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There’s little question that the Ineos Grenadier has been a huge success for the global chemical
company. It’s a “modern throwback” of a vehicle that features retro-styling, a pragmatism-over-
technology attitude towards off-road driving, and is essentially the logical place for Land Rover
Defender owners to gravitate towards now that the new Defender is not, well, all that Defenderish.
The aftermarket is keen on the solid-axled, ladder framed Ineos too – with Sydney-based Aussie
legends and pop-top camper specialists Expedition Centre unveiling the world’s first Mulgo Pop Top
roof for the Grenadier – enabling owners to transform their vehicle into a go-anywhere camping bus
that blurs the lines between comfort and capability.
The Mulgo Pop Top is built from aluminium, keeping the weight and rust resistance to the minimum
and maximum respectively, while maintaining the body’s rigidity and structural integrity, so strength
is uncompromised. Given the roof height is minimally affected, it essentially allows the roof to be
raised enough for an adult to stand in the rear of the vehicle without unduly increasing the frontal
profile of the vehicle while underway – so fuel efficiency does not go through the roof (geddit?). Off-
road balance is kept as well. Unlike a rooftop tent or cab-over style slide-on, the Mulgo roof’s weight
is negligible, so you won’t get that tippy feeling on off-camber tracks.
It’s not a quick chop-n-glue conversion either. The roof is integrated seamlessly into the Grenadier
body panels and keeps the load-bearing handles, external power points and genuine interior lighting
all as part of the conversion. Airline tracks are even incorporated, so you can still run load bars or
solar panels up top, and they’re compatible with the Ineos quick-release hooks to boot.
Setting up and pack-down are essentially effortless, and the Swiss-engineered Fanello bed system is
both comfy and spacious enough for a couple to get a good night’s shut-eye. Put simply, the pop top
provides a level of versatility and mobility that most tourers would kill for. It turns your Grenadier
into a slide-on camper equivalent without the addition of undue weight or a fuel-sucking lack of
aerodynamics. Ultimately, it offers a four-wheel drive that you could live out of almost indefinitely
without sacrificing the base vehicle’s off-road capability in the slightest.
If you’re like us, then the thought of a Grenadier on 35in rubber, some custom bar work and a Mulgo
Pop Top conversion is getting into dangerous (for the credit card) “dream 4X4 territory.” Hats off to
Expedition Centre for taking an already off-road oriented vehicle (which so few new rigs are these
days) and refining the already impressive formula to make something pretty darn special.
For more information, pricing, and availability, visit www.expeditioncentre.com.au or contact us at
www.expeditioncentre.com.au.
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