INEOS Grenadier Game Viewer: Safari-Ready Straight from the Factory (Well… Almost)
INEOS has confirmed that production of the Grenadier Game Viewer – their own in-house safari special – will kick off in early 2026. If you spotted the prototype doing the show-pony rounds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Travel Indaba, or We Are Africa last year, you’ll have seen the crowds flocking to it like a herd of wildebeest at a watering hole. Game reserves and luxury safari lodges from across Sub-Saharan Africa were all over it, and even ranches in the US, Middle East and South East Asia poked their heads over the fence for a closer look.
The base vehicles – long- and extra-long wheelbase Grenadiers – will be shipped from INEOS’s Hambach plant to their newly acquired Botswana division, INEOS Kavango, in what can only be described as the world’s poshest flat-pack kit. No paint, no tailgates, no side glass, no roof skin, no trims and virtually no electrics. It’s basically a Grenadier in its pants, ready for Kavango’s team to dress it up safari-style. Handy for them, fascinating for us.
Depending on which wheelbase you choose, the Game Viewer can haul four to nine passengers in the back – essentially a bush-ready minibus with proper off-road credentials. And the chassis? Untouched. They’ve not chopped, welded or fiddled with the ladder frame, so you still get the full fat Grenadier strength and durability.
Your Safari, Your Way
Buyers will be able to customise the Game Viewer to their heart’s content: seat layouts, storage solutions, roof options – the lot. And in a rare move for the safari-vehicle world, it all comes with a proper manufacturer warranty (terms and conditions apply, obviously). Custom build AND factory-backed peace of mind? That’s basically the holy grail for operators who are normally used to running vehicles held together with hope, welding and cable ties.
Every component is traceable, meaning INEOS can guarantee the parts meet their standards, and ongoing servicing will be handled by INEOS Kavango themselves. Operators who prefer the DIY approach won’t void the warranty either, as long as they follow approved procedures and use genuine parts. Kavango will also team up with customers’ nearest Grenadier workshops to offer training, spares, tooling and money-saving service plans.
Back to Where It Began
“This is the Grenadier coming full circle,” says INEOS Automotive CEO Lynn Calder. And to be fair, she’s right. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s original spark of inspiration struck while he was sat on safari in Botswana nearly a decade ago. So it’s poetic enough that the ‘proper’ safari version is being born right there. INEOS Kavango and Hambach’s teams have been grafting away for the last 18 months to make the Game Viewer a reality, and soon we’ll see them out in the wild – literally.
The Botswana Connection
Kavango Engineering, a respected southern African vehicle-conversion outfit, originally created a safari-ready prototype Grenadier back in 2022. They didn’t need to change much: a modest lift, moving the roof switchgear, swapping the metal roof for a canvas roll-back job, and adding the classic safari-style tiered seating. After running the numbers, INEOS bought the business in August 2023 and rebranded it as INEOS Kavango.
Based in Maun – gateway to the glorious Okavango Delta – their 5,000m² site houses fabrication and assembly facilities and a team of 70 specialists. They currently knock out around 200 full conversions a year and provide ongoing maintenance for safari, anti-poaching, healthcare, vet work, and even film-production rigs. They’ve also worked closely with Botswana’s government to ensure the business is on solid ground for future expansion.
Real-World Testing, Real-World Customers
Before production officially ramps up in 2026, four Grenadier-based Game Viewers will enter service next month at Hiddn Lodge, a new ultra-luxury retreat near Gqeberha in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Technically, these conversions pre-date the ‘proper’ factory line, but they’re fully serviceable bespoke builds that double as Kavango’s last round of dress rehearsals. A sort of “shake it until it squeaks” test before the main event.