Ineos has submitted a binding offer to purchase Daimler’s Smart plant in France in order to build its Grenadier SUV, which is aimed at fans of the original Land Rover Defender.
A Daimler spokesman told Automobilwoche, that negotiations for the sale were “positive and well advanced,” reports Autonews Europe. Ineos wants to build some 25,000 Grenadiers per year at the Hambach factory in northern France.
“Although the contract has not yet been concluded, we are confident that agreement will be reached on the terms and conditions and that the Grenadier’s new home will be France,” said an Ineos spokesman.
Ineos originally intended to build the Grenadier at a new plant in Bridgend, Wales, using a separate factory in Portugal for the vehicle’s body and ladder-frame chassis. Those plans were however scrapped after they heard about Daimler looking to sell its Smart factory.
“Hambach is a great solution for Ineos, with a very experienced workforce and an excellent track record among Mercedes plants in terms of product production quality,” added the spokesman.
As for Smart, assembly will move from France to China, courtesy of Daimler’s joint venture with Geely. The Smart plant in France opened back in 1997, churning out the two-seat Smart ForTwo. It has since expanded to accommodate the likes of the Mercedes EQB electric crossover, whose production will now move either to Rastatt, Germany or Kecskemet, Hungary.
In any case, the Hambach factory should be well-equipped to handle production for something the size of the Grenadier.