Ratcliffe's Grenadier rolls into battle for MoD's 900m Land Rover replacement

"Sir Jim Ratcliffe has thrown his Ineos Grenadier into one of the most coveted defence procurement contests of the decade, gunning for a Ministry of Defence contract worth an initial £900 million to replace the British Army's ageing fleet of Land Rovers."

"The billionaire industrialist, tax exile and part-owner of Manchester United has been in active discussions with the MoD, lining his utilitarian 4×4 up for a tender that opens shortly and could ultimately deliver up to 7,000 vehicles to the armed forces. A formal announcement from Ineos Grenadier is understood to be imminent, with initial bids due on Monday."

"It sets the stage for a four-way scrap that pits Ratcliffe directly against his long-standing rival, Jaguar Land Rover, the British marque he once tried, unsuccessfully, to acquire. JLR is fielding a military variant of its commercially successful new Defender, the modernised reincarnation of the very vehicle the Grenadier was inspired by. The two firms previously clashed in court when JLR accused Ratcliffe of copying the original Land Rover silhouette; the judge ruled there had been no breach of copyright, though Ratcliffe has never disguised the lineage of his design."

"Mike Whittington, chief commercial officer at Ineos, made it clear the Grenadier's ambitions stretch well beyond Whitehall. "The Grenadier is the ideal choice for defence services as it's the most capable 4×4," he said. "Its local supply lines make it ideal for deployment in European countries, for sovereign defence and operations in th"

Ineos Grenadier is preparing a bid for a Ministry of Defence contract worth an initial £900 million to replace the British Army’s ageing Land Rover fleet. The tender could ultimately supply up to 7,000 vehicles. Ineos is expected to announce its participation soon, with initial bids due on Monday. The contest is expected to involve four bidders, including Jaguar Land Rover, which is offering a military variant of its modern Defender. Ineos and JLR have previously clashed in court over design copying, with a judge ruling there was no copyright breach. Other contenders include BAE Systems with General Motors’ Infantry Squad Vehicle and Supacat with an armoured Toyota Hilux derivative.

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