- Jaguar Land Rover wants to focus on the US market.
- It will partner with Stellantis to manufacture the Defender in the US.
- New models are coming, including hybrid and electric vehicles.
British automaker Land Rover has never made any vehicles in the United States. That will soon change, thanks to the help of American automaker Stellantis. “Our aspiration in the coming years is to grow our US business to the size of the entire JLR business as it exists today,” JLR CEO PB Balaji said in a company statement on June 17, 2026.
That’s quite a tall order, even with the US accounting for 30 percent of Jaguar Land Rover’s current global sales. To scale up U.S. operations to meet the company’s current global sales, they would need to grow by more than 300 percent.
“To truly showcase the strength of our brands, we will increase our focus on North America, our largest market,” Balaji said. “The growing demand for luxury products, coupled with the strong preference for our brands, indicates significant growth potential. We are also exploring new high-potential segments for our Defender brand, which will allow us to offer even more luxury products and experiences to our U.S. customers.”
JLR does not have any factories in North America, so this is where the partnership with Stellantis would benefit the UK automaker. The two companies announced a “non-binding memorandum of understanding” last month, and the US-made Defender will be the first product to come from this collaboration.
Photo by: Land Rover
Land Rover currently manufactures the Defender 90, 110 and 130 at its production facility in Nitra, Slovakia. A new model will be launched on a new Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA) platform with hybrid and all-electric powertrain options, both of which will likely be sold in the US market as the Defender will be built in North America.
JLR revealed other portfolio plans, including new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models, both built on the Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform with mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric versions. The company says its first EV on the EMA platform will be revealed later this year, likely the “baby Defender” that has been rumored for years.
Land Rover also plans to develop a Discovery SUV, but it will “stick to its roots”, while Jaguar will become an all-electric brand. The Type 01 will launch later this year as a low-slung four-door GT.
Motor1’s Opinion: Moving Defender production to the US will help Land Rover avoid the 15.0% tariff currently imposed on Slovakia, up from the previous 2.5%. We’ll be interested to see what Stellantis gets out of this deal, as JLR finally gets a foothold in North America with a US production partner.
