The end of the original Land Rover Defender left a big gap not only in the go-anywhere 4x4 market but also in the capable all-terrain micro-camper market. The Defender hosted some of the coolest little pop-up camper SUVs the world over, but the new Defender has yet to really pick up where the OG left off.
The Ineos Grenadier was always meant to be the Defender's spiritual successor as a hard-as-nails, no-nonsense British utility vehicle, and now it's slowly taking its place as a micro-RV. We saw the world's first pop-up Grenadier roof last year, and now French supplier Capvango has presented the first camping system, a sleek kit that packs the full cooking and in-vehicle sleeper capabilities adventurous souls need for a few nights out in the Highlands, Outback or savanna.
More rental than retail, Capvango focuses its business on campers-for-hire, including overland micro-rigs like a tent-topped Suzuki Jimny.
It bills its new 198-lb (90-kg) Raidbox 2.0 as the first removable camper system for the Grenadier, and while there's at least one other European shop that might dispute that, the Raidbox 2.0 is definitely riding the first wave of aftermarket Grenadier camping products.
Rather than the full-width three-compartment layout common with other camper-in-a-box systems, Capvango goes with a narrower aluminum box stacked with two large lower drawers and a slim top drawer. The upper drawer is where adventurers will store utensils and cooking tools, while the lower slide-outs house the kitchen equipment. The left slide is dedicated to a 30-L compressor drawer fridge, while the right one houses the dual-burner gas stove/sink combo.
The sink is plumbed to a 30-L fresh water tank by way of an automatic pump, with a 12-L gray water tank catching the flow at the other end. There's also an outdoor shower hookup, just no mention of a standard or available water heater ... so maybe prepare for significant shrinkage on cold mornings.
As is conventional with these type of camper systems, the kitchen box serves as the base for the rear end of the bed, and the remainder of the frame folds out over the folded rear seats. The 77 x 57-in (95 x 145-cm) double mattress stretches out on top, clean to the back of the front seats. During the day, the frame retracts, freeing the extra three rear seats so the Grenadier can carry up to five people during the drive.
Capvango offers a Grenadier with RaidBox as a rental and also sells it as a solution for Grenadier owners. It does not list pricing on its own website, but German Grenadier outfitter Grenny 4x4 lists it for a base price of €6,790 (approx. US$7,375).
Interestingly enough, Capvango also offers a Raibox 2.0 variant for the new Land Rover Defender, simultaneously readying both the original Defender's spiritual and actual successors for worldly micro-camping dominance. The Defender kit brings a similar setup, albeit with only two drawers.
Capvango's rental Grenadiers include a hardshell rooftop tent for an extra two people, but those looking for a more integrated micro-camper solution will be happy to note that South African overland manufacturer Alu-Cab has announced plans for its own Grenadier pop-top. Alu-Cab is a long-established global supplier so its Grenadier pop-top promises to be available in major markets around the world in which the Grenadier itself is sold.
Alu-Cab's pop-top is still in the R&D phase at the moment, but the company plans to ready it for a 2024 Q3/Q4 launch. Several Alu-Cab dealers in the United States currently list the new roof at a $9,999 preorder price.