LONDON -- Ineos Automotive, a unit of the chemicals and energy giant Ineos, will launch a rugged off-road vehicle in Europe in 2022 and North America in 2023 for farmers and other primarily rural uses, the automaker said.
The company plans initially to launch with a utilitarian version of the Grenadier for business customers, which should make up the majority of sales of the four-wheel-drive vehicle, along with a more comfortable passenger version.
The vehicle will also launch in parts of Africa and the Middle East in 2022.
Ineos said it will sell the Grenadier through established dealer groups and 4X4 specialists, and also online.
It targets 200 outlets globally for start of sales in July 2022.
In the UK, Ineos plans to have 23 retail sites in operation ahead of launch, supplemented by Bosch aftersales outlets. Prices in UK for the Grenadier are expected to start at 48,000 pounds ($64,580), the company said.
The company has 15 sales outlets lined up in Germany for the launch date.
Ineos is also working on a pickup version of the Grenadier, which will be crucial for the North American market. In the U.S. market, pickups make up a sizeable and a highly profitable portion of total auto industry sales.
The boxy Grenadier will have gasoline and diesel engines supplied by BMW.
Production of the vehicle will launch in late 2021 at a former Daimler plant that builds Smart cars in Hambach, in northeastern France. Ineos acquired the factory from the German automaker last year.
