Ineos Automotive is giving its deliberately old-school Grenadier a bit of a lifestyle twist with the new Helmsman Edition, a limited-production model aimed at buyers whose idea of an adventure involves kayaks and the occasional foray on a muddy access road.
The Helmsman goes on sale for the 2027 model year in both Grenadier Station Wagon and Quartermaster pickup forms. Ineos has confirmed the edition for its global markets, but U.S. pricing and exact availability have not yet been announced. In the U.K., where the model was unveiled, it starts at £70,995, or roughly $93,800.
The new edition arrives as Ineos continues to build a strong business in the United States. North America has become the company’s largest market, accounting for more than 60 percent of global Grenadier sales since deliveries began here in 2024. The company delivered its 15,000th Grenadier in the U.S. this year and has been expanding its sales and service network to support its growth.
The Helmsman is the first of what Ineos says will be a series of special editions, each inspired by the various elements the Grenadier was designed to take on.
The nautical theme of the Helmsman is largely confined to styling details, starting with a dark exterior accent package including black grille, dark skid plates, and matte-black roof rails. The Helmsman adds unique 17-inch diamond-cut wheels and edition-specific badging. Paint choices include Whiteout Blue metallic (formerly of the Arcane Works models), Eldoret Blue, and Scottish White, with contrasting black or white roofs.
Inside, the Helmsman gets black leather seats with off-white inserts, carpet mats over the Grenadier’s heavy-duty rubber flooring, ambient lighting, and additional electrical outlets. Heated seats, front parking sensors, and other equipment from the Smooth Pack are also included.
More interesting, perhaps, is what hasn’t changed.
The Grenadier remains one of the most unapologetically old-school off-roaders available, built with a body-on-frame chassis and using solid axles, permanent four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case, and locking differentials. In North America, it’s powered by a BMW-sourced 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six producing about 282 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
That hardware is a big reason why the Grenadier found success with American buyers who find modern SUVs—even Jeeps—too polished, giving it off-road credentials rather than simply the appearance of an adventure vehicle.
A Grendadier Quartermaster in Eldoret Blue, one of the available colors on the Helmsman.
And Ineos continues to expand the Grenadier beyond its original utilitarian intent. The company launched the Quartermaster pickup to broaden the platform’s usefulness, while editions such as the Trialmaster, Fieldmaster, and Black Edition have given buyers different combinations of off-road equipment and creature comforts.
The Grenadier has also become easier to buy in the U.S. since its launch, adding more dedicated retail and service facilities. It now runs more than 40 dealer locations across the country.
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But for a couple of sketchy, short-lived gigs right out of college, Natalie Neff has had the good fortune to spend the entirety of her professional life around cars. A 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 1972 VW Beetle, 2007 Porsche 911 Carrera S, and a well-loved purple-and-white five-speed Schwinn currently call her garage home.