The 2023 Ineos Grenadier will cost from £49,000 ($61,489) when it goes on sale in the UK next month, giving a clue to how the 4×4 will be priced when U.S. details are released later this year.

Kicking off the range is a two-seat Utility Wagon that comes with a full-height cargo barrier and flat floor,and is intended to compete with commercial versions of the Land Rover Defender. Technically, the cheapest of those, the short-wheelbase, 197 hp (200 PS) two-door Defender 90 Hardtop, undercuts the Grenadier by over £3,000 ($3,763). But to match the Grenadier’s space and 246 hp (249 PS) output you have to step up to the Defender 110 Hardtop, and that starts at £53,745 ($67,424).

North American prices for the French-built spiritual successor to the original Land Rover Defender are still being finalized ahead of a 2023 launch. But for context, the U.S.-market Defender 90 lineup opens at $52,300 for an entry-grade S car, and the 110 (which is available in non-S guise) begins at $51,700, though both those prices are for turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines, a configuration the Grenadier doesn’t offer.

Ineos offers two engines, both turbocharged 3.0-liter, six-cylinder units from BMW driving all four wheels through a ZF8HP eight-speed automatic transmission. The B57 diesel punches out 246 hp (249 PS) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque, while the B58 gasoline alternative makes 282 hp (286 PS) and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm). Ineos also plans to offer a hydrogen fuel cell option in the future and has heavily invested in the technology.

The Grenadier Utility Wagon has a 73.7 cu-ft (2,088-liter) load capacity, can tow 7,720 lbs (3,500 kg) and winch 12,125 lbs (5,500 kg). But if you want a five-seat version, the cargo bay is cut to 40.7 cu ft (1,152 liters). The passenger version of the Grenadier doesn’t only cost you cargo space – it also costs you financially as the base five-seat Ineos starts at £52,000 ($65,235).

Buyers looking for something being a bare-bones Grenadier have a few configuration options to choose from, both developed with the Ineos-owned clothing brand Belstaff, which is well know for its motorcycle- and outdoor clothing, and costing from £59,000 ($74,000).

As its name suggests, the Grenadier Trailmaster is designed for life away from paved roads and comes with front and rear diff locks, BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, a raised car intake and an auxiliary battery. The spec of the Grenadier Fieldmaster, on the other, hand, suggests the nearest it’ll come to a field is when it rolls up the polo club. It comes with a “Smooth Pack”, which includes a back-up camera, puddle lamps, powered mirrors and heated leather seats.

^{_{Article Credit: Chris Chilton
Full Articles: https://www.carscoops.com/2022/04/2023-ineos-grenadier-starts-at-49000-in-the-uk-undercuts-land-rover-defender-110/}}

Meet Lleida, a 1-of-1 1991 Land Rover Defender restored in Spain and headed for a new home in America.

Nowadays, if you think about manufacturing a car, what comes to your mind? Probably a big factory full of robots working autonomously, right? Well, if we’re talking about the classic off-roader you see here, a 1991 three-door Defender, you can forget all that.

Thankfully, there is still space for small artisan workshops like Defender & Friends, a tiny Spanish company whose work focuses on restoring, preparing, and installing modern components on decades-old Land Rover models. In other words, they create unique restomods that still maintain the essence of the original vehicles.

Each project starts with a name, which always refers to the place where the original vehicle was found. In this case, it’s Lleida, a city in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region. These exotic place names are especially interesting considering most of Defender & Friends’ creations end up in the United States.

Ermengol Molins is the co-founder of the company and we met in quite an unusual way. We were introduced by a good friend, Miguel Quintana, at the 2021 Spain Classic Rally. I could not imagine back then, when we were talking next to his stunning Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST205), that a few months later I would be driving one of his creations.

The first meeting eventually led to the D&F workshop in the province of Barcelona, where I was able to get a better look at how the restoration process works. 

Of course, there are several levels of updating and modernization of the vehicles, with different prices and timeframes for each. The point of entry is the equivalent of about $35,000, with a timeline of roughly three and a half months. However, most projects are frame-off restorations, which can take up to a year. Such was the case with the Lleida on this test drive.

It’s striking to see models completely disassembled in the workshop, with the chassis on one side and the bodywork on the other, as if it were a 1:24 scale Tamiya kit

In cases like the Lleida, (a model priced at $150,000), modern technologies are added and contemporary materials such as carbon fiber or natural leather are also used, along with exquisite restoration work. For example, we are talking about a three-spoke sports steering wheel, a multimedia system compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air conditioning, and heated sports seats, just to name a few. That’s in addition to welcome lights or ambient lighting systems in the rear, which has a double side bench specification.

Obviously, the engine, transmission, and transfer case are completely overhauled, while improvements are made to the brakes, steering, and suspension. The latter, for example, has four different stiffness settings on the Lleida. 

On the road, the model is nowhere near what an original Defender offered 31 years ago. And this is an important point: to enter the U.S. without problems, cars must be at least 25 years old and keep the original engine.

In the case of this model, the engine is the more than proven 200 TDI diesel, which delivers 112 horsepower and is linked to a five-speed manual transmission. Also, as a proper off-roader, it has a four-wheel-drive system and a proper low-range gearbox, all to keep Lleida moving when the terrain gets tricky.

It’s all complemented by BFGoodrich off-road tires, which are mounted on black multi-spoke alloy wheels, made by renowned specialist Kahn Design.

In addition to its off-road capabilities, buyers also want to have an exclusive product, tailor-made and full of personality. To drive a unique car that your neighbor can never have, shall we say.

This is why D&F works hand in hand with the buyer, who can choose every last detail about the car. This is something that can be taken to the extreme, as we saw with another model in the workshop. It was being completely restored, but the rims retained the original rust. Why? The customer wanted the car to continue to show part of its history.

Back to the Lleida: it feels nothing like a 30-year-old Defender. The engine runs extremely smooth (for an old diesel, at least), and operating the gearbox is a delight thanks to the action of the shifter. 

In general, the soundproofing of the cabin is much better, due to the use of insulated glass. And the good work carried out on the suspension is noticeable after just a few kilometers of driving. In short, the car has been built to be fully usable on a daily basis.

The driving position is still quite peculiar. In fact, you might remember that it was typical on this model to keep hitting the driver-side window with your left elbow. But everything is now surrounded by a more luxurious atmosphere, due to the care that has been put into the choice of materials.

And so, little by little, you gain more and more confidence in it. Each time you go through the gears, you begin to discover that the engine still has a lot to offer (even though 112 hp is almost unthinkable today). You can also see how the level of steering precision and stability has improved compared to what the original models offered.

And that’s the end of our test with this very special car. Born from the passion of a small group of enthusiasts, Lleida will soon be crossing the ocean to meet the American buyer. That lucky person has something truly special, a one-of-one vehicle to drive and fall in love with.

Gallery: Land Rover Defender Restomod Defender & Friends

_{^{Article Credit: Javier Llorente
Full Articles: https://www.motor1.com/features/582358/1991-land-rover-defender-restomod-review-video/}}

A Dutch company has lifted the lid of Land Rover’s iconic off-roader – and it has an eye-watering price.

The Land Rover Defender will soon be available as a convertible, with little-known Dutch coachbuilder Heritage Customs offering to chop the roof off for €84,700 ($AU120,000) – in addition to the cost of the donor car.

Dubbed the Valiance and based on a standard Defender 90 short wheelbase, the new soft-top is now available for pre-order. However, production for customers won’t begin until later this year.

According to Heritage Customs, the vehicle is “a more heroic version of the Defender” and the ultimate “limited edition coach-built motorcar.”

Buyers are required to supply their own car, with the €84,400 conversion cost in addition to the vehicle’s RRP.

This means it’s unlikely a convertible Defender can be had for less than €130,000 ($AU190,000) in its most basic guise.

The conversion can reportedly be applied to any short wheelbase Land Rover Defender with six-cylinder or V8 power. For now, Heritage Customs does not offer any engine power upgrades.

However, bespoke 20-inch ‘Space Cowboy’ alloy wheels, a revamped interior, and exterior badging are added as part of the deal.

Just five examples of the Valiance will be built this year, however the manufacturer says it may increase production in the future.

_{^{Article Credit: William Davis
Full Articles: https://www.drive.com.au/news/land-rover-defender-convertible-unveiled/}}