# data.attributes.title
Ineos Grenadier LeTech review: experimental Grenadier goes where the regular one can’t

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Ineos Grenadier LeTech review: experimental Grenadier goes where the regular one can’t | Top Gear

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Remember the G63 4x4²? This is similar… with a mighty 450mm of ground clearance

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Ineos Grenadier LeTech review: experimental Grenadier goes where the regular one can’t

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
What on Earth is this? It’s the Ineos Grenadier LeTech. The Grenadier that can reach the parts that regular off-roaders can’t. On this planet and possibly some others.

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Remember the G63 4x4²? This is similar… with a mighty 450mm of ground clearance

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Ineos Grenadier LeTech review: experimental Grenadier goes where the regular one can’t

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Ineos Grenadier LeTech review: experimental Grenadier goes where the regular one can’t

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Remember the G63 4x4²? This is similar… with a mighty 450mm of ground clearance

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.description
Remember the G63 4x4²? This is similar… with a mighty 450mm of ground clearance

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
What on Earth is this?It’s the Ineos Grenadier LeTech. The Grenadier that can reach the parts that regular off-roaders can’t. On this planet and possibly some others.Looks like it

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
too. Where did you drive it?Ineos has built two prototypes

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
based on the Grenadier Station Wagon and Quartermaster pick-up. They’re undergoing evaluation tests and TG was invited to Iceland to participate. We’d climbed a volcano before the sun had even come out

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
although that’s not until 11am at this time of year. Note also that Ineos CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently bought 400

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
apparently to protect it from development.Before we get into it

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
what’s the latest on INEOS’s automotive adventure?Up and down

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
funnily enough. It’s on course to deliver 20

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and that’s despite having to pause production for weeks on end because of issues in the supply chain. The smaller Fusilier model that was announced back in February is now unlikely to happen

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
with Ineos blaming “reluctant consumer uptake of EVs and industry uncertainty around tariffs

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
timings and taxation.”So what now? Consolidate the existing business but also increase profit margins with a concerted push upmarket. Ineos recently introduced its Arcane Works bespoke service

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
which includes such niceties as cashmere wool headlining

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
seats with your preferred GPS coordinates embroidered into the head-rest

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the marketing pitch has always been as much Belstaff or Carhartt as it has hose-out interior. The Grenadier LeTech covers off both extremes. This could be the ultimate ‘tech bro living off the grid’ alternative to a supercar.LeTech? Details please.Yep. Sounds French

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
but it’s actually German. Formed in 2009 by Andreas Lennartz

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
LeTech initially specialised in restoring and modifying extant Mercedes G-wagens

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
tapping into a lively ecosystem of hardcore off-roadists who might actually prefer a Saturday spent traversing Austria’s infamous Schöckl pass than swanning about outside Harrods. This led to the development of a G-wagen fitted with portal axles

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
for monster looks and monumental ground clearance. Remember the G63 4x4²? Well the Grenadier Le Tech is similar in concept. It helps that LeTech is also an official Ineos sales and servicing partner.What are ‘portal axles’?They use chunky gearsets at each end to offset the axle centre line

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
enabling the chassis and body to be dramatically raised. On the Grenadier Station Wagon

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the modifications increase the ground clearance from 264mm to a mighty 450mm

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and wading depth from an already impressive 800 to 1

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
000mm. Fancy some more hardcore off-road stats? Buckle up. The approach angle increases from 36.5° to 45.5°

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the breakover angle is up from 28.2° to 43.0°‚ the departure angle from 36.1° to 46.0°.Other additions include bumper and wheelarch extensions

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
a Warn Zeon front winch with a pull capacity of 12

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and roof-mounted high beam lights. It’s also fitted with bigger coil springs and shock absorbers and it’s sitting on single-piece forged alloys wrapped in massive BF Goodrich Mud terrain KM3 tyres.As on the regular car

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
there’s an old-school box-section ladder frame chassis underneath

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
with solid beam axles front and rear. Committed off-roading is facilitated by a two-speed transfer case with a centre differential (supplied by Tremec)

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and an additional electronically locking diff on each axle (that comes from Eaton). With all three differentials locked

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the Grenadier can distribute drive equally to all four wheels for maximum traction. The extra ground clearance afforded by the portal axles means that the sort of obstacles even the regular Grenadier struggles to surmount should be easily dealt with. This is a very on-trend vehicle for the difficult times we find ourselves in.So what’s it like to drive?We spent the first night in Reykjavík

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
where this pair of cartoonish Grenadiers utterly dwarf the regular traffic. Mind you

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
pumped-up off-roaders aren’t unusual in this part of the world so the locals are generally unfazed. As they are by most things

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
it must be said. The standard Grenadier is a shade over five metres long and imposing enough. The LeTech version is 2.3m tall so climbing up into it requires a degree of physical dexterity. Once behind the wheel you’re the master of all you survey

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
although the sheer mass of the thing demands careful recalibration. A small hatchback could end up sandwiched between the axles and you’d be none the wiser.The interior is unchanged so the pros and cons are the same. Most of the key switchgear is designed to be used while the occupants wear gloves. The surfaces are all splash- if not fully waterproof

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and you can hose the cabin out. It all feels rock solid and well-made. Everyone loves an aviation inspiration

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
so check out the overhead panel which houses the diff lock buttons and other off-roading switchgear. Including toggle switches for an optional light bar

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
which both our test cars are fitted with. Turn that sucker on and you could flood-light Wembley Stadium. Very cool.The multi-media infotainment is via a previous-gen BMW system

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
with almost all the key read-outs displayed on this central screen. There’s an off-road menu

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Oddments storage on or around the centre console isn’t great

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and the doorbins are a bit shallow. But there are storage bins under the seats.What’s it like to drive?A game of two halves

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the Grenadier LeTech wanders about all over the place. That’s only to be expected given that we’re on such huge rubber and running on reduced tyre pressures. At one point we find ourselves in the dark being lashed by a nasty storm

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
with wind speeds hitting 75mph. The Grenadier’s recirculating ball steering set-up is woolly at the best of times

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
which this most certainly isn’t. The justification is that it means the wheel is less likely to whip round suddenly and injure the driver’s thumbs if you hit a rut or rock suddenly. But you pay a hefty price given the lack of feel the rest of the time. Ever applied half a turn of opposite lock on a dead-straight bit of road? Me neither

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and it’s not as much fun as it sounds. Even in normal running you find yourself making constant adjustments which gets tiring.  {"component":"OnwardJourneyCard"

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
"isListicle":false}}Off-road is a different story. The Grenadier LeTech is largely unstoppable

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
its ground clearance providing for breezy passage over the sort of obstacles that require careful negotiation even in very capable regular off-roaders. Better still is the way it tackles rivers; you can simply drive up them

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
water lapping across the bonnet while the occupants are hermetically sealed within. Its capability is astounding. The powertrain here is the 3.0-litre straight-six BMW petrol unit that makes 282bhp and 332lb ft of torque

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
harnessed to ZF’s familiar eight-speed auto ’box. Top speed is 99mph

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
but this is largely hypothetical in a car this size. You’re also much more aware of the Grenadier’s rather leisurely stopping distances.Iceland looks like quite the place…It’s extraordinary

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
so topographically diverse it’s impossible to take it all in. You can see why Ratcliffe decided to buy a chunk of it. It’s sparsely populated and utterly captivating

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
a mixture of the Scottish Highlands at their most awe-inspiring

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the Irish west coast at its most bleakly beautiful

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and even parts of the US. The wind is so fierce at one point that we can see waterfalls get blown back on themselves. We pass Eyjafjallajökull

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the volcano that disrupted air travel when it belched a huge ash cloud into the atmosphere back in March 2010.We’re also given permission to drive across the black sand beach at Reynisfjara

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
a bigger challenge even than some of the rock crawling that we’ve been doing. Turn off the traction control and fiddle about with the diffs and you can actually get the Grenadier sliding around. This thing’s bandwidth is immense. Beware the beach’s so-called ‘sneaker waves’

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
which can rise up to a remarkable 120ft in height unexpectedly. The Yoda cave

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
is also close by; the surrounding plains and unusually bright green grasses have been used as locations for countless films

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Driving adventures are popular in Iceland

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and Ineos is considering branching out into the world of ‘experiential luxury’. You can always buy a tent to fit onto its roof.Great. How much does it cost?Nothing’s set in stone yet but a Grenadier LeTech is likely to nudge £200k. Obviously very far indeed from cheap

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
but as our experience in Iceland demonstrated

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
sometimes you can have more fun off-road at 5mph than you will cornering something much faster on its door-handles. All things considered

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
this could be a late contender for coolest car of the year.

# data.attributes.body.value
What on Earth is this?

It’s the Ineos Grenadier LeTech. The Grenadier that can reach the parts that regular off-roaders can’t. On this planet and possibly some others.

Looks like it, too. Where did you drive it?

Ineos has built two prototypes, based on the Grenadier Station Wagon and Quartermaster pick-up. They’re undergoing evaluation tests and TG was invited to Iceland to participate. We’d climbed a volcano before the sun had even come out, although that’s not until 11am at this time of year. Note also that Ineos CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently bought 400,000 acres in the north of Iceland, apparently to protect it from development.

Before we get into it, what’s the latest on INEOS’s automotive adventure?

Up and down, funnily enough. It’s on course to deliver 20,000 cars by the end of this year, and that’s despite having to pause production for weeks on end because of issues in the supply chain. The smaller Fusilier model that was announced back in February is now unlikely to happen, with Ineos blaming “reluctant consumer uptake of EVs and industry uncertainty around tariffs, timings and taxation.”

So what now? Consolidate the existing business but also increase profit margins with a concerted push upmarket. Ineos recently introduced its Arcane Works bespoke service, which includes such niceties as cashmere wool headlining, seats with your preferred GPS coordinates embroidered into the head-rest, and a choice of 7,500 colours. To be fair, the marketing pitch has always been as much Belstaff or Carhartt as it has hose-out interior. The Grenadier LeTech covers off both extremes. This could be the ultimate ‘tech bro living off the grid’ alternative to a supercar.

LeTech? Details please.

Yep. Sounds French, obviously, but it’s actually German. Formed in 2009 by Andreas Lennartz, LeTech initially specialised in restoring and modifying extant Mercedes G-wagens, tapping into a lively ecosystem of hardcore off-roadists who might actually prefer a Saturday spent traversing Austria’s infamous Schöckl pass than swanning about outside Harrods. This led to the development of a G-wagen fitted with portal axles, for monster looks and monumental ground clearance. Remember the G63 4x4²? Well the Grenadier Le Tech is similar in concept. It helps that LeTech is also an official Ineos sales and servicing partner.

What are ‘portal axles’?

They use chunky gearsets at each end to offset the axle centre line, enabling the chassis and body to be dramatically raised. On the Grenadier Station Wagon, the modifications increase the ground clearance from 264mm to a mighty 450mm, and wading depth from an already impressive 800 to 1,000mm. Fancy some more hardcore off-road stats? Buckle up. The approach angle increases from 36.5° to 45.5°, the breakover angle is up from 28.2° to 43.0°‚ the departure angle from 36.1° to 46.0°.

Other additions include bumper and wheelarch extensions, a Warn Zeon front winch with a pull capacity of 12,000 pounds, and roof-mounted high beam lights. It’s also fitted with bigger coil springs and shock absorbers and it’s sitting on single-piece forged alloys wrapped in massive BF Goodrich Mud terrain KM3 tyres.

As on the regular car, there’s an old-school box-section ladder frame chassis underneath, with solid beam axles front and rear. Committed off-roading is facilitated by a two-speed transfer case with a centre differential (supplied by Tremec), and an additional electronically locking diff on each axle (that comes from Eaton). With all three differentials locked, the Grenadier can distribute drive equally to all four wheels for maximum traction. The extra ground clearance afforded by the portal axles means that the sort of obstacles even the regular Grenadier struggles to surmount should be easily dealt with. This is a very on-trend vehicle for the difficult times we find ourselves in.

So what’s it like to drive?

We spent the first night in Reykjavík, where this pair of cartoonish Grenadiers utterly dwarf the regular traffic. Mind you, pumped-up off-roaders aren’t unusual in this part of the world so the locals are generally unfazed. As they are by most things, it must be said. The standard Grenadier is a shade over five metres long and imposing enough. The LeTech version is 2.3m tall so climbing up into it requires a degree of physical dexterity. Once behind the wheel you’re the master of all you survey, although the sheer mass of the thing demands careful recalibration. A small hatchback could end up sandwiched between the axles and you’d be none the wiser.

The interior is unchanged so the pros and cons are the same. Most of the key switchgear is designed to be used while the occupants wear gloves. The surfaces are all splash- if not fully waterproof, and you can hose the cabin out. It all feels rock solid and well-made. Everyone loves an aviation inspiration, so check out the overhead panel which houses the diff lock buttons and other off-roading switchgear. Including toggle switches for an optional light bar, which both our test cars are fitted with. Turn that sucker on and you could flood-light Wembley Stadium. Very cool.

The multi-media infotainment is via a previous-gen BMW system, with almost all the key read-outs displayed on this central screen. There’s an off-road menu, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Oddments storage on or around the centre console isn’t great, and the doorbins are a bit shallow. But there are storage bins under the seats.

What’s it like to drive?

A game of two halves, really. On the road, the Grenadier LeTech wanders about all over the place. That’s only to be expected given that we’re on such huge rubber and running on reduced tyre pressures. At one point we find ourselves in the dark being lashed by a nasty storm, with wind speeds hitting 75mph. The Grenadier’s recirculating ball steering set-up is woolly at the best of times, which this most certainly isn’t. The justification is that it means the wheel is less likely to whip round suddenly and injure the driver’s thumbs if you hit a rut or rock suddenly. But you pay a hefty price given the lack of feel the rest of the time. Ever applied half a turn of opposite lock on a dead-straight bit of road? Me neither, and it’s not as much fun as it sounds. Even in normal running you find yourself making constant adjustments which gets tiring.

[node:field_onward_journey_card-themed]

Off-road is a different story. The Grenadier LeTech is largely unstoppable, its ground clearance providing for breezy passage over the sort of obstacles that require careful negotiation even in very capable regular off-roaders. Better still is the way it tackles rivers; you can simply drive up them, water lapping across the bonnet while the occupants are hermetically sealed within. Its capability is astounding. The powertrain here is the 3.0-litre straight-six BMW petrol unit that makes 282bhp and 332lb ft of torque, harnessed to ZF’s familiar eight-speed auto ’box. Top speed is 99mph, the same as the regular car, but this is largely hypothetical in a car this size. You’re also much more aware of the Grenadier’s rather leisurely stopping distances.

Iceland looks like quite the place…

It’s extraordinary, so topographically diverse it’s impossible to take it all in. You can see why Ratcliffe decided to buy a chunk of it. It’s sparsely populated and utterly captivating, a mixture of the Scottish Highlands at their most awe-inspiring, the Irish west coast at its most bleakly beautiful, and even parts of the US. The wind is so fierce at one point that we can see waterfalls get blown back on themselves. We pass Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that disrupted air travel when it belched a huge ash cloud into the atmosphere back in March 2010.

We’re also given permission to drive across the black sand beach at Reynisfjara, a bigger challenge even than some of the rock crawling that we’ve been doing. Turn off the traction control and fiddle about with the diffs and you can actually get the Grenadier sliding around. This thing’s bandwidth is immense. Beware the beach’s so-called ‘sneaker waves’, which can rise up to a remarkable 120ft in height unexpectedly. The Yoda cave, Gígjagjà in Icelandic, is also close by; the surrounding plains and unusually bright green grasses have been used as locations for countless films, including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Driving adventures are popular in Iceland, and Ineos is considering branching out into the world of ‘experiential luxury’. You can always buy a tent to fit onto its roof.

Great. How much does it cost?

Nothing’s set in stone yet but a Grenadier LeTech is likely to nudge £200k. Obviously very far indeed from cheap, but as our experience in Iceland demonstrated, sometimes you can have more fun off-road at 5mph than you will cornering something much faster on its door-handles. All things considered, this could be a late contender for coolest car of the year.

# data.attributes.body.processed
What on Earth is this?

It’s the Ineos Grenadier LeTech. The Grenadier that can reach the parts that regular off-roaders can’t. On this planet and possibly some others.

Looks like it, too. Where did you drive it?

Ineos has built two prototypes, based on the Grenadier Station Wagon and Quartermaster pick-up. They’re undergoing evaluation tests and TG was invited to Iceland to participate. We’d climbed a volcano before the sun had even come out, although that’s not until 11am at this time of year. Note also that Ineos CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently bought 400,000 acres in the north of Iceland, apparently to protect it from development.

Before we get into it, what’s the latest on INEOS’s automotive adventure?

Up and down, funnily enough. It’s on course to deliver 20,000 cars by the end of this year, and that’s despite having to pause production for weeks on end because of issues in the supply chain. The smaller Fusilier model that was announced back in February is now unlikely to happen, with Ineos blaming “reluctant consumer uptake of EVs and industry uncertainty around tariffs, timings and taxation.”

So what now? Consolidate the existing business but also increase profit margins with a concerted push upmarket. Ineos recently introduced its Arcane Works bespoke service, which includes such niceties as cashmere wool headlining, seats with your preferred GPS coordinates embroidered into the head-rest, and a choice of 7,500 colours. To be fair, the marketing pitch has always been as much Belstaff or Carhartt as it has hose-out interior. The Grenadier LeTech covers off both extremes. This could be the ultimate ‘tech bro living off the grid’ alternative to a supercar.

LeTech? Details please.

Yep. Sounds French, obviously, but it’s actually German. Formed in 2009 by Andreas Lennartz, LeTech initially specialised in restoring and modifying extant Mercedes G-wagens, tapping into a lively ecosystem of hardcore off-roadists who might actually prefer a Saturday spent traversing Austria’s infamous Schöckl pass than swanning about outside Harrods. This led to the development of a G-wagen fitted with portal axles, for monster looks and monumental ground clearance. Remember the G63 4x4²? Well the Grenadier Le Tech is similar in concept. It helps that LeTech is also an official Ineos sales and servicing partner.

What are ‘portal axles’?

They use chunky gearsets at each end to offset the axle centre line, enabling the chassis and body to be dramatically raised. On the Grenadier Station Wagon, the modifications increase the ground clearance from 264mm to a mighty 450mm, and wading depth from an already impressive 800 to 1,000mm. Fancy some more hardcore off-road stats? Buckle up. The approach angle increases from 36.5° to 45.5°, the breakover angle is up from 28.2° to 43.0°‚ the departure angle from 36.1° to 46.0°.

Other additions include bumper and wheelarch extensions, a Warn Zeon front winch with a pull capacity of 12,000 pounds, and roof-mounted high beam lights. It’s also fitted with bigger coil springs and shock absorbers and it’s sitting on single-piece forged alloys wrapped in massive BF Goodrich Mud terrain KM3 tyres.

As on the regular car, there’s an old-school box-section ladder frame chassis underneath, with solid beam axles front and rear. Committed off-roading is facilitated by a two-speed transfer case with a centre differential (supplied by Tremec), and an additional electronically locking diff on each axle (that comes from Eaton). With all three differentials locked, the Grenadier can distribute drive equally to all four wheels for maximum traction. The extra ground clearance afforded by the portal axles means that the sort of obstacles even the regular Grenadier struggles to surmount should be easily dealt with. This is a very on-trend vehicle for the difficult times we find ourselves in.

So what’s it like to drive?

We spent the first night in Reykjavík, where this pair of cartoonish Grenadiers utterly dwarf the regular traffic. Mind you, pumped-up off-roaders aren’t unusual in this part of the world so the locals are generally unfazed. As they are by most things, it must be said. The standard Grenadier is a shade over five metres long and imposing enough. The LeTech version is 2.3m tall so climbing up into it requires a degree of physical dexterity. Once behind the wheel you’re the master of all you survey, although the sheer mass of the thing demands careful recalibration. A small hatchback could end up sandwiched between the axles and you’d be none the wiser.

The interior is unchanged so the pros and cons are the same. Most of the key switchgear is designed to be used while the occupants wear gloves. The surfaces are all splash- if not fully waterproof, and you can hose the cabin out. It all feels rock solid and well-made. Everyone loves an aviation inspiration, so check out the overhead panel which houses the diff lock buttons and other off-roading switchgear. Including toggle switches for an optional light bar, which both our test cars are fitted with. Turn that sucker on and you could flood-light Wembley Stadium. Very cool.

The multi-media infotainment is via a previous-gen BMW system, with almost all the key read-outs displayed on this central screen. There’s an off-road menu, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Oddments storage on or around the centre console isn’t great, and the doorbins are a bit shallow. But there are storage bins under the seats.

What’s it like to drive?

A game of two halves, really. On the road, the Grenadier LeTech wanders about all over the place. That’s only to be expected given that we’re on such huge rubber and running on reduced tyre pressures. At one point we find ourselves in the dark being lashed by a nasty storm, with wind speeds hitting 75mph. The Grenadier’s recirculating ball steering set-up is woolly at the best of times, which this most certainly isn’t. The justification is that it means the wheel is less likely to whip round suddenly and injure the driver’s thumbs if you hit a rut or rock suddenly. But you pay a hefty price given the lack of feel the rest of the time. Ever applied half a turn of opposite lock on a dead-straight bit of road? Me neither, and it’s not as much fun as it sounds. Even in normal running you find yourself making constant adjustments which gets tiring.

Off-road is a different story. The Grenadier LeTech is largely unstoppable, its ground clearance providing for breezy passage over the sort of obstacles that require careful negotiation even in very capable regular off-roaders. Better still is the way it tackles rivers; you can simply drive up them, water lapping across the bonnet while the occupants are hermetically sealed within. Its capability is astounding. The powertrain here is the 3.0-litre straight-six BMW petrol unit that makes 282bhp and 332lb ft of torque, harnessed to ZF’s familiar eight-speed auto ’box. Top speed is 99mph, the same as the regular car, but this is largely hypothetical in a car this size. You’re also much more aware of the Grenadier’s rather leisurely stopping distances.

Iceland looks like quite the place…

It’s extraordinary, so topographically diverse it’s impossible to take it all in. You can see why Ratcliffe decided to buy a chunk of it. It’s sparsely populated and utterly captivating, a mixture of the Scottish Highlands at their most awe-inspiring, the Irish west coast at its most bleakly beautiful, and even parts of the US. The wind is so fierce at one point that we can see waterfalls get blown back on themselves. We pass Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that disrupted air travel when it belched a huge ash cloud into the atmosphere back in March 2010.

We’re also given permission to drive across the black sand beach at Reynisfjara, a bigger challenge even than some of the rock crawling that we’ve been doing. Turn off the traction control and fiddle about with the diffs and you can actually get the Grenadier sliding around. This thing’s bandwidth is immense. Beware the beach’s so-called ‘sneaker waves’, which can rise up to a remarkable 120ft in height unexpectedly. The Yoda cave, Gígjagjà in Icelandic, is also close by; the surrounding plains and unusually bright green grasses have been used as locations for countless films, including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Driving adventures are popular in Iceland, and Ineos is considering branching out into the world of ‘experiential luxury’. You can always buy a tent to fit onto its roof.

Great. How much does it cost?

Nothing’s set in stone yet but a Grenadier LeTech is likely to nudge £200k. Obviously very far indeed from cheap, but as our experience in Iceland demonstrated, sometimes you can have more fun off-road at 5mph than you will cornering something much faster on its door-handles. All things considered, this could be a late contender for coolest car of the year.

# data.attributes.field_standfirst
Remember the G63 4x4²? This is similar… with a mighty 450mm of ground clearance