Land Rover Plans to Build a Defender Pickup Truck in the U.S. with Help from StellantisCar and DriverCaleb MillerTue, September 15, 2026 at 6:16 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleLand Rover, Stellantis Planning a Defender TruckMichael Simari - Car and DriverThe first Land Rover to come from JLR's partnership with Stellantis will likely be a Defender pickup truck, according to a report from Automotive News.The Defender pickup truck would be built in the United States with development and production help from Stellantis.Details are still unclear, and the truck is likely years away from reaching production.Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has its eyes on expansion in the United States, and its first jab at U.S. production will likely be a Defender pickup truck built in collaboration with Stellantis, according to an Automotive News report.Land RoverLast year, the North American market comprised nearly 30 percent of JLR's global sales, with the United States gobbling most of that total. JLR imports all of its vehicles to the U.S., and the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in 2025 have made this an expensive venture. U.K.-built vehicles, including the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar, Range Rover Evoque, and Discovery Sport, face a 10 percent duty, and E.U.-built vehicles, including the Discovery and Defender, get 15 percent tacked on.AdvertisementAdvertisementTo combat some of those tariffs while expanding U.S. reach, JLR signed a memorandum of understanding with Stellantis in May to collaborate on product development and production in the United States. At an investor meeting in June, JLR CEO PB Balaji said the brand wanted to grow its U.S. market to the size of JLR's current global footprint.Michael Simari - Car and DriverJLR isn't moving its Defender production from Slovakia to the U.S., however. Instead, the Stellantis partnership will facilitate the development of Defender vehicles in new segments. The first, it seems, will be a Defender pickup truck, which would be developed specifically for the U.S. market.Most of the details surrounding the proposed new pickup are still unknown. Assuming it follows the current Defender's form, the truck could sit on a unibody platform, which isn't something Stellantis currently builds for its trucks. The Ram 1500 and HD pickups, as well as the Jeep Gladiator, use body-on-frame construction. The brand does build unibody SUVs, though, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango. It's unclear what size the Defender truck would be, and engine specifics also haven't been mentioned, though it's likely Stellantis will be a part of the powertrain development, too.Land RoverA representative from Jaguar Land Rover declined to comment on reports regarding future products. We reached out to Stellantis for comment, and will update this story with a statement when we hear back.AdvertisementAdvertisementA luxury-branded pickup truck would be an unusual addition to the U.S. truck market, which is currently dominated by the Big Three, although the American automakers do offer opulent trims on their full-size trucks, from the Ford F-150 Platinum to the Ram 1500 Tungsten and the GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate. JLR's partnership with Stellantis creates an opportunity for the luxury automaker to get a deep understanding of what U.S. buyers want and develop a truck that blends Land Rover luxury with market-specific needs. This collaboration is still far from final, however, and the Defender truck is likely years away from production.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
