Ineos opens orders for Grenadier

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Ineos Group, the British chemical company that will bring the rugged BMW-powered Grenadier SUV to North America in spring 2023, will open its order books on Thursday.

The company says 63,000 hand lifters have expressed interest in the boxy all-terrain vehicle around the world, including 12,000 in North America. Now the company wants to see who’s serious about buying a retro-looking utility vehicle aimed at fans of classic and stripped-down SUVs such as the original Land Rover Defender version.

These facilitators will have a two week opportunity to place a deposit of $ 450 on a vehicle. After that, reservations will be open to all customers, said Greg Clark, North American executive vice president of Ineos. Automotive News.

Speaking about the $ 450 deposit, Clark said, “We really want an expression of genuine interest, and we think with small amounts you can get a lot, a lot of speculation.”

Ineos is different from most other startups. Money is not a concern for the company; it is one of the largest chemical manufacturers in the world.

“This is not a crowdfunding exercise by any stretch of the imagination,” Clark said.

He moved at high speed to set up a service and parts network and to select retailers for the United States, Canada and Mexico and have them up and running in time for launch.

The company said on Tuesday that its U.S. headquarters will be in Raleigh, NC Clark said Raleigh is close to ports and off-road terrain that can be used to demonstrate the vehicle’s capabilities, and it is also in a location attractive geographic area, which should facilitate the recruitment of employees with experience in importing vehicles.

With the first deliveries in about 20 months, Clark interviewed dealers, worked on the details of what Ineos showrooms will look like, and set up a nationwide service network.

Here are Ineos’ plans for North America, according to Clark.

  • Dealers: In the United States and Canada, Ineos will allocate franchises to individual dealers or groups of dealers with a strong regional footprint. It is possible, Clark said, that the company may allocate certain territories to large national dealer chains. But the goal is to keep the number of regional dealers and distributors small and manageable. The company is looking for around 40 points at launch.
  • Exhibition halls: Clark estimates that dealers will need to invest in the “low six figures” for an Ineos showroom that can accommodate between one and three vehicles to start and possibly up to six when the company adds new models.

“What we’ve learned so far is that customers aren’t impressed with the palace showrooms. They want to be able to talk one-to-one with people who are so enthusiastic and passionate about 4x4s. and the lifestyle that they are, ”said Clark. . “I want them [dealers] invest their money in great people, in great training to deliver a great customer experience. “

  • Service and parts: Ineos is working with Bosch to add factory approved service points in areas where there are no dealers. Bosch has a nationwide network of independent service centers. It is also possible that groups of dealers with BMW franchises will be able to serve Grenadier. Clark says Ineos is in talks with BMW about it. The company aims to deliver parts to service centers across the United States within 24 hours.
  • Mexico: Ineos will likely appoint one or two distributors who will be responsible for all aspects of Grenadier’s sales, marketing and service.

About 4,000 potential customers drove in early versions of the SUV, and the company drove about 1.2 million test kilometers. A former Daimler factory on the Franco-German border where the Grenadier will be built is now operated by Ineos.

The vehicle will be launched at the end of next year in Europe, and then North American exports will begin. The Grenadier will likely be covered by a 5 year / 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, Clark said. “We absolutely believe in this vehicle,” he added, “and we support it.”

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