On and off-road adventure: Armstrong’s
If one brand has made waves in the off-road, go anywhere, utilitarian community within the last two years, then it is INEOS Automotive by a country mile. Metropol motoring writer Ben Selby checks out the newest in its range.
The automotive arm of British based company INEOS was founded by its chairman Jim Ratcliffe, himself a keen car fan and adventurer. The INEOS Grenadier Station Wagon is his vision of what the ultimate tough, off-road vehicle should be.
In July 2023, the Grenadier Station Wagon was joined by the Grenadier Quartermaster. A double-cab, long wheelbase, pick-up variant of the station wagon, INEOS says the Quartermaster combines the qualities of the Grenadier Station Wagon with added utility and versatility. 
The Quartermaster is 305mm longer thanks to an extended box-section ladder frame chassis. While its shares many of its components and toys with the station wagon, it sports a carrying payload of 760kg, big enough to hold a wooden pallet. You also have the same 3500kg towing capacity as the Grenadier Station Wagon. Its tailgate can also take the weight of objects weighing up to 225kg when fully open, which is rather astounding.
Power comes from a BMW sourced 3.0L turbocharged straight-six, with either petrol or diesel options available. Power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. Power and torque is rated at 210kW/450Nm for the petrol, and 183kW/550Nm for the diesel respectively.
Underneath you have a locking centre differential with two-speed transfer case. Front and rear locking diffs are also optional. The Quartermaster gives drivers 264mm of ground clearance and the ability to wade through rivers up to 800mm.
A rugged five-link front and rear suspension set up is accompanied by a re-circulating ball steering system solid beam axles supplied by Carraro. Inside you get a wide range of safety equipment. Indeed, many of the Grenadier’s in-car features are operated by a plethora of durable switchgear which seems to have been lifted from a Black Hawk helicopter.
Plus, the options list of ways you can spec up your Grenadier Quartermaster is quite considerable. These include a waterproof canvas canopy for the cargo bat, roof rack, mounting points for winches, additional power sources, jerry cans, sand ladders, and even shovels for those customers intending to be as intrepid as possible.
Available through Armstrong’s Christchurch in three spec levels, including standard, Trialmaster, and Fieldmaster, the INEOS Grenadier Quartermaster is dead set on gaining a firm foothold in the hearts and minds of the would-be adventurers throughout New Zealand. Stay tuned for more.
