The seven-time British Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton is known as a great car enthusiast as well as a collector. To his collection of rare and expensive cars, this time he could add a powerful SUV, the INEOS Grenadier 4X4.

The Grenadier is offered with two 3.0-liter 6-cylinder BMW engines: the B57 diesel with 245 hp (180 kW) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque, and the B58 gasoline with 281 hp (207 kW) and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque. The engine is paired with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. Equipped with three locking differentials like the Mercedes G-Class, it is produced in the former Daimler plant in Hambach, France, where Smart cars used to roll off the assembly line.

At first glance, you’ll think it’s a copy of the Land Rover Defender, but the story behind the car is really interesting. INEOS founder Jim Ratcliffe originally wanted to buy the rights to the old Land Rover Defender to continue production, but the company declined. Then he decided to take matters into his own hands and create a new SUV. After a legal battle with the Tata Motors-owned company because the Grenadier looked too much like the Defender, Ratcliffe won the case because the design of the original Defender was never protected.

In a recently published video, Lewis Hamilton showed off his skills in driving this SUV on off-road terrain. “If I were to buy it I would dim the lights, add LED lights to the roof and fit the biggest all-terrain tires available on the market,” said Hamilton, who was quite impressed with the INEOS Grenadier’s performance after the drive.

Source: INEOS Grenadier via YouTube