INEOS Grenadier gets London Met Police approval

Utilitarian vehicles are a special breed, nowadays providing all the creature comforts 
we demand, whilst underneath they should be nothing short of being a mobile 
Rambo, capable of defence and attack in equal measure and once completed they 
return to being the height of good manners and civility. 
The INEOS Grenadier made its world debut in 2020, with full-scale production 
beginning commencing at their Northern France factory in Hambach, the Irish 
importation, distribution and support under the steerage of Orangeworks 
Automotive, experts in the extreme world of off-road driving. 
Since its launch here, I have driven the Grenadier to Irelands four corners, its on- 
road manners and long-distance comfort way above that of previous such providers, 
the small matter of acclimatising to its steering-box system simply one of 
acknowledging the design intent behind every aspect of the Grenadier’s raison d'être. 
Given their extensive knowledge and actual experience about off-road driving, 
Orangeworks Automotive went subtly and focused about introducing the Grenadier 
to their potential customers. Operating from their bespoke headquarters and test 
routes at Carton House, they created a vast array of challenges, where drivers can 
sample for themselves the insatiable appetite the Grenadier possesses. 
Seeking to provide dedicated vehicle support to the Emergency Services here, the 
Grenadier has been supporting rescue operations in Ireland with organisations 
including Kerry Mountain Rescue Team and Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue 
Team, where its combination of off-road capability, durability and practicality has 
been put to work across some of the country's most challenging terrain. 
Now, to consolidate the Grenadier’s talents, it has successfully passed the London 
Metropolitan Police's rigorous emergency vehicle testing programme, clearing both 
Passenger (M1) and Commercial (N1) variants for Blue Light service across the 
United Kingdom. 
The Metropolitan Police testing programme is recognised as one of the most 
demanding emergency vehicle approval processes in Europe. During evaluation, the 
Grenadier successfully completed the force's industry-leading brake test, repeatedly 
accelerating to 50mph before performing a full emergency stop fifty consecutive 
times, demonstrating there is no dangerous brake fade or system failure under 
sustained response driving conditions. 
The approval follows growing adoption of the Grenadier by emergency, rescue and 
specialist services across Europe, including police forces in Germany, France, Spain, 
Catalonia, Serbia, Slovakia and Poland. Earlier this year, the Grenadier also entered 
service with the RNLI throughout the UK and Ireland. 
Designed with operational fleets in mind, the Grenadier requires minimal 
modification for emergency service use. Factory-fitted pre-wired electrical circuits 
allow emergency lighting and communications equipment to be installed without 

drilling into the bodywork or chassis, while retaining the benefit 
of INEOS Automotive's five-year unlimited mileage warranty. 
The Commercial variant also provides up to 2,088 litres of load capacity, comfortably 
accommodating a standard Euro pallet alongside specialist rescue or operational 
equipment. 
The latest approval further strengthens the Grenadier's credentials for specialist 
response fleets that require dependable off-road capability without compromising 
everyday usability. 
David Bassett, MD of Orangeworks Automotive, said: 
“We’ve watched the Grenadier prove itself in local market for two years, with the 
teams who ask the most of their vehicles. Built to do a job and to keep doing it, this 
approval confirms what they already knew. And because it’s supported here at home, 
Irish operators get that capability with the backup to match.”