The first production Ineos Grenadier unit has rolled off the line. Here’s the South African arrival date for customer cars.

Building and launching a brand-new vehicle is no easy task, and when your problems are compounded by the pandemic and the resulting supply chain and logistic chaos, things can get pretty dire.

Still, Ineos reckons the worst has passed and production of customer cars is now underway at the brand’s facility in Hambach, France. The factory was previously owned by Daimler and was the site for Smart production.

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“We’ve come a long way since the project kicked off in 2017 and this is a landmark moment for Ineos Automotive as a vehicle manufacturer,” said Mark Tennant, Ineos Automotive Commercial Director. “To get to this point is a testament to the resilience and hard work of the entire Ineos Automotive team, our development partners and our suppliers – for which we thank them all as we now look forward to making our first deliveries to customers.”

Sadly, the current global supply chain issues are not going anywhere and factory outputs are constrained. It’s not a uniquely Ineos problem, as a similar set of circumstances are behind the delay of the Volkswagen Golf 8 R in South Africa.

Ineos Grenadier SA Arrival

As it stands, the first South African customers will be getting their Grenadiers towards the end of October 2022, with the first media/marketing vehicles arriving before the end of the year. We understand there’ll be a launch event in early 2023 and we will get a test unit to bring you the lowdown on this ladder frame go-anywhere 4×4.

As a reminder, the Ineos Grenadier will be sold with a choice of either a 3.0-litre turbopetrol 6-cylinder or a 3.0-litre turbodiesel 6-cylinder motor, sourced from BMW. For the South African market, Ineos has signed deals with SMH Group to cover the Pretoria and Johannesburg regions, while SMG will be used to cover Durban and Cape Town. These groups will be responsible for sales and servicing, with further locations to be announced later for servicing only.

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