Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS 4x4s could replace the Land Rover Defender as the British Army freshens up its fleet. The stylish INEOS Grenadier is among the vehicles competing for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract as older Land Rover models are set to be phased out. The British army’s new Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) program is hoping to find a single replacement for the classic Land Rover models by 2030, with thousands of vehicles set to be ordered.
The deal will cover around 3,000 vehicles from patrol and logistics trucks to reconnaissance vehicles, but the winner will eventually replace the rest of the Land Rover and Pinzgauer trucks in service. The size of the deal could be huge, with estimates suggesting the agreement could be worth as much as £900million.
The Grenadier faces stiff competition to win the contract, but the British INEOS firm has already been shortlisted. Initially, a staggering 14 companies entered the race to win the deal, but these have been cut to just seven finalists with prototypes set to be put through their paces this month.
However, competition for the deal is still strong, with the INEOS’ biggest rival likely to be the iconic Mercedes G-Wagon, a favourite of celebrities including Kylie Jenner and Cristiano Ronaldo. Jaguar Land Rover could keep the contract with their latest Defender model, while Toyota has also entered the race with their Land Cruiser.
But the Grenadiers could win out on simplicity, with the military models designed with just five ECU computer chips compared to over 100 on most modern cars. Another ace up INEOS’ sleeve is that the Grenadier has been engineered specifically to be adapted for specialist configurations.
The model has transitioned from a commercial 4×4 into a certified emergency fleet platform, with the model already receiving Metropolitan Police Test approval following testing.
Mike Whittington, chief commercial officer at INEOS, previously said: “A defining advantage of the industrial collaboration is its British ownership, onshore assembly and local supply chain.
“It brings strategic benefits in operational independence and resilience with security and regulatory alignment – delivering on the MoD’s core objectives. Grenadier’s unrivalled capability and inherent strength provide an obvious starting point for mission-critical transport.”
The Grenadier has been praised by the motoring industry, with reviewers admitting the model had “incredible off-road capability”.
A government spokesperson has previously said: “We are committed to ensuring British industry plays a central role in delivering the next generation of light mobility vehicles expected to be in the hands of soldiers by 2030.”