Quite like that but I’d rather have Toyota running gear than BMW. Perhaps a lower spec model with a 4cyl Toyota diesel would be a worthy entry model.
I thought BMW made the 4-cyl diesels for Toyota these days?
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“ I thought BMW made the 4-cyl diesels for Toyota these days?”
Good point. They do or rather did for road cars in Europe but Toyota do still make 4cyl diesels for the Hilux and commercials that aren’t available in the UK.
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There's a lot of buttons going on top and bottom.
Don't get me wrong, they're much preferred by me to a touchscreen with 5 sub menus.
Still. An awful lot of buttons.
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There's a lot of buttons going on top and bottom.
Don't get me wrong, they're much preferred by me to a touchscreen with 5 sub menus.
Still. An awful lot of buttons.
Indeed - I don't like that interior sytling or the plethora of switches - it looks like a cheapo 1980s plastic knock-off of a 1960s space capsule (let's hope that the electrics hold up better), rather like the centre console, dash of the (nice on the outside) Toyota GT86. And in light grey plastic too. Urgh.
Whatever people may say about the recent crop of Land/Range Rovers, their interiors are stylish.
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Talking of space capsules, I remember getting to look at the 'cockpit' of a Shuttle up close and thinking, " good grief!! They got this into space?!"
The GT86 dashboard may have looked cheap but it never felt so. Hard chunky rotary dials but they felt durable.
More than can be said for a lot of those "tablets".
Imagine putting one IN the dash and giving it motors to rise up.
Yes, I'm talking about you Audi.
Edited by groaver on 07/07/2021 at 14:06
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While I'd agree that Toyota running gear would make more sense, I'm not really sold on the interior full stop. There is a weird mixture of materials and styles which (IMO) don't really work. That centre panel with massive chunky switches seems to be inspired by WW2 aircraft and the need to operate them using thick leather gloves (In fact that particular section seems designed to appeal to people who think massive watches are cool). If the whole dashboard was designed with that aesthetic in mind, fair enough, but you've got that weird organic looking BMW gear selector along with the brown leather handbrake which neither go with each other, nor the rest of the dashboard.
Plus, IMO, it needs a bench seat in the front!
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Never mind WW2 aircraft it looks just like a modern aircraft, especially the above head control panel.
https://ccntservice.airbus.com/apps/cockpits/a320/?_ga=2.44633447.259952630.1625646780-930805528.1625646779
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OMG...that would confuse the xxxx outa me.!...looks a bit like a DIY build to me.
Not a fan
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I thought BMW made the 4-cyl diesels for Toyota these days?
They did for the cars at one point, but no diesel Toyota cars any more, at least not in this country. The obvious Toyota engine to put in a basic Grenadier would be from the Hilux, which uses a Toyota engine (and always has).
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I suspect the brown leather handbrake and steering wheel are options, they're black in the main photo. Centre face vents look cheap to me. The number of switches isn't really an issue, well space and labelled.
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I suspect the brown leather handbrake and steering wheel are options, they're black in the main photo. Centre face vents look cheap to me. The number of switches isn't really an issue, well space and labelled.
They are but why have a large stereo mute button right at the bottom of the dash?
The HVAC controls are a bit spread out as well.
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I suspect the brown leather handbrake and steering wheel are options, they're black in the main photo. Centre face vents look cheap to me. The number of switches isn't really an issue, well space and labelled.
They are but why have a large stereo mute button right at the bottom of the dash?
The HVAC controls are a bit spread out as well.
For big farmer and builder hands.
Some cars have the stereo mute/volume/on-off switch near the gear lever.
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Here come the BMW put downs again, nothing wrong with the engines and auto is one of the best. What I do like is that you can Jet wash the interior, instant and cheap valet. Not a practical motor for Cheshire or Chelsea?
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“ Here come the BMW put downs again, nothing wrong with the engines and auto is one of the best”
Wrong and correct in one statement. The autos are fine but the 4cyl diesels are notoriously fragile as they age. The 6’s are however more robust both in petrol and diesel form.
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“ Here come the BMW put downs again, nothing wrong with the engines and auto is one of the best”
Wrong and correct in one statement. The autos are fine but the 4cyl diesels are notoriously fragile as they age. The 6’s are however more robust both in petrol and diesel form.
I believe the Grenadier uses the 6 cyl diesel.
But the fact that it may be a great engine in a sporty executive car, or a pampered SUV does not necessarily mean it will suit a heavy duty workhorse. The 2.8 4 pot in the Hilux though, that is very well proven in the most arduous conditions and has (IMO) more than enough power for a vehicle of that type.
Edited by badbusdriver on 07/07/2021 at 15:20
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“ The 2.8 4 pot in the Hilux though, that is very well proven in the most arduous conditions and has (IMO) more than enough power for a vehicle of that type.”
I’d have far more faith in the old Toyota motor than a BMW engine designed for a pampered motorway pounding electronic laden executive saloon. The 6’s tend to less fragile but it’s rare to see one reach old age, most elderly BMW’s tend to be petrol. The diesels fall off a cliff past 10yrs and 100k. They’re too complex and dislike the sort of neglect a workhorse like this will often see. The 4cyl motors have a habit of eating timing chains and both enjoy a good smoke as they get on in years. I wouldn’t recommend an older BMW diesel to anyone.
Edited by SLO76 on 07/07/2021 at 15:38
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“ Here come the BMW put downs again, nothing wrong with the engines and auto is one of the best”
Wrong and correct in one statement. The autos are fine but the 4cyl diesels are notoriously fragile as they age. The 6’s are however more robust both in petrol and diesel form.
I believe the Grenadier uses the 6 cyl diesel.
But the fact that it may be a great engine in a sporty executive car, or a pampered SUV does not necessarily mean it will suit a heavy duty workhorse. The 2.8 4 pot in the Hilux though, that is very well proven in the most arduous conditions and has (IMO) more than enough power for a vehicle of that type.
I recall Vauxhall using a BMW 2.5 diesel for a while, lower power than when used by BMW - but it was fragile given the abuse of company drivers, particularly when service intervals were ignored/extended.
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I suspect the brown leather handbrake and steering wheel are options, they're black in the main photo. Centre face vents look cheap to me. The number of switches isn't really an issue, well space and labelled.
They are but why have a large stereo mute button right at the bottom of the dash?
The HVAC controls are a bit spread out as well.
For big farmer and builder hands.
Some cars have the stereo mute/volume/on-off switch near the gear lever.
When I was a student I drove Land Rovers in the Highlands as a summer job,
With wellies.
And big rubberised gloves as it was cold - even in the summer - and it rained and rained and there were midges.
And since these were off road jobs, drinking tea or coffee from a flask at 5mph.
Anything at all delicate in the switchgear would get broken but for the fact it had been broken long ago.
ABMW engine would be fine if it was detuned to offer maximum torque at 2,000rpm.Since the quoted figures appear similar to the saloons, maybe not. You don't want lots of revs in mud, going sideways or in a river,
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It's the ergonomics of the switchgear rather than the robustness of it that I'm a bit bemused by.
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I recall Vauxhall using a BMW 2.5 diesel for a while, lower power than when used by BMW - but it was fragile given the abuse of company drivers, particularly when service intervals were ignored/extended.
I was actually going to mention that same engine being used in the P38 Range Rover. But it didn't impress, struggling with the weight of the Rangey. A work colleague had the same engine in a 5 Series estate and he was very impressed with it, as was I when he gave me a run in it!
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The overhead console, according to the Autocar article, has customisable buttons which the owners can connect up as they see fit. The Grenadier is just screaming to be a James Bond car! Cue the revolving number plate, machine guns, smoke screen, oil slick, tyre slashers, pop-up bulletproof shield and ejector seat... Time to drag M out of retirement, methinks!
Edited by Bilboman on 07/07/2021 at 21:35
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Bizarrely there don't seem to be any door armrests. Not convinced by the cycle toot next to the volume controls. However, it's good to see cloth upholstery's available.
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Bizarrely there don't seem to be any door armrests. Not convinced by the cycle toot next to the volume controls. However, it's good to see cloth upholstery's available.
Probably showing its Defender ancestry there then re the lack of armrests, with the seats pushed right out. Wonder if you'll be whacking your elbow on the window too?!.
I was also bemused by the secondary horn, I wonder if there is anything else the Grenadier has in common with the Mercedes 600 Grosser?
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The overhead console, according to the Autocar article, has customisable buttons which the owners can connect up as they see fit. The Grenadier is just screaming to be a James Bond car! Cue the revolving number plate, machine guns, smoke screen, oil slick, tyre slashers, pop-up bulletproof shield and ejector seat... Time to drag M out of retirement, methinks!
Ordinarily, I'd agree, but given that the latest Bond film will not make a profit and, depending on it's success (or likely lack thereof) and of similar 'blockbuster films' in the coming year or two, I suspect we won't be seeing any new Bond film for a long time, if ever again.
Maybe Jason Bourne can borrow the car.
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Maybe Jason Bourne can borrow the car.
Na, Bourne would just steal some old smoker from the nearest car park!.
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The overhead console, according to the Autocar article, has customisable buttons which the owners can connect up as they see fit. The Grenadier is just screaming to be a James Bond car! Cue the revolving number plate, machine guns, smoke screen, oil slick, tyre slashers, pop-up bulletproof shield and ejector seat... Time to drag M out of retirement, methinks!
Ordinarily, I'd agree, but given that the latest Bond film will not make a profit and, depending on it's success (or likely lack thereof) and of similar 'blockbuster films' in the coming year or two, I suspect we won't be seeing any new Bond film for a long time, if ever again.
No reason why it won't make a profit when it comes out - cinema is getting back to more normal now and the latest Fast & Furious film is pulling in quite a lot of money - when James Bond comes round later in the year I doubt it will lose money for the studio. The chances of no bond films is pretty much is pretty much zero as they are so popular and even if they were not in the cinema they would make them for TV.
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I quite like the interior design, whereas externally I think they could have got a bit further away from the Defender / Santana look while still retaining 'form follows function'.
It seems the Grenadiier isn't quite as simple or basic as one might have been led to believe and I can't imagine it will be cheap. So rather than filling the gap in the market left by the old Defender, it might find itself in direct competition with the new one.
Edited by Sofa Spud on 09/07/2021 at 12:50
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