Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos and Land Rover ramp up rivalry over £900m Army vehicle contract

The Ministry of Defence's search for a new all-terrain military vehicle to replace the retiring 'Landy' 4X4, has sparked renewed rivalry between Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Automotive and Land Rover.The MoD needs to replace its fleet of 6,000 vehicles before the end of the decade, after announcing the retirement of the original Land Rover following 75 years of service.Several of the world's biggest automotive and defence manufacturers are competing for the £900million contract.In one corner of a high-profile battle for the vacant position stands JLR, which has entered a military-spec version of its latest-generation Land Rover Defender.But Ratcliffe's Ineos has also thrown its hat into the ring, submitting nine different versions of its Grenadier to meet the Army's light mobility vehicle requirements.Ineos's rugged ladder-frame 4X4 has already secured military contracts overseas, including supplying vehicles to the Italian armed forces.Now Ratcliffe is going head-to-head with Land Rover once again, a decade after launching his ambitious plan to build a spiritual successor to the old Defender, which ended production in January 2016.That move sparked a bitter legal dispute, with Land Rover accusing Ineos of copying its iconic off-roader. A range of vehicles will be showcased to the MoD at next week's DVD2026 defence exhibition at the Millbrook Proving Ground before the winner is selected next year. Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Automotive will reignite its rivalry with Land Rover as the pair duke it out for the £900million MoD contract to provide vehicles to replace the retiring 'Landy'Ineos assembles military consortiumThe military-grade Grenadier range has been developed in partnership with several specialist British firms, including MT Defence and NMS UK.Lincolnshire-based Hobson Industries is the latest British company added to the consortium. It specialises in the restoration, remanufacturing and support of military vehicles, including the Defender and Army-spec Wolf.TVS Supply Chain Solutions has also been announced as a logistics, warehousing and transportation partner. It is headquartered in Chennai, India, but its UK operations are based in Chorley, Lancashire.Ineos says its proposals meet the core requirements of the MoD's Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) programme by 'combining a world-leading 4X4 vehicle platform with deep-rooted special operations and systems integration expertise'. Ineos Automotive has submitting nine different variants of Grenadier to meet the Ministry of Defence's light mobility vehicle requirements Ineos's rugged ladder-frame 4X4 has already secured military contracts overseas, including supplying vehicles to the Italian armed forces.Each of the nine variants is based on the Grenadier's steel ladder-frame chassis, solid beam axles and proven powertrain architecture.While the road-going Grenadier attracted criticism for its on-road manners when it launched in 2022, recent updates have improved refinement and day-to-day usability.Its off-road ability, however, has always been widely praised as among the best in the sector.Ineos also believes the vehicle's durability and ease of maintenance make it particularly well suited to military service.Mike Whittington, chief commercial officer at Ineos Automotive, said: 'Both Hobsons and TVS SCS bring considerable military understanding, commercial best practice and proven programme delivery to the Team Grenadier consortium.'Together we can deliver the operational resilience, scalability and exceptional in-service support required by the MoD throughout the lifetime of the Grenadier fleet, while backing domestic industry and supporting UK jobs.' In 2020, Sir Jim Ratcliffe (pictured outside the London Grenadier pub where he came up with the idea for a Defender replacement) won a four-year legal battle against Land Rover Here's how the Ineos Grenadier and Land Rover Defender you can buy compare on paperDefender enters the fightBut JLR believes it has an equally strong case having revealed its entry for the lucrative defence contract last week.With Ineos also looking to secure a deal with the MoD, it threatens to reignite a rivalry that stretches back more than a decade. JLR in 2016 attempted to trademark the shape of the original Defender to block Ratcliffe's intentions to launch the Grenadier. However, it ultimately lost the legal battle in 2020, clearing the way for the petrochemicals billionaire to progress with his development and plans to sell Grenadier to the public.The Defender Wolf Series II has been offered to the MOD as the natural successor to the Series I 'Landy', which is being retired before the end of the decade The Series i Land Rover - affectionately known as the 'Landy' by generations of soldiers - will end more than 75 years on the front line of British military operations by 2030 In March, defence minister Luke Pollard said the 'iconic British vehicle' had 'served us incredibly well', but confirmed it was time to find a replacement with 'greater capability'JLR's new Defender Wolf Series II is being pitched as the natural successor to the original Series I Land Rover, with the company hoping to extend its longstanding relationship with the British armed forces, which dates back to 1949.The famous 'Landy' first saw military service during the Korean War in the early 1950s and has been a staple of Army fleets ever since.The Defender Wolf Series II is JLR's first dedicated military vehicle launch since the original Defender Wolf. It uses the same D7x architecture and aluminium monocoque construction found in the civilian Defender, which the company says has been tested in some of the world's harshest environments.JLR said: 'Defender Wolf Series II will compete for the Ministry of Defence Light Mobility Vehicle tender, while JLR has also established a new Defender Defence Division to engage with and support the requirements of other defence organisations.' It is JLR's first dedicated military launch since the original Defender Wolf and uses the SUV's architecture and monocoque construction as its family SUV JLR says the civilian Defender has proven itself capable in some of the world's harshest climates and terrains Four versions of the Defender Wolf Series II - including tactical, general transport, ambulance and utility variants - will be unveiled later this monthJoin the discussionShould the British Army stick with a homegrown Land Rover or choose a foreign-made vehicle for its next generation fleet?What's your view?Fierce competition for MoD dealBoth JLR and Ineos face stiff competition in the race to secure the £900million contract.German defence giant Rheinmetall, manufacturer of tanks for the Bundeswehr, has entered the contest with its Shadow Wolf 4X4.GM Defense, backed by Britain's BAE Systems, has submitted its Infantry Squad Vehicle as part of a joint bid.US manufacturer General Dynamics Land Systems is also expected to put forward a proposal. The company already supplies the Ajax armoured vehicle used by the British Army.Meanwhile, British aerospace and defence giant Babcock International is understood to be preparing a bid based around its Toyota Land Cruiser-derived General Logistics Vehicle.London-based automotive firm Fering is also believed to be competing for a slice of one of the UK's most valuable defence vehicle contracts.Officials are expected to select a preferred bidder for the Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) programme in May 2027. CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST