Ineos confirms additional sales locations for Australia

Ineos expanded its range of service and sales points in Australia even before the Grenadier landed.

The company has confirmed it has added Wadonga-based McRae Motors to its initial list of sales and service agents as it prepares to launch the Grenadier four-wheel drive locally.

The Australian footprint reaches 29 sites, part of a planned global network of 200 in 50 countries by the end of 2022.

Instead of the traditional franchise model, Ineos will operate using an agency business model in Australia.

Its dealers are called “partners” and are responsible for displaying products, conducting test drives, delivering cars to customers and offering after-sales service.

Ineos controls inventory and pricing, and pays its partners a “direct commission” on sales.

The full list of locations (below) includes a small number of urban locations, but mainly focuses on regional locations.

Not only does Ineos expect a significant proportion of its customers to be there, it’s part of an effort to reassure owners that they’ll have support if something goes wrong deep in the desert.

Ineos APAC regional head Justin Hochevar said the strong regional presence signals “to those living on the large capital islands on our coast that when they travel they have access to the support they need”.

This is also partly due to the ability to quickly deliver spare parts to owners. Ineos’ first global parts warehouse is in Belgium, and the second will be in Melbourne. It is due to open “very close” to the start of Ineos sales.

As well as its own service centres, Ineos says it takes an open source approach to servicing.

It makes service manuals and repair information readily available, and launches an e-commerce platform that makes it easy for independent mechanics to find and buy parts.

A similar approach is used with accessories. Expect to see an announcement of the range of accessories on offer for the Grenadier, beyond what is currently listed in the brand’s configurator, in the coming weeks.

“We’ve taken a fairly open approach to dealing with the secondary market,” Mr. Gochevar said. “We went to after-sales service exhibitions, we talked to them [manufacturers].”

“We’re just starting to exchange agreements with some of them where we can provide them with CAD data, and we’ve agreed to give them early access to production [cars] so that they can engage in development,” he explained.

“It’s the exact opposite of the traditional way of saying, ‘Well, I’m going to wrap my arms around my OEM line of accessories and protect them as long as possible until the aftermarket reacts a year or two after launch.’

“We put ourselves on the front foot even before we start selling,” he said.

Trading places

• Aaron Brain Motors, Shepparton
• Mackay City Auto Group, Mackay
• Armstrong Auto Group, Toowoomba
• Magic Enterprises, Geraldton
• Autoworld, Ballarat
• Magic Enterprises, Perth
• Brian Hilton Motor Group, Central Coast
• Noosa Auto Group. Noosa
• Brighton Automotive Holdings, Melbourne
• Northstar Mildura Motors, Mildura
• Buckby Motors, Launceston
• Pickering’s Auto Group, Townsville
• Caravan, Brisbane
• Purnell Motors, Sydney
• DC Motors, Rockhampton
• Rex Garrel, Geelong
• Fraser’s, Newcastle
• Rolfe Motors, Canberra
• Fraser’s, Wollongong
• SLRV Expedition Vehicles, Gold Coast
• John Oxley Motors, Port Macquarie
• Tony Leahey Motor Group, Orange
• JT Fossey, Tamworth
• Warragul City Motors, Gippsland
• Kerry’s Automotive Group, Adelaide
• Westco Motors, Cairns
• Kerry’s Automotive Group, Darwin
• Western Plains Automotive, Dubbo
• McRae Motors, Wodonga (New)

What is Ineos Grenadier?

Grenadier is the brainchild of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a billionaire British engineer and chairman of multinational petrochemical giant Ineos. No money was spared for his passion project.

The official version says that in 2017, Ratcliffe hung out in London’s Grenadier pub, lamenting Land Rover’s decision to kill the old Defender and replace it with a more modern and luxurious SUV model.

Domestically, Australia is considered the “core launch market” for the ladder-frame solid-axle Grenadier, along with Europe, the US and South Africa, meaning locals get priority access to the vehicles many brands want.

Production Grenadiers are going to build on the 210,000 square meter former Mercedes-Benz plant in Gambach, France, which has since been acquired by Ineos. Since 2019, the plant has received a $770 million upgrade funded by Mercedes-Benz and Ineos.

The special vehicle designs were created by Magna in Austria and underwent an extensive torture test program.

Two body styles are offered at launch in Australia. The Grenadier Utility Wagon is a full-height, flat-floor, two-seater vehicle that can support a standard 1200mm x 800mm Euro pallet. Station Wagon – five-seater.

Power comes from two BMW 3.0-liter six-cylinder engines. Petrol – 210 kW of power and 450 Nm of torque, and diesel – 183 kW and 550 Nm.

Both engines are mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission (codenamed 8HP51 for petrol, 8HP76 for diesel), with what Ineos calls a new “heavy duty” torque converter.

All Grenadiers come standard with permanent four-wheel drive (4WD), with low range accessed via a Tremec 2.5:1 two-speed transfer case.

In line with the class leaders, the Grenadier will also have a braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes.

Ground clearance is listed as 264mm, wading depth of 800mm, approach angle of 36.3 degrees, departure angle of over 28.2 degrees and departure angle of 36.1 degrees. Powder coated skid plates and fuel tank plate are standard.

Pricing

There is no bidding here, Ineos uses an ‘agency model’ with fixed prices.

The company will control inventory and pricing, and pay dealer partners on a “straight commission” basis, much in the style of Mercedes-Benz and Honda.

A $5,000 deposit (refundable upon vehicle contract signing) secures a build slot.

Grenadier Utility Wagon (two seater)

• Ineos Grenadier Base 2023 Petrol & Diesel: $84,500
• 2023 Ineos Grenadier Trailmaster Petrol & Diesel: $95,495
• 2023 Ineos Grenadier Fieldmaster, Petrol & Diesel: $95,495

Grenadier Station Wagon (five seater)

• Ineos Grenadier Base 2023 Petrol & Diesel: $85,500
• 2023 Ineos Grenadier Trailmaster Petrol & Diesel: $96,495
• 2023 Ineos Grenadier Fieldmaster, petrol and diesel: $96,495

All prices do not include travel costs.

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