The beloved not-a-Land Rover, Ineos Grenadier, is facing production challenges. Ineos has temporarily halted assembly at its Hambach plant in France, causing a pause in Grenadier production. The Grenadier Quartermaster pickup truck's production is also affected and may remain so until 2025. The issue does not stem from Ineos itself or any mechanical problems; instead, it is due to a supplier that manufactures a crucial trim part. Ineos has not disclosed the supplier's name or the nature of the part, but the shortage is significant enough that there seems to be no immediate solution to resume operations.
There is speculation that the supplier in question could be Recaro. An Ineos representative informed Automotive News Europe that the problematic supplier was in a pre-insolvency situation. Recaro Automotive filed for bankruptcy at the end of July, attributing its financial woes to significant price hikes during crisis years and the loss of a major contract. The company intended to continue seat production and fulfill existing orders during insolvency, though it's uncertain if this plan has changed.
An Ineos spokesperson provided the following statement to Motor1.com regarding the production halt: 'Our production at Hambach has encountered a critical component shortage beyond our control, causing a pause in our production schedule.' Automotive supply chains are inherently complex and challenging, and this disruption comes at a particularly busy time for Ineos. The company has received positive feedback from Grenadier customers worldwide and is active in over 45 countries. New markets like Mexico and China are set to launch this month. By summer, Ineos had sold as many Grenadiers as it had planned for the entire year. The company aims to produce over 20,000 vehicles by the end of the year, making this pause particularly frustrating.
Ineos is exploring every possible solution to resume manufacturing and meet demand as quickly as possible. Currently, the plan is to return to full production rates by early 2025. Ineos extends its gratitude to customers, especially those awaiting their Grenadiers, for their patience as the company works to resolve the issue.
