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.”