FIRST DRIVE Pick-up variant of go-anywhere 4x4 offers added versatility, but at a cost
Dean Gibson Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk@DeanGbsn
WHEN petrochemical billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe founded Ineos Automotive, it was his intention to build a go-anywhere 4x4 that was a spiritual successor to Land Rovers of old. As we’ve discovered, the Grenadier does exactly that, and now the company is expanding its offering, by creating the Grenadier Quartermaster pick-up.
If you hadn’t already surmised, the Quartermaster (named after an army officer responsible for logistics and the supply of provisions) is a body variation of the existing 4x4. From the nose to the trailing edge of the rear doors, it looks identical. The changes further back include an extended 3,227mm wheelbase (up by 305mm) while the open pick-up bed stretches the car’s overall length to 5,440mm, making the Quartermaster longer than a Ford Ranger.
The four-door, five-seat double-cab layout is conventional for a pick-up, although the tall ride height means access is a challenge even for people of average height – we’d recommend adding side steps if you’re going to carry passengers regularly.
The Quartermaster’s cargo area features a lining to protect the paintwork, four lashing eyes in the floor and a 400-Watt power take-off. The tailgate hinges down to reveal a 1,280mm opening, while the door itself can take up to 225kg of weight when it’s dropped down. Unlike some top-end pick-ups, the Quartermaster’s tailgate doesn’t have a damper for soft opening.
A bigger issue is the Quartermaster’s 835kg payload, which is 165kg away from the magic one-tonne threshold for it to qualify as a commercial vehicle. Since the UK is the only market where that applies, Ineos felt it wasn’t worth redesigning the rear suspension of the standard Grenadier to accommodate this requirement.
It also demonstrates the global nature of the Ineos line-up – the Quartermaster won’t be able to challenge the Ranger or VW Amarok for commercial fleet sales here, but it’s a perfect rival for the Jeep Gladiator pick-up in the US. A towing weight of 3.5 tonnes means the Quartermaster can match the best tow cars on the market, though.
The Quartermaster’s running gear is carried over from the Grenadier, so you get petrol or diesel 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engines sourced from BMW, plus plenty of tried-and-tested components from specialist makers that should boost reliability.
The traditional body-on-frame chas
