Latest news with #LynnCalder
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
As INEOS looks to grow in the US, it must deal with Trump's tariffs and the 'Chicken Tax' on trucks
While Land Rover has its new Defender, some customers yearn for the old boxy, body-on-frame brute. The one that seemed to be in every issue of National Geographic in the '70s and '80s. Enter the INEOS Grenadier. The brainchild of billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, founder of London's INEOS Group, the Grenadier is the spiritual successor of those older British off-roaders. The rugged Grenadier went on sale in the US last year, and things started well, with decent sales of around 8,000 units, starting at $78,900, and targeted sales growth of 50%. But then, INEOS got hit with President Trump's tariffs. INEOS builds its vehicles in France, and that means it's under EU trade restrictions and gets hit with a 25% US auto sector tariff, which could be more if the EU doesn't get a deal done with the White House by Aug. 1. 'We find ourselves right in the eye of the storm,' INEOS CEO Lynn Calder told Yahoo Finance. 'So even once there was a tariff deal negotiated ... between the UK and the US, that meant nothing for us.' Currently, UK auto imports to the US "only" face a 10% tariff rate. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet In April, INEOS said it would be capping tariff price increases at 5% on its vehicles. While a 15% proposed tariff on EU goods like autos sounds better than the alternative of 25% and up, a peculiar issue affects INEOS with regard to its latest product, the pickup truck version of the Grenadier known as the Quartermaster. 'The Quartermaster is also a European-made pickup truck that also attracts [a] 'chicken tax.' So we've taken an absolute double whammy on this vehicle, which is a perfect car for the US market,' Calder said. The "chicken tax" is a remnant of trade policy originating in the 1960s. Following European tariffs on US poultry, the US imposed a 25% tariff on foreign-made light trucks — a trade policy that still stands today. At the time, the tariffs on light-duty trucks were a protectionist measure against Volkswagen (VWAGY). This means there is a 50% tariff right now on the Quartermaster, Calder said, which currently starts at $92,900. A quick trade resolution can't come fast enough for European automakers like INEOS. If and when that comes to pass, INEOS can focus on its next offering in the US, the midsize Fusilier SUV, which will come in both EV and range-extending hybrid options and likely have a lower starting price. And looking beyond that, Calder said the option of building INEOS vehicles in the US is on the table. Assuming it's feasible, the move would make sense for an automaker targeting the lion's share of its sales in the States. INEOS is going to need all the help it can get. It is competing in a hyper-competitive luxury SUV market in the US dominated by Cadillac (GM), BMW ( Mercedes (MBGAF), and Land Rover. A hybrid, midsize SUV like the Fusilier, made in the US, would help make INEOS a bigger player in an SUV-crazed market. Chicken tax or no chicken tax. Pras Subramanian is the lead auto reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
INEOS Automotive CEO on navigating evolving tariff landscape
Tariff uncertainty is hitting just as INEOS Automotive gains traction in the US market with its Grenadier and Quartermaster models. Lynn Calder, INEOS Automotive CEO, joins Market Catalysts with Julie Hyman to discuss how the company is navigating trade tensions, pricing caps, and plans to expand its lineup with a hybrid range extender. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Catalysts here.
Canberra Times
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Canberra Times
Ineos Grenadier goes even more hardcore with portal axles
"The Grenadier Trialmaster X LETECH is the perfect example of how the off-road fundamentals of the Grenadier makes it the ideal base for epic conversions. With such strong interest from customers, we were very keen to respond quickly and collaborate on bringing the LETECH-enhanced Grenadier to market, starting with Europe and quickly expanding to other key markets," said Ineos Automotive CEO Lynn Calder.
Top Gear
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Ineos: "we should be going for ‘lower' emission vehicles, not zero emission"
Business Striving for a 'one-tech' solution is killing progress (and the car industry), according to Ineos Automotive CEO Lynn Calder Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading 'We're in a world where policy is defining what people should buy, and people don't want it,' said Ineos Automotive CEO Lynn Calder at the FT's Future of the Car summit. Calder is voicing concerns about the regulations around the push for electrification. 'I think customers don't want choice, they need choice, [and] the policy framework that's in place with these kinds of drop-dead dates and a one-technology solution is designed inherently not to give that choice.' Advertisement - Page continues below Europe is the only region where petrol and diesel sales will be phased out in 2030 for passenger cars, and again in 2035 for commercial vehicles. Calder reckons there's 'no chance' of there being 'nothing but electric cars' on the market by the time the 2035 deadline rolls around. Despite the government relaxing the rules to allow hybrids to continue being sold, Calder said the timing is off (and Nissan's urgent restructuring suggests the Ineos boss does have a point): "The industry is on its knees. £4.5bn was put into the UK market last year to get customers into electric cars. Since [the pandemic], economic conditions have been terrible, powertrain policy has been difficult and confusing, [with] incessant regulation on supposed safety features that everyone wants to switch off - and then [we get] a trade war. You might like 'We need to recognise consumer demand, the popularity of hybrids. But that's come at a great cost, investment in [multiple] powertrain options: manufacturers have spent tens of billions on strategies that are not working. 'We've lost sight [of the customer] which is why we're in the situation we're in. The risk we run is that consumers hold onto older, less efficient cars for longer,' she added. Advertisement - Page continues below She wants regulations to become 'technology-agnostic' and insisted the industry should be aiming for lower- emission vehicles, not zero-emission ones. The sentiment is pragmatic enough, but Ineos as a carmaker is a novel venture. It knew the electric-only roadmap when it got into building the Ineos Grenadier, and starting a car business when you know the goal then complaining about the goal is a bit... er, hypocritical, no? Calder thinks not. 'Electrification will always have its place, but it's not going to be a one-technology solution," she said, "EV tech adopters are in cities with charging capability, but [outside of that] there's no real investment in infrastructure, and no real incentives to go electric." The feeling is hybrids – in various guises – need to be hugged, hard. The Ineos Fusilier, with its range-extender powertrain potential, might still in the pipeline, but it's all policy-dependent. "That's just been paused, not cancelled," she said. "[But] if we come out with our Fusilier in 2027 or 2028, we've got a lifecycle of selling in Europe and the UK for six or seven years maximum, and that's not an economic business case. 'I think the reality is we will be selling them for longer than that. I just want them [the regulators] to say that today, not in 10 years' time, because this is not an industry that can survive on last minute dot com decisions; it's an industry that needs clarity." Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Motor 1
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Ineos CEO: People Don't Want To Be Force-Fed EVs
The European Union might have relaxed its rules regarding the sale of new gasoline/diesel cars, but it'll still be hard for automakers to keep combustion alive. That frustrates Ineos Automotive CEO Lynn Calder, who says the industry should listen to customer demand and not top-down policies pushing full electrification. Ineos wants to give customers a choice—not just electric vehicles. She told Top Gear that hybrids are popular, and yet 'policy is defining what people should buy, and people don't want it,' even though she believes electrification 'will always have its place.' These policies are significantly harder on smaller auto operations like Ineos. But the company is embracing the new technology. Ineos Fusilier Over a year ago, Ineos revealed the Fusilier , an electric vehicle with a range-extender option. The project is currently paused, according to Calder. If it hits the market in 2027 or 2028, Ineos might be unable to sell it long enough to make a business case for producing it. Calder also believes the EU will extend the ability to continue selling non-zero-emissions vehicles beyond the deadline. The EU relaxed the wording regarding its ban on combustion-powered vehicles, saying instead that it wants zero-emissions vehicles, which leaves the door open for carbon-neutral fuels like hydrogen or synthetic fuels. She said that pushing for lowering emissions should be the goal, not a push for zero-emissions vehicles. Ineos Automotive was formed in 2017 to design and build a utilitarian off-road vehicle that would become the Grenadier. It also sells the Quartermaster pickup truck. The company sources its 3.0-liter inline-six gas and diesel engines from BMW . More From Ineos: Whoops: The Ineos Grenadier's Doors Could Fly Open Unexpectedly Recaro Bankruptcy Likely Behind Ineos Grenadier Production Stoppage Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: Top Gear Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
