The Chilled Wilderness of the Alcan 5000 Rally Demands Resilience

Andy and Mercedes Lilienthal participated in their third Alcan 5000 in an Ineos Grenadier, a fresh SUV crafted by the British chemical corporation of the same identity. Competing in an unaltered Grenadier, Team Lilienthal outperformed 16 other rivals to secure victory in the Truck/SUV category.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Grenadier, its origin tale is intriguing; notably, its namesake is a London pub where the concept was born. After learning of the termination of the Land Rover Defender, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the head of Ineos chemical group, was disheartened. Allegedly, Ratcliffe tried to acquire the design from JLR, but when rebuffed, he decided to develop a vehicle that closely resembled the iconic Defender.

Manufactured by Magna Steyr in France, the Ineos Grenadier runs on a BMW-supplied turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine, boasting 282 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. Fitted with a ZF transmission, solid axles with lockable differentials, and 10.4 inches of ground clearance, the Grenadier demonstrated its prowess by triumphing in the rigorous Alcan 5000, which commenced in Kirkland, Washington, and culminated in Anchorage, Alaska.

Nevertheless, as a newcomer in this competitive scene, the Lilienthals didn’t anticipate emerging victorious. During their maiden Arctic endeavor, Mercedes and Andy traversed the Alcan 5000 in a 1991 right-hand-drive turbo-diesel Mitsubishi Pajero 4×4, recounting it as “sluggish and compact” yet resilient. Receiving the new Grenadier with only 87 miles on the clock, adapting to its features and mastering its controls proved to be the initial hurdle.

“The vehicle’s remarkable compliance, despite featuring solid front and rear axles, impressed me the most and caught me by surprise,” Andy remarks. “Even on the challenging terrains of Alaska, the suspension handled all bumps with finesse, delivering a controlled ride.”

The Grenadier’s premium Recaro seats, though lacking heating elements, earned high praise from the Lilienthals after enduring more than 12 hours of daily driving. The efficient HVAC system circulated warm air, ensuring the occupants’ comfort despite plummeting temperatures to -32 degrees Fahrenheit amidst treacherous whiteout conditions.

Swapping the antifreeze mixture from 50/50 to 60/40 was a necessary adjustment to counter the risk of overheating in the Arctic. They also transitioned to a windshield wiper solution designed for temperatures as low as 30 degrees below zero. Even the power steering fluid thickened in the chilly conditions for many racers, according to Mercedes. Managing the cold elements strategically was crucial as it posed a significant challenge.

Andy recounted, “One leg of the journey required us to travel over 300 miles without a refueling station nearby. Many teams had to halt their progress to empty excess fuel from their jerry cans. Working swiftly while keeping their gloves on was imperative.”

Within the vehicle’s interior, the Grenadier featured a central knob at the base of the center console for controlling the infotainment system. Pushing it downward acted as an “enter” function, but this became challenging as the team juggled two handheld radios, three different phones running various applications, three cameras, and a GoPro. The system kept shifting between screens, baffling them.

Mercedes explained, “I had an inverter connected to the central console, and it was obstructing the large button. I initially thought the infotainment system was malfunctioning until I realized that the bouncing inverter kept accidentally resetting the odometer by pressing the central button. The issue stemmed from our oversight, not the car’s malfunction.”

The competition remained tightly contested until the final day; the Lilienthals led their category for seven of the ten days before ultimately securing victory and finishing tenth among 39 participating teams

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