Land Rover Is Planning a Stellantis-Based Defender for the U.S.
Key takeaways
- Jaguar Land Rover announced that its partnership with Stellantis will produce a Defender for the U.S. market, as the British automaker shifts focus from China.
- The reasoning behind the Stellantis-based Defender is twofold.
- See all results for new 2027 Land Rover Defender for sale near v6p 0a1
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
Jaguar Land Rover announced that its partnership with Stellantis will produce a Defender for the U.S. market, as the British automaker shifts focus from China.
Michael Simari|Car and Driver Jaguar Land Rover announced that its new partnership with Stellantis could generate a new Defender model built for the United States using Stellantis technology.The shift comes as JLR looks to avoid import taxes from the United States while also seeking to grow in the North American market over the next few years. The announcement came as part of JLR's investor relations presentation, with CEO PB Balaji confirming the plans. The next Land Rover Defender could ride on a Stellantis platform, according to comments made by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) CEO PB Balaji at the brand's investor relations day. According to the executive, the recently announced partnership between JLR and Stellantis is intended to produce a new Defender for the United States that uses Stellantis technology.
The reasoning behind the Stellantis-based Defender is twofold. First, JLR is looking for a way around the Trump administration's import tariffs, which are currently set at 15 percent for the Slovakia-built Defender. Second, JLR is aiming to increase its presence in the United States as it pulls back from its focus on China, according to a report by Automotive News. The U.S. is already JLR's largest market, making up roughly 30 percent of the group's sales through the first quarter, though the company sees room for growth.