Built from Grit: Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Journey to the Grenadier
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire founder of INEOS, conceived the idea for the Grenadier in 2017 while at The Grenadier pub in London's Belgravia. Disappointed by the discontinuation of the Land Rover Defender, Ratcliffe envisioned a utilitarian 4x4 that combined rugged capability with modern engineering. Unable to purchase the Defender's production line, he established INEOS Automotive and assembled a team of engineers to bring his vision to life. The vehicle was named after the pub where the idea was born. After initial plans to build the Grenadier in Wales, production was moved to the Hambach facility in France, a former Mercedes-Benz plant . The Grenadier was officially unveiled in July 2020, marking a significant milestone in INEOS’s automotive venture.