It’s taken some time, but the Ineos Grenadier Bakkie looks to be nearly ready for a production reveal. Here’s what we know so far.

Picture credit:S. Baldauf/SB-Medien. We have paid for these photos and at the photographer’s request, have watermarked them.

These spy shots show the Ineos Grenadier Bakkie undergoing final testing in Europe. As a reminder, the Ineos Grenadier is inspired by the original Land Rover Defender. Chemical giant Ineos’ founder Jim Ratcliffe initially tried to buy the rights/plans for the Defender, but naturally Jaguar Land Rover fought tooth and nail to protect one of its most iconic nameplates.

So, Ratcliffe decided to create his own version. Given how the market has moved away from the hardcore offroad and semi-military applications and there are just a handful of models playing in this space (think of your non-AMG Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Toyota Land Cruisers), Ratcliffe and Ineos reckon they’re onto something. Impressively, BMW is the engine supplier and the Grenadier will be powered by Munich’s petrol and diesel 3.0 straight-6 engines.

The best part? The Ineos Grenadier is confirmed for a South African market introduction and will be sold through selected BMW dealerships in SA.

MORE: Read about the Ineos Grenadier SA dealership plans

So, what do we have here then? This is the Ineos Grenadier Bakkie prototype which was spotted in Scandinavia, completing its winter testing. Its arrival is not exactly a closely-guarded secret as Ineos did say it would be offering multiple body styles right from the very beginning of the project. There’s no spec or tech data, but from the images, that load bay looks fairly large and practical.

The Ineos Grenadier bakkie will be the brand’s second model in the line up, after the 4-door SUV, and we understand that a single cab version will also be launched, along with an alternative fuel-powered derivative which could be electric or hydrogen.

Further Reading

Ineos Grenadier Price and Specs

Ineos Grenadier Prototype Drive, at G-Class territory!

Ineos Grenadier Production Begins