The INEOS Grenadier will be developed by Magna Steyr

INEOS Automotive is a British startup currently cooking up a seriously utilitarian SUV called Grenadier, which is supposed to show the new Land Rover Defender what’s what. Magna Steyr is now joining the Grenadier party for the series development phase, which shouldn’t be a challenge for the company which has designed and been building Mercedes-Benz Gs one after the other since 1979 in Graz.

Spearheaded by the petrochemical company’s CEO Jim Ratcliffe, INEOS wants to sell 25,000 to 30,000 SUVs a year, with plans for a new factory in Wales, in the part of the UK where the local government also lobbied for Aston Martin’s DBX plant, as well as Les Edgar’s proposed TVR factory. However, the Grenadier’s bodies and chassis were previously reported to be manufactured in another INEOS facility in Portugal, which may cause problems following a harder Brexit.

Whatever plays out between now and 2021, what’s for sure is that INEOS has already secured an engine supply deal with BMW for both gasoline and diesel inline-six turbos. Chassis and suspension development were allocated to Austria’s Magna Powertrain right from the start.

While Magna is the silent partner responsible for many four-wheel-drive systems put under mainstream cars all over the world, the Austrian conglomerate is perhaps most famous for its former Haflinger and Pinzgauer all-terrain vehicles, which are still used in remote areas where bigger, heavier, or more complex 4x4s just won’t work.

With the deal signed, Frank Klein, President of Complete Vehicle Manufacturing & Engineering at Magna Steyr had this to add:

“Magna is in a unique position with our complete vehicle knowledge. Because of our expertise, we can continue to support traditional automakers while also becoming the go-to supplier for new players entering the space. We are excited to help INEOS Automotive bring the Grenadier to reality.”