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By Jonathan Crouch

INEOS wants a high price for its Quartermaster pick-up. Is it worth it? Jonathan Crouch decides.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 35

With the Quartermaster, INEOS tries its hand at pick-ups. And what a pick-up. It'll go places no other rival will go and feels bullet-proof. Unfortunately though, there's a high price to pay for the privilege.

Backgroundword count: 136

Some people have quite a different idea of what the ultimate pick-up should be. For them, it's not something blinged-up and leather-lined, the ultimate attributes required instead being of the trail-ready kind. These are the kinds of people who in the past might have bought an old shape Land Rover Defender pick-up; who in the US might choose, say, a Jeep Gladiator; and who here might choose this contender, the INEOS Quartermaster. You might immediately pigeonhole it as the pick-up version of the INEOS Grenadier SUV, which is certainly true to some extent, but the Quartermaster is longer overall and rides on a chassis with a lengthier wheelbase. The pricing is in a different, far more exalted league than ordinary pick-ups - but then the off-road ability on offer is too. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experienceword count: 270

As you'd expect, the Quartermaster drives just like the Grenadier SUV it's based on. Though you notice the rather ponderous feel rather less because a pick-up driver's expectations are somewhat different. As with the SUV model there are two engine choices, both 3.0-litre straight six cylinder units sourced from BMW, so both come mated to the Bavarian maker's usual transmission choice for these powerplants, an 8-speed ZF auto gearbox. Choose between a twin turbo 245bhp diesel or a single turbo 282bhp petrol unit. The performance stats that matter here of course are quite different ones. There's very little off road that will stop a Quartermaster: it's in a different mud-plugging league to other, lesser pick-ups. Thanks to ground clearance of 264mm, a wading depth of 800mm, an approach angle of 35.5-degrees, a breakover angle of 26.2-degrees (down from 28.2 in the SUV) and a departure angle of 22.6-degrees (well down from 36.1-degrees in the Grenadier). Towing capacity is up to 3.5-tonnes and the vehicle can winch up to 5.5-tonnes. The engineering here is pretty familiar stuff for old-school off roaders; ladder-framed chassis, solid axles, permanent four-wheel drive, a locking centre differential and a 2-speed transfer case that gives a set of crawler gears for really gnarly tracks. Plus there's Hill descent control and vast wheel articulation. You won't be expecting too much from the tarmac driving experience (and you shouldn't) but it's OK as long as you accept what you're getting here from a pick-up that's got its off road priorities right. If you really must use your Quartermaster for commuting, the much more refined petrol version's a better bet.

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