It's been five years since British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, chairman and founder of British chemicals giant Ineos, first announced plans to build a rugged, no-nonsense off-roader in the vein of the original Land Rover Defender, and now the company is just weeks out from the start of orders.

The off-roader is the Ineos Grenadier SUV, and the order books open up in May. Pricing in Ineos' home market of the U.K. has been confirmed to start at 49,000 British pounds (approximately $61,435).

Ineos has previously said sales in the U.S. will start in 2023, and while we don't have local pricing, Ineos has confirmed the Grenadier will come with a five-year/60,000-mile warranty in North America.

Jim Ratcliffe

Jim Ratcliffe

The Grenadier is based on a bespoke platform developed with the help of Austria's Magna Steyr. Magna helped Mercedes-Benz develop the G-Class and still builds the iconic SUV to this day, so it's no surprise the Grenadier bares a little resemblance to the G-Class as well.

The platform is a true off-roading design with body-on-frame construction, solid axles with panhard rods front and rear, progressive coil springs, and up to three locking differentials. To help reduce weight, the body is made from a mix of aluminum, high-strength steels and even some composites. Ineos quotes a ground clearance of 10.4 inches, a wading depth of 31.5 inches, and approach, breakover and depature angles of 35.5, 28.2 and 36.1 degrees, respectively. Buyers can choose between 17- and 18-inch wheels, both with a 6-stud pattern, and between Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain 001 and BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires.

Like the exterior, the interior has been designed almost purely with utility in mind, though there are some subtle luxury touches as well. Like the Defender it was modeled after, the Grenadier has a cabin featuring an upright dash and hard-wearing surface materials throughout. There are multiple controls, some of which can be customized (see the pre-wired auxiliary switches on the headliner), and they've all been widely spaced and clearly marked to make using them easy. At launch, buyers will be able to choose between two- or five-seat configurations.

2022 Ineos Grenadier

2022 Ineos Grenadier

2022 Ineos Grenadier

2022 Ineos Grenadier

2022 Ineos Grenadier

2022 Ineos Grenadier

There are modern features, too, including a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment. The system integrates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and can also be controlled via a rotary dial on the center console. The Grenadier also features multiple storage cubbies, including a lockable box in the center console. Drain plugs in the rubber flooring and wipe-down upholstery on the Recaro seats mean the cabin can be hosed down for easy cleaning. Ineos also plans to offer a range of accessories so owners can customize their SUVs.

Buyers can choose between gas or diesel engines, both of them 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 engines sourced from BMW. The engines have received some tweaks from Ineos, with the gas engine delivering 282 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque and the diesel delivering 245 hp and 406 lb-ft. An 8-speed automatic and a permanent four-wheel-drive system with a 2-speed transfer case complete the drivertrain. The braked towing capacity is 7,716 pounds.

Grenadier production is handled at the former Smart plant in Hambach, France. The first customer examples are scheduled to roll off the line in July.