The car industry in the UK is not dead yet, as INEOS Automotive, a London-based car manufacturer wants to build the successor of the original Land Rover Defender in South Wales.
The 4×4 is called “Grenadier“, as a fan-supported online poll decided.
The whole project is going to cost £600 million, and there will be a total of 500 new jobs that will gradually open as the production gets up to speed.
The new manufacturing plant will be located in Bridgend, Wales.
Credit – Grenadier
The second plant is going to be located in Estarreja, Portugal, and the work to set that up is already underway. As INEOS clarified, that second plant is also expected to employ 500 workers.
The production of both plants combined will reach an annual output of about 25 000 vehicles, and this number is expected to be reached by 2021. If the demand for Grenadier exceeds the expectations as well as predictions, the two plants will be in a position to output even higher production volumes.
As for the price for a brand new Grenadier, INEOS hasn’t made any concrete announcements on that part. However, Mark Tennant, the commercial director of the British manufacturer said that people shouldn’t expect the base model to begin at anything lower than £30,000.
Grenadier will be using 3.0L petrol and diesel engines made by BMW, and probably an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Reportedly, there will be no manual option. To maximize durability, the suspension will feature coil-sprung live axles front and rear, so it won’t be exactly a dream to drive on the tarmac road.
Already, INEOS is collaborating with aftermarket suppliers to receive their proposals on special equipment for the Grenadier.
