Aussie Outback gives INEOS Grenadier more than it bargained for

The INEOS Grenadier development vehicle currently undergoing testing in Australia got more than it bargained for this week when a freak storm swept over and flooded much of remote South Australia.

The flooding was so bad that a whirlpool formed directly alongside a section of the Stewart Highway 50km south of Pimba and severed the Indian Pacific railway.

Ironically the team and car were meant to be undergoing extreme heat and rural testing against the red and blue backdrop of the South Australian desert.

The Goog’s Track was the planned route, however, the unexpected downpour forced the Grenadier development team to linger at the Barton Gold Mine in Tarcoola until it was safe to proceed.

Supplies began to dwindle as the rain refused to let up, which saw the team hit the Stewart Highway where they encountered the whirlpool.

Back-tracking to the Pimba Roadhouse, the team took refuge until the morning when they consulted local police, 4x4 experts and truckies and made a run for safety.

Rather than the planned fine red dirt, blistering heat and corrugations, the Grenadier development team ended up traversing raging floodways, sloppy mud and heavy rain.

At one point flowing water threatened to unstick the Grenadier as the road surface was washed away and covered with debris.

Both the car and all members of the team escaped unharmed and local testing will continue over the coming weeks before the new-age 4x4 makes its way to New Zealand for winter testing.

Priced from $84,500, the INEOS Grenadier has already attracted 1000 deposits in Australia, where the first year’s production allocation is now spoken for even before first vehicles are delivered in mid-2022.

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