Custom Ineos Grenadiers stun at the Festival of Speed

You’ll be able to spot a Detour thanks to its forged 18-inch alloy wheels and revised grille and headlight surround. Like the skidplates, roof rails and rear ladder, it will be finished in new contrasting colours. Buyers will have the choice of four colours unique to the model, namely Magma Red, Whiteout Blue, Squall Green or Force Silver. Alternatively, it will be possible to choose a bespoke colour. Either way, Detour badging is made by Vaughtons in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

The tailoring continues inside the car. Two new satin finishes are available for the transmission tunnel, doors and air vents. The seats are trimmed in a choice of either fine-grain leather from Bridge of Weir or one of two cashmere trims from Johstons of Elgin.

The Detour will use the same choice of two straight-six BMW engines, and the four-wheel-drive underpinnings remain the same too. One mechanical element the buyer can choose is the tuning of the exhaust, meaning you can choose the sound you prefer. Only 200 Detours will be built.

Speaking about the new Arcane Works division, George Ratcliffe, Commercial Director, said:  “We chose the Arcane name for our new division because the limited-edition vehicles it creates will be so unique as to be rarely spotted in the wild. Working in small batches and hand-finishing the cars means we can give a level of individuality not found in the 4x4 market. For our first launch, Grenadier Detour felt like a fitting name as the Grenadier is for people who enjoy driving, and sometimes it’s worth taking the longer route.”

Elsewhere at the Festival of Speed, there are several Grenadier prototypes that foreshadow potential future models. The traditional body-on-frame construction allows great versatility, as demonstrated by the plethora of new derivatives. German off-road specialist LeTech has developed portal axles and fitted them to a Quartermaster crew-cab pick-up.

Portal axles relocate the differential and drive above the hubs. For the Grenadier, it raises the right height from 250mm to 514mm and boosts the wading depth by 250mm, upping it to 1050mm. The portal axle Grenadier is already in service with the fire brigade in Mühlheim an der Ruhr, Germany.

Another Quartermaster has been adapted with a shorter load bed, earning it the nickname ‘Shortermaster’. It was developed at the Grenediar factory in Hambach, France. At 305mm shorter than the regular Quartermaster, it maximises the potential load space by moving the rear seats forward.

Apprentices at Magna, a partner of Ineos, developed a V8 prototype as a way of giving them hands-on experience with the model. The complex powertrain exchange sees the BMW six-cylinder engine usurped by a 6.2-litre GM V8, triggering new engine mounts, electrics, a cooling system and even a revised centre console.

Two more Grenadiers have been adapted for very specific uses. Ineos Kavango, based in Botswana, has converted a car to an eight-seater to be used on safaris. The three rows of seats afford all occupants a great view out of the car for spotting native wildlife. Outside it features enhanced bodywork protection and specialist tyres.

Meanwhile in the UK, Buzz Special Vehicles has constructed an FIA compliant rally car for the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship. Increased power are matched by uprated suspension and brakes, and it will be put through its paces on the Forest Rally Stage.

The stripped out and rollcaged machine is about as diverse from the luxury Detour as it’s possible to be, showing the bookends of the model’s recent development.

The 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed is underway, and you can watch every moment of the action on our live stream right here on GRR!