Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster vs. Jeep Gladiator: Off-Road Pickups Compared
How does the European challenger stack up against the American icon on paper?
Ineos Automotive has confirmed that the Grenadier Quartermaster, the pickup variant of its all-new 4x4 Grenadier off-roader, is coming to the U.S. Timing and pricing have yet to be determined, but strong American demand for the Grenadier wagon, which will go on sale this coming fall, has prompted Ineos execs to schedule the Quartermaster for a U.S. sales launch sometime in 2024.
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Though available with a turbodiesel engine in Europe, U.S. versions of the Quartermaster will likely initially share the same powertrain as the U.S.-spec Grenadier wagon. That means the 282 hp, 332 lb-ft version of BMW's B58 3.0-liter turbocharged straight six under the hood, driving all four wheels through a ZF eight-speed transmission and Tremec two-speed high-low range transfer case, and a lockable center differential. And like the Grenadier, the Quartermaster will have coil-sprung live axles front and rear, with locking diffs available as an option.
In Europe, the Grenadier Quartermaster is offered in the same three trim levels as the SUV: a stripped-down base model, the off-road-focused Trialmaster, and the fully loaded Fieldmaster. However, as it's a pickup, the French-built Quartermaster will fall foul of the 25 percent 'Chicken Tax' levied on imported load luggers, and this may affect which models are ultimately offered to American buyers.
The Quartermaster offers four doors and room aboard for five thanks to a 21.5 inch wheelbase stretch over the Grenadier SUV. A 61.6 inch box behind the cabin means overall length has been increased by 23.5 inches.
America's love of pickup trucks, and the boom in overlanding, which requires vehicles with genuine off-road capability rather than showy boulevardiers, suggests a ready market for the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster. But the French import will face stiff competition from a home-grown hero with an even bigger reputation for off-road capability: the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon. Does the Grenadier Quartermaster look to have what it takes to tackle the Gladiator Rubicon? Let's take a look at the specs on paper and see what we find out.
Powertrain and Performance
Standard powertrain in the Jeep is the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 that produces 285 hp at 6,400 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. Standard transmission is a six-speed manual, but an eight-speed automatic is available as an option. Thanks to turbocharging, the Grenadier Quartermaster's smaller, BMW-sourced B58 3.0-liter inline six produces almost as much power—282 hp—as the bigger Jeep engine and significantly more torque—332 lb-ft. More important, both the power and torque peaks occur much lower in the rev range—at 4,750 rpm and from 1,750 rpm to 4,000 rpm respectively.
The Jeep is 750 pounds lighter overall than the Ineos, thanks largely to its removably soft-top, but the BMW B58 engine does a great job of shrugging off that disparity on the road. InMotorTrendtesting, the Gladiator Rubicon with the eight-speed automatic recorded a 0-60mph acceleration time of 8.1 seconds, while Ineos claims the Quartermaster has a 0-60mph acceleration time estimated at 8.5 seconds.
What's more, the Quartermaster's high torque at lower engine speeds means it's going to feel a little more relaxed both on and off the road. Though the Ineos has yet to be EPA tested, combined fuel economy looks as if it will be similar to the Jeep's 19 mpg.
Dimensions, Payload, and Towing
At 218 inches, the Gladiator Rubicon is 3.8 inches longer overall than the Grenadier Quartermaster and has a 10.3 inch longer wheelbase. But those numbers flatter to deceive: The Quartermaster's bed is 1.3 inches longer than that of the Gladiator, and 6.9 inches wider, although the wheel arches intrude into the load space more than they do in the Jeep.
The Quartermaster will carry more and tow more than the Gladiator, and by some margin. While Gladiator payloads range, depending on specification, from 1,105 pounds to a maximum of 1,600 pounds, the Quartermaster will lug 1,841 pounds. The Ineos will tow up to 7,716 pounds, too, while the Jeep maxes out at 7,650 pounds and it's not - as we found in testing - a comfortable experience.
The Quartermaster's broad shoulders extend to the roof, which has a dynamic load rating (which means the maximum load that can be carried while the vehicle is moving) of 331 pounds, and a static load rating for things like camping canopies of 882 pounds.
Off-Road Capability
Both the Jeep and the Ineos have coil-sprung live axles front and rear, disc brakes all round, and roll on 17-inch alloy wheels. As the most off-road optimized of the Gladiators, the Rubicon is fitted with 285/70 all-terrain tires that have an overall rolling diameter of 33 inches. The Quartermaster comes standard with Bridgestone 265/70 All-Terrain tires that have a rolling diameter of 31.6 inches, although tougher BF Goodrich T/A KO2 off-road tires are available as an option.
The Gladiator Rubicon comes standard with a part-time four-wheel drive system, while the Grenadier Quartermaster has full time four-wheel drive with a lockable center differential and locking front and rear differentials are available as an option.
The Jeep boasts more ground clearance than the Ineos—11.1 inches versus 10.4 inches—has a much more aggressive approach angle—43.4 degrees versus 35.5 degrees—and a better departure angle—26.0 degrees versus 22.6 degrees. But that longer wheelbase means the Gladiator Rubicon's ramp over angle of 20.3 degrees is nowhere near as good as the Grenadier Quartermaster's 26.2 degrees. Both vehicles will wade through water 31.5 inches deep.
Pure geometry suggests that, in extreme off-road conditions, the Jeep will have an edge over the Ineos. But the Quartermaster's smoother and torquier engine and more sophisticated all-wheel drive system might make that gap narrower than it seems on paper.
Pricing
Here's where the Gladiator Rubicon will enjoy its biggest advantage. Though, as mentioned, pricing and specifications have yet to be determined for the U.S. market Grenadier Quartermaster, there's little doubt the imported pickup will cost considerably more than its home-grown rival.
A quick cruise through the Jeep configurator suggests a Gladiator Rubicon optioned up to match the Grenadier Quartermaster's standard specification—that is, with an eight-speed automatic transmission, full time four-wheel drive, and a hard-top roof—will lighten your wallet by just over $60,000 (though discounts aren't hard to find).
In the UK, the base Quartermaster retails for the equivalent of $85,000, with the more highly equipped Trialmaster and Fieldmaster models priced at $94,000. In Australia, however, prices start at the equivalent of $70,000 and stretch to $80,000, which suggests Ineos has some wiggle room when deciding U.S. pricing.
The base Quartermaster comes standard with steel wheels, air conditioning, and a configurable screen in the center of the dash. The Trialmaster model adds a bunch of the optional off-roading hardware as standard, including the front and rear diff locks, BF Goodrich tires, a raised air intake, and an auxiliary battery and 400W power takeoff. The Trialmaster also comes with front park assist, heated exterior mirrors and windshield washer jets, and a compass with altimeter. Some of that stuff simply isn't available in the Jeep.
And the Winner Is...
There's no question, the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is the value buy if you want a pickup that will take you further off-road than almost anything else on wheels, and of course you can find a Jeep dealer and Jeep parts almost anywhere. But that doesn't mean the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster isn't in the hunt. It promises a smoother, more refined drive on the road, looks to be almost as capable as the Jeep off it, and can haul more stuff. In the final analysis we suspect the Quartermaster will find no shortage of buyers, especially among those who are serious about their overlanding.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by cars. My father was a mechanic, and some of my earliest memories are of handing him wrenches as he worked to turn a succession of down-at-heel secondhand cars into reliable family transportation. Later, when I was about 12, I’d be allowed to back the Valiant station wagon out onto the street and drive it around to the front of the house to wash it. We had the cleanest Valiant in the world.
I got my driver’s license exactly three months after my 16th birthday in a Series II Land Rover, ex-Australian Army with no synchro on first or second and about a million miles on the clock. “Pass your test in that,” said Dad, “and you’ll be able to drive anything.” He was right. Nearly four decades later I’ve driven everything from a Bugatti Veyron to a Volvo 18-wheeler, on roads and tracks all over the world. Very few people get the opportunity to parlay their passion into a career. I’m one of those fortunate few.
I started editing my local car club magazine, partly because no-one else would do it, and partly because I’d sold my rally car to get the deposit for my first house, and wanted to stay involved in the sport. Then one day someone handed me a free local sports paper and said they might want car stuff in it. I rang the editor and to my surprise she said yes. There was no pay, but I did get press passes, which meant I got into the races for free. And meet real automotive journalists in the pressroom. And watch and learn.
It’s been a helluva ride ever since. I’ve written about everything from Formula 1 to Sprint Car racing; from new cars and trucks to wild street machines and multi-million dollar classics; from global industry trends to secondhand car dealers. I’ve done automotive TV shows and radio shows, and helped create automotive websites, iMags and mobile apps. I’ve been the editor-in-chief of leading automotive media brands in Australia, Great Britain, and the United States. And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. The longer I’m in this business the more astonished I am these fiendishly complicated devices we call automobiles get made at all, and how accomplished they have become at doing what they’re designed to do. I believe all new cars should be great, and I’m disappointed when they’re not. Over the years I’ve come to realize cars are the result of a complex interaction of people, politics and process, which is why they’re all different. And why they continue to fascinate me.Read More
