Townsville FNQ drive day

[Greg]

Just got this from agent....Finally!!!

"Just wanted to send a quick email to let you know that we have a Grenadier drive day planned for the weekend of the 21st and 22nd of January. There will be more details to follow after Christmas but we are just trying to gauge some numbers at this point."

EVENT DETAILS​

Location: Herveys Range Heritage Tea Rooms, 37 Thornton Gap Road, Hervey Range, 4817

Date and Time: Saturday 21 January, 2023

 

[DaveB]

Just got this from agent....Finally!!!

"Just wanted to send a quick email to let you know that we have a Grenadier drive day planned for the weekend of the 21st and 22nd of January. There will be more details to follow after Christmas but we are just trying to gauge some numbers at this point."

@Bushguide finally coming up your way
Christmas gift for a grumpy old bastard

 

[Disco Dave]

Oh yeah, how do I sign up?

 

[Bushguide]

Oh yeah, how do I sign up?

Yep, I've even painted a dashed white line all the way up the middle of the highway just so they don't get lost once they leave the Big Smoke.

 

[trobex]

If you get a chance please really look at the footrest.

I recently test drove at the Brisbane (well Tamborine really) track. The Grenadier in all respects is a great vehicle (prototype caveat of course!), it climbed the rock track easily and overall, I am impressed. Hence, I'll be keeping my order coming and I even made a few changes only this week (roo bar added!!!).

FOOTREST:
I will start this by explaining that I am stock average height at 177cm, 72kg roughly. So not a big fella really.
There is an ergonomic issue with the footrest in the test vehicle we drove - and I couldnt hide from it (sorry to those who state its 'ok' I will disagree). I was only able to find (1) actual seating position that was "generally" comfortable which was about 75% up on the height adjustment, and the seat back at about 80% of max offset to steering wheel. The left footrest sits about 80mm closer to your hip alignment than the throttle pedal... and that is simply poor design and in most seating positions it was uncomfortable to me. It's the same as my 2006 Triton Ute, where your left leg feels wedged against the center wall and there is no way I could find a position otherwise fitting than the higher seat + set back near max range ... (ill still keep my order rolling though!!!). I found pushing the throttle in this position a minor stretch, as the left leg felt good, but the right had to reach a longer distance to get the accelerator moving. I don't know how that will affect a 300+km drive but with my old Triton Ute as example - it will be an issue. I am stock height and slim in build, so I should be able to find 3 or 4 settings in a good seat to work with, but I tested this for 15+ minutes with a few on lookers and found no other seating position that worked. Aside from this footrest - the vehicle is very nice!
EDIT: Photos attached - the throttle is also about 1 inch behind the brake pedal in resting position, I caught my foot a few times trying to get from throttle to brake and that seems very odd to me. I don't think INEOS would release RHD in this format... the LHD have a footrest effectively in the same plane as the throttle. The engineer at the drive said they had relayed this concern to HQ...

 

[DaveB]

If you get a chance please really look at the footrest.

I recently test drove at the Brisbane (well Tamborine really) track. The Grenadier in all respects is a great vehicle (prototype caveat of course!), it climbed the rock track easily and overall, I am impressed. Hence, I'll be keeping my order coming and I even made a few changes only this week (roo bar added!!!).

FOOTREST:
I will start this by explaining that I am stock average height at 177cm, 72kg roughly. So not a big fella really.
There is an ergonomic issue with the footrest in the test vehicle we drove - and I couldnt hide from it (sorry to those who state its 'ok' I will disagree). I was only able to find (1) actual seating position that was "generally" comfortable which was about 75% up on the height adjustment, and the seat back at about 80% of max offset to steering wheel. The left footrest sits about 80mm closer to your hip alignment than the throttle pedal... and that is simply poor design and in most seating positions it was uncomfortable to me. It's the same as my 2006 Triton Ute, where your left leg feels wedged against the center wall and there is no way I could find a position otherwise fitting than the higher seat + set back near max range ... (ill still keep my order rolling though!!!). I found pushing the throttle in this position a minor stretch, as the left leg felt good, but the right had to reach a longer distance to get the accelerator moving. I don't know how that will affect a 300+km drive but with my old Triton Ute as example - it will be an issue. I am stock height and slim in build, so I should be able to find 3 or 4 settings in a good seat to work with, but I tested this for 15+ minutes with a few on lookers and found no other seating position that worked. Aside from this footrest - the vehicle is very nice!
EDIT: Photos attached - the throttle is also about 1 inch behind the brake pedal in resting position, I caught my foot a few times trying to get from throttle to brake and that seems very odd to me. I don't think INEOS would release RHD in this format... the LHD have a footrest effectively in the same plane as the throttle. The engineer at the drive said they had relayed this concern to HQ...

I drove the silver car at Tamborine, I am 178 cm and way over 72kg.
I cranked the seat up high so I had good vision and there is heaps of headroom so not a problem.
This also meant my left foot was only in contact with the lower part of the footrest.
The seat back was fairly upright so I had good vision
I never noticed the footrest after that.
I did catch the edge of my foot on the brake pedal once at the beginning but then adjusted my braking style and problem solved.
This is a completely different seating position to my current vehicle, which is low and reclined with my legs almost straight out.
My daughters partner drove the other one and he is about 190cm and 70kg.
He started to lower and recline the seat as he is used to and the instructor told him to do the opposite.
to sit more upright and high for good vision when driving offroad.
He never noticed the footrest
This is the second time I have driven them and it hasn't been an issue either time.

 

[DCPU]

If you get a chance please really look at the footrest.

Everyone who has been on this forum and then test driven has done exactly that.

Myself included.

I'd have to say that the "issue" actually exists for a minority of those reporting back here.

 

[trobex]

All noted. Just be aware. The test drive is a few kms or 15-20 minutes? Just a note for people to consider when thinking about a 3-hour drive. The photo I have attached shows a clear idea of the footrest, when compared to the LHD market its obscenely oversized and protrudes VERY much in to your normal leg room zone. I think the issue for me with the footrest was the fact that the back of my upper leg was not able to make proper contact with the seat, similarly to my right leg. Therefore, pressure is spread disproportionately.

 

[Krabby]

Does the passenger side footwell on a LHD truck have any issues?

 

[DaveB]

All noted. Just be aware. The test drive is a few kms or 15-20 minutes? Just a note for people to consider when thinking about a 3-hour drive. The photo I have attached shows a clear idea of the footrest, when compared to the LHD market its obscenely oversized and protrudes VERY much in to your normal leg room zone. I think the issue for me with the footrest was the fact that the back of my upper leg was not able to make proper contact with the seat, similarly to my right leg. Therefore, pressure is spread disproportionately.

Yes this has been noted and discussed a million times.
If you had a problem when you sat in it for the first time then I would not recommend buying the vehicle.
Or maybe try a different driving position or different shoes

 

[grenadierboy]

If you get a chance please really look at the footrest.

I recently test drove at the Brisbane (well Tamborine really) track. The Grenadier in all respects is a great vehicle (prototype caveat of course!), it climbed the rock track easily and overall, I am impressed. Hence, I'll be keeping my order coming and I even made a few changes only this week (roo bar added!!!).

FOOTREST:
I will start this by explaining that I am stock average height at 177cm, 72kg roughly. So not a big fella really.
There is an ergonomic issue with the footrest in the test vehicle we drove - and I couldnt hide from it (sorry to those who state its 'ok' I will disagree). I was only able to find (1) actual seating position that was "generally" comfortable which was about 75% up on the height adjustment, and the seat back at about 80% of max offset to steering wheel. The left footrest sits about 80mm closer to your hip alignment than the throttle pedal... and that is simply poor design and in most seating positions it was uncomfortable to me. It's the same as my 2006 Triton Ute, where your left leg feels wedged against the center wall and there is no way I could find a position otherwise fitting than the higher seat + set back near max range ... (ill still keep my order rolling though!!!). I found pushing the throttle in this position a minor stretch, as the left leg felt good, but the right had to reach a longer distance to get the accelerator moving. I don't know how that will affect a 300+km drive but with my old Triton Ute as example - it will be an issue. I am stock height and slim in build, so I should be able to find 3 or 4 settings in a good seat to work with, but I tested this for 15+ minutes with a few on lookers and found no other seating position that worked. Aside from this footrest - the vehicle is very nice!
EDIT: Photos attached - the throttle is also about 1 inch behind the brake pedal in resting position, I caught my foot a few times trying to get from throttle to brake and that seems very odd to me. I don't think INEOS would release RHD in this format... the LHD have a footrest effectively in the same plane as the throttle. The engineer at the drive said they had relayed this concern to HQ...

trobex-

I spent a lot of time looking at the RHD footrest during the Melbourne drive day.

Yes it is too big and yes it is about 40mm higher than the brake pedal which seems odd to me but driving it was was not really an issue for me (175cm).

The INEOS rep made 3 comments about the RHD footrest:

1. "I've driven more than 20,000km in the Grenadier and not thought it was a problem"
2. "anyway, there was no issue to make it smaller but it's actually been designed by an ergonomic expert"
3. "pull back the rubber flooring and see the gap between. I'm sure the aftermaket will have a solution for those that need it"

 

[grenadierboy]

Re 3 above

 

[trobex]

All fair points from your experience but of the 6 groups in my session 3 of us all raised the same question and had a similar experience. So, I don't think it's a small minority - but I'm just raising the issue as a bumpy test drive won't let us solve the problem up front.

A rep isn't going to say it's a problem when he represents the brand...

If it wasn't a problem and was designed by an ergonomic expert, then why is it different to the RHD??? It is different and by a large margin.

Already looking at aftermarket solutions suggests it's actually a real problem. And yes that solution is the one I'll be looking at obviously with others from this forum.

Having said that I'm still buying a Grenadier - don't let the footrest issue come between me and my new truck haha.

 

[DaveB]

All fair points from your experience but of the 6 groups in my session 3 of us all raised the same question and had a similar experience. So, I don't think it's a small minority - but I'm just raising the issue as a bumpy test drive won't let us solve the problem up front.

A rep isn't going to say it's a problem when he represents the brand...

If it wasn't a problem and was designed by an ergonomic expert, then why is it different to the RHD??? It is different and by a large margin.

Already looking at aftermarket solutions suggests it's actually a real problem. And yes that solution is the one I'll be looking at obviously with others from this forum.

Having said that I'm still buying a Grenadier - don't let the footrest issue come between me and my new truck haha.

I think the ergonomic design by an expert was more a case of..........can you design that hump so it is more ergonomic than it currently is.
Trying to make the best of a bad situation
The original prototypes were worse than the current vehicles, which was what started the whole discussion.

 

[trobex]

Does the passenger side footwell on a LHD truck have any issues?

Not that I have found anywhere else in the www

 

[Tazzieman]

All this 3 hour drive business. Do you sit a desk for 3 hours straight? I tend to get up and move about. Wouldn't want a leg thrombo or tight hammies.

 

[Max]

What is the difference between a broken record and a footrest?

 

[Greg]

I am 1.8m with long legs and short torso, so always set the seat as high as possible and set the steering wheel on full reach to try and get a balance between reaching the steering wheel and having enough room for my legs to comfortably operate the pedals.
Fortunately as the grenadier is an automatic, left foot accommodation is not a great concern for me as long as it is wide enough and strong enough for bracing myself when necessary.
We shall see soon enough.

Anyway - Townsville drive day!!!!
I cannot express the excitement of actually getting to see and drive one - been waiting a long time for this.

 

[trobex]

You can always tell the ex-Toyota fans!

 

[trobex]

What is the difference between a broken record and a footrest?

Its 2023 by the time this car comes out - let's hope it doesn't have a record player. If it did, might be more poorly designed than this footrest!!!