MOTORS An exclusive VIP preview of the Ineos Grenadier at Chandlers.

The 4x4 that’s going back to Where It All Began

If Land Rover’s new Defender is a little too modern for your tastes, what about Jim Ratcliffe’s new love letter to the famous off-roader? It’s now available to order at Lincolnshire’s Chandlers... and we were invited to a special VIP preview at the dealership!

BEING WEALTHY definitely has its advantages. Say your favourite car has been discontinued, and the new model just doesn’t excite you. Most of us could do little about that, but Sir James ‘Jim’ Ratcliffe isn’t most people: he’s the richest man in the UK, worth £21bn and has interests in chemicals, industry and finance. He also has a favourite pub, The Grenadier Arms in London’s Belgravia, and it was in that very pub that the billionaire was decrying the loss of a proper Land Rover Defender. A pint or two, some pork scratchings and a game of darts later, he thought that as he can’t buy one... he’ll just make one, instead. Doubtless the new Land Rover Defender is a phenomenal car, but it’s pricy, electronic and a world away from the original. Not that the original was without its flaws; it was crude, uncomfortable and wouldn’t cope with being upgraded to adhere to increasingly stringent crash or emissions standards, let alone electrification. Jim Ratcliffe’s new Ineos Grenadier, then, is rather more faithful to the formula of the original Defender.

For a start it’s going to be priced from £48,000. It will also be available as a double cab pick-up, a two seater utility wagon and a station wagon version too. BMW will provide its 3.0 straight six engine, in either petrol or diesel flavour, and in addition to an eight speed gearbox, you’ll have permanent four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer box with low range gears, centre, rear and front locking differentials, and 17” steel wheels that’ll stand up to real punishment. Order books are open now, and at a VIP preview event at Chandlers, Ineos’s brand ambassador declared that the cars have been tested to 200,000 miles and 15 years of farm work (not just 15 years of school runs). If that’s the case, this could be the rugged, go-anywhere 4x4 you’ve been craving. n Price: From £48,000, available to order now, first deliveries from summer 2022. Powertrain: 3.0L straight six diesel, all wheel drive, eight-speed auto box.

THE DETAILS Ineos Grenadier

Equipment: Permanent four-wheel drive, two-speed transfer case, locking differentials, electrical power takeoff, USB, Recaro seats, Pathfinder off-road navigation, park assist, heated seats. n Lincolnshire’s Ineos Grenadier agent will be Chandlers of Belton & Horncastle, call 01507 527211, chandlersfe.co.uk.

Estate of the Art

In a world of SUVs, the estate-based Subaru Outback offers great value and a surprising amount of practicality on Lincolnshire’s rutted roads, farm tracks and broken surfaces. It’s rugged, reliable and definitely worth a look...

SUBARU IS A HUGE NAME in countries like the US and Australia. Curiously it’s never caught on as a brand here, even in Lincolnshire where our rutted roads and broken tarmac, farm tracks and grass verges mean extra ground clearance and reliable 4x4 transmission is always handy.

This is the all-new Outback, a fresh version one of the firm’s most well-respected estate cars. It has more ground clearance (213mm) than most SUVs and crossovers, and it has 2,000kg towing capability and standard all-wheel drive.

It’s powered by a 2.5 litre four cylinder engine matched to a CVT transmission. That means it delivers sure-footed power smoothly to all of its wheels, and can tiptoe over potholes, mud and ruts. There are three trim levels, with adaptive cruise control (essential for Lincolnshire’s single carriageway A-roads), and all models will come with face recognition as standard, which will adjust seat position, door mirrors radio station and air conditioning when it recognises the driver. Also new is a portrait-format touchscreen entertainment system which uses simple large tiles to ensure the car’s functions are as easy to access as possible. Entry level cars will feature water-repellent hard-wearing synthetic leather, and an automatic tailgate, whilst top spec versions will provide high end nappa leather seats. High riding, economical and well-equipped, the Outback is ideal for Lincolnshire’s country roads, a great alternative to thirsty high-riding off-roaders. n

Subaru Outback

Price: From £33,995. Engine: 2.5 litre four cylinder with CVT gearbox and all wheel drive. Equipment: 11” touch screen, adaptive cruise, automatic tailgate, torque vectoring.

A new SL from Mercedes

MERCEDES REVEALS ITS BRAND NEW SL ROADSTER, WITH DELIVERIES ANTICIPATED JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER...

MERCEDES Nearly 70 years after the original launch of the Mercedes Benz SL300, the company has revealed what its new generation flagship two seater sports car will look like. The luxurious roadster is now a 2+2 seater and the new model puts its power down on the road with all-wheel drive for the first time. Elsewhere, too, it’s all change! One of the most notable features of the new model is the omission of a metal folding roof in favour of a lighter and simpler fabric roof. Engines available from launch will include a Mercedes 4.0V8, and though the diesel engine is likely to be consigned to history, electrification should soon be available too, alongside a fierce AMG version, too. n MICHELIN Could the holy grail of tyres be just around the corner? Michelin has announced a 2024 launch date for its airless tyre, made from rubber and fibreglass promising better environmental credentials and savings on fuel. Over 50 patents for the design have been registered, and it’s hoped that when the tyres proliferate, checking tyre pressures, flats, jacks and spares might all be consigned to the history books! n

An electrified classic Aston...

EVEN Q BRANCH WOULD BE PROUD OF THIS TECHNICALLY SOPHISTICATED ELECTRIC REBOOT OF 007’S CLASSIC ASTON

Michelin announces airless tyre for 2024 launch...

LUNAZ The newest electric cars from mainstream manufacturers are very modern looking, so if you’re looking for an electric car which still has the grace and lines of cars like the classic GTs designed by British marque Aston Martin, look no further. Lunaz can electrify a DB6 now, and have it delivered to you for 2023, although the price of £750,000 might prove to be somewhat shocking. In addition to a 80-120kWh motor, the DB6’s cabin has been upgraded with air con and modern sat nav. Lunaz claims the car will have a range of around 255 miles and will generate about 700Nm of torque. n

MOTORING NEWS

In Brief

MOTORING HISTORY 125 YEARS OF MOTORING HISTORY TO VIEW ONLINE

Back on the 2nd November 1895, Autocar magazine published its first edition and it still publishes its printed magazine 125 years later. Since then successive journalists have produced 6,000 editions and 1.1 million pages. And the entire archive is now available to view online. Curious about which cars were on the market during the year of your birth? Keen to read a road test on the first car you ever owned? Fancy some motoring nostalgia? Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll be able to delve into what is probably the world’s most comprehensive and objective motoring archive, charting the evolution of the ‘mechanically propelled road carriage.’ n You can enjoy your first 14 days of access for free. See themotoringarchive.com join and enter the code AUTOCAR007 to start your free trial.