INEOS automotive boss Dirk Heilmann (front left) shakes hands with Magna vice president Helmut Gasser next to the Steyr-Daimler-Puch mountain 4x4
Industry giant Magna Steyr, whose customers include BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar, will lead the development of a series of new 4x4
INEOS Automotive has named the major automotive engineering firm Magna Steyr as a technical partner for the development of its upcoming Grenadier 4x4.
The British firm, owned by chemical magnate Jim Ratcliffe, is developing the car as an uncompromising SUV in the form of the original Land Rover Defender. The Grenadier is due to enter series production in 2021 at a new factory in Bridgend, Wales.
INEOS is already involved with several partners in the 600 million, and is already working with the transmission division "Magna" on the chassis and development work. He has already agreed with the Austrian-based Magna Steyr for the position of development project manager to turn the concept into a serial production machine.
INEOS Automotive boss Dirk Heilmann stated that “the transition from concept to series development is an important milestone in the evolution of the Grenadier”. He added that Magna Steyr was chosen because of his "long history and experience in 4x4 development".
The grenadiers will be powered by BMW's latest 3.0-liter inline-six petrol and diesel engines. The firm is also collaborating with the Stuttgart-based consulting company MBTech on the design of the new car.
Magna Steyr is the automotive arm of Canadian engineering giant Magna International, and has developed vehicles, technologies and components for manufacturers including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar. It also operated a number of contract factories producing models including the Jaguar e-tempo and i-pace and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
Magna Steyr was formed in 2001 from the Steyr-Daimler-Puch Industrial Group, which has a long history of developing rugged 4x4 off-road and military vehicles, including the Steyr-Daimler-Puch Mountains.
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