners etc., engage their lockers

They will babe Eaton Elockers

 

[PL1]

@Bushguide  Not to be argumentative but "the apparently freezing cold state of Tasmania" isn't so cold.  My daughter is at school in Melbourne, Vic. and she gets no sympathy (from me) when she tells me it was 5C, "and so cold!"  
The issue for us people living in COLD climates is you never warm up and the only time I thought seriously, I could die, was a night in Fort Mac, northern Alberta when I couldn't get my rental car to start.  At the other end of the temperature range, in the mid-East and central Australia you depend on heavy duty A/c.  That's why I think a cold weather package, or a hot weather package should be an option.

BTW  Melbourne is a great city to visit.  I've never taken the ferry to Tassie though.  Should I?

 

[Tazzieman]

@Bushguide  Not to be argumentative but "the apparently freezing cold state of Tasmania" isn't so cold.  My daughter is at school in Melbourne, Vic. and she gets no sympathy (from me) when she tells me it was 5C, "and so cold!"  
The issue for us people living in COLD climates is you never warm up and the only time I thought seriously, I could die, was a night in Fort Mac, northern Alberta when I couldn't get my rental car to start.  At the other end of the temperature range, in the mid-East and central Australia you depend on heavy duty A/c.  That's why I think a cold weather package, or a hot weather package should be an option.

BTW  Melbourne is a great city to visit.  I've never taken the ferry to Tassie though.  Should I?

My comment was in reference to mainland Australians , who believe the state is climatically sub antarctic!I lived 8 years in England and walked to school in the snow.But if you live in the tropics and have never visited the northern hemisphere (millions of Aussies) you won't even own an overcoat.Weather in Tassy can get very windy and it's easy to die from exposure in our mountains. Wind chill factor minus 25-30C. Tourists get helicoptered out via search and rescue teams several times each year.But you can ski in the morning and surf in the afternoon such is the changeable terrain/weather.Definitely visit. A very different place to mainland Australia. Geologically related to Canada and the Antarctic.

 

[DenisM]

@Bushguide   Les Hiddins BushguideTire KickerPosts9Reputation 8 Member Since29/12/21[/list]

• Message

Bushguide   Not to be argumentative but "the apparently freezing cold state of Tasmania" isn't so cold.  My daughter is at school in Melbourne, Vic. and she gets no sympathy (from me) when she tells me it was 5C, "and so cold!"  
The issue for us people living in COLD climates is you never warm up and the only time I thought seriously, I could die, was a night in Fort Mac, northern Alberta when I couldn't get my rental car to start.  At the other end of the temperature range, in the mid-East and central Australia you depend on heavy duty A/c.  That's why I think a cold weather package, or a hot weather package should be an option.

BTW  Melbourne is a great city to visit.  I've never taken the ferry to Tassie though.  Should I?

I'm a transplanted Melbournian now embedded in SE Queensland after 30 yrs steadily moving north for work?. Visiting Tassie via the Tas Ferry is an adventure and well worth  the journey. Ambling through the Tasmanian byways is a fabulous way to spend several weeks or months if you have the time. WHEN, I finally take delivery of my Grenadier, off to Tassie we will go, after the Simpson desert/ Fraser Island/Vic high Country. As I am now an "old man in a hurry" I hope it arrives sooner than later!?

 

[Tazzieman]

I'm a transplanted Melbournian now embedded in SE Queensland after 30 yrs steadily moving north for work?. Visiting Tassie via the Tas Ferry is an adventure and well worth  the journey. Ambling through the Tasmanian byways is a fabulous way to spend several weeks or months if you have the time. WHEN, I finally take delivery of my Grenadier, off to Tassie we will go, after the Simpson desert/ Fraser Island/Vic high Country. As I am now an "old man in a hurry" I hope it arrives sooner than later!?

We are the opposite - but also not getting younger - hoping to explore the mainland , though still working , and you need lots of spare time for deserts and the like!Factoring in travel to and from Hobart each time.

 

[bestextra]

Anyone have an idea of the real clearance under the diffs?  The prototypes look quite low slung, and almost certainly not 10.1”/257mm under the diff.

Unfortunately manufacturer-quoted “ground clearance” has been abused to the point of being meaningless:  https://practicalmotoring.com.au/car-advice/why-arent-4x4-manufacturers-clear-about-ground-clearance/

I’d be disappointed if Ineos are similarly fudging the numbers.