As Leo Tolstoy once said, “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” It’s a lesson well learned over the past two years as we worked in partnership with the team at Muno, playing a pivotal role in testing and refining their one-of-a-kind vehicle. The process might have been protracted, but the results were worth the wait.
Our all new electric 4x4, made in Scotland
The Making of a Munro
May 2025
In our constant pursuit of excellence at Gleneagles we’re always looking to drive our guest experience forward (if you’ll pardon the pun). In 2025 we were one of the few companies to take stock of the first all-electric 4x4 vehicle built in Scotland in over 50 years. Here’s how we became the very proud owners of a Munro.
Nicholas Raby, Head of Pursuits at Gleneagles, recalls how the hotel became a key testing ground for the Munro during its development phase. “They used us as the guinea pigs for the vehicle,” Raby explains. “We’ve got to test it and use it for months during that period. Richard [Scott] gave them pretty honest feedback. He calls a spade a spade,” he laughs.
Scott, Gleneagles’ Mews Manager – who oversees off-roading, gun dogs, falconry and more – was initially sceptical about an electric 4×4. “When they first brought the idea to us, I said an electric 4×4 just won’t work. Water and electricity aren’t a combination you want to have. But once I drove it, I had to admit that I was converted – it’s absolutely incredible.”
The Munro was put through its paces on Gleneagles’ legendary off-road course, one of the most challenging in Scotland. Steep inclines, deep bogs, and rough terrain are the norm here, and the Munro had to prove itself where other vehicles have failed. Scott recalls one particularly intense test: “I took it out somewhere I had absolutely no business taking it. I bellied it out down to its axles – there’s no way another car would have been able to get out of that.”
Munro’s resilience has been tested well beyond Scotland, too. Russell Peterson, Munro’s co-founder, explains: “In testing, we took the cars to the Arctic Circle, into minus 32°C. We needed to make sure everything worked at the extreme end of the scale, right down to whether or not the doors froze over.” This relentless testing underscores Munro’s mission to deliver a vehicle that performs in the toughest conditions.
The Munro isn’t just another 4×4 – it’s a reimagining of what an off-road vehicle can be. Designed from the ground up to handle the unique demands of both adventure and commercial use, it’s a beast of a machine, weighing in at 2.8 tons and powered by a half-ton battery pack.
“There’s nothing out there that looks like this,” Raby says. “For us, it was quite important that we didn’t have an input in the design because that’s part of what makes the Munro unique — its design and concept.”
The driving experience is unlike anything else too. Without the need for a manual license, more guests can get behind the wheel. And the Munro challenges drivers to engage with the terrain in a more tactile way. “It’s a totally different way of controlling a vehicle,” Scott explains. “It offers guests something even more challenging when you consider it’s a whole new way to drive off-road.”
Comfort isn’t sacrificed for capability either. “It’s a lot more comfortable than most four-wheel drives,” Scott notes. “Speed isn’t the goal with off-roading, but the Munro handles everything better because it’s got massive dampeners and springs on it. There’s one hill on the course we usually only drive down – with the Munro, it walks up it.”
he partnership between Munro and Gleneagles has been years in the making. Raby estimates that the hotel has invested nearly two years into getting the Munro ready for guests. “Munro have been really accommodating to work with,” he says. “They’ve welcomed the feedback – good and bad – and you can see that everyone there is so passionate about what they do. It has a similar ethos to Gleneagles in that respect.”
Russell Peterson, Munro’s co-founder, echoes that sentiment. “We didn’t want to mark our own homework, so we commissioned a peer-reviewed, independent report on Munro to understand the long-term value,” Peterson says. “You might get a maximum of ten years out of a typical off-road vehicle. We wanted to double that.”
The Munro at Gleneagles is only the fourth vehicle delivered by the company, part of a limited production run of 15 vehicles during the validation process. Peterson explains how the idea for Munro was born: “It was actually while we were on a camping trip together that we came up with the core concept of the vehicle.”
Peterson’s journey to creating the Munro was far from straightforward. “I came up with about twenty ideas for new businesses and this one was my dumbest by far,” he admits. But his determination to build something truly different pushed the project forward. “Everybody told us not to do it,” he adds.
And yet, Munro is already proving its worth across multiple industries. “We’re focusing on delivering vehicles to key industries that include mining, refining, hospitality, utilities, construction and blue light and rescue,” Peterson says. “Within the latter, we will focus on specifics like airports, wildfires or bush fires — anywhere that a 4×4 is required to provide the help.”
Munro’s manufacturing approach is as innovative as its design. “We make use of the existing supply chain in Scotland, which traditionally made parts for the oil and gas industry,” Peterson explains. “With that industry declining, there are these highly skilled, highly specialised businesses that we can leverage for our manufacturing process.”
The technical expertise behind Munro is world-class. The company’s Chief Technology Officer, Martin O’Neill, brings experience from McLaren, ensuring that Munro’s engineering stands up to the toughest demands.
While the Munro’s rugged capability might make it ideal for mining and rescue, its future at Gleneagles is firmly focused on adventure. “Our plan is for the Munro to have multiple uses beyond off-roading,” Raby says. “What a feeling to be up in the mountains in Scotland, knowing you’re not causing the usual fuel emissions. You also have a better chance of seeing wildlife because it’s so quiet.”
Now, Gleneagles guests have the chance to be among the first in the UK to experience the Munro for themselves. The hotel’s off-road course – already considered one of the best in Scotland – is the perfect testing ground for this pioneering vehicle. Whether navigating deep bogs or scaling rocky inclines, the Munro promises an off-roading experience unlike any other.
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