Jaguar Land Rover aims to expand its presence in the US market.
The company will collaborate with Stellantis on US production of the Defender.
Fresh models are planned, featuring hybrids along with electric vehicles.

British carmaker Land Rover has yet to assemble any model inside the United States. That situation is set to shift with support from domestic manufacturer Stellantis. "Our goal, over the next several years, is to expand our US operations until they match the scale of the entire JLR business today," JLR CEO PB Balaji stated in a company release dated June 17, 2026.

Such an objective remains ambitious, given that the US currently represents 30 percent of Jaguar Land Rover worldwide sales. Reaching the level of present global volume would require US sales to rise by more than 300 percent.

"To fully realize the strength of our brands, we intend to sharpen our attention on North America, our largest market," Balaji continued. "Growing appetite for premium vehicles, together with clear enthusiasm for our lineups, points to substantial opportunity ahead. We are also examining additional promising categories for the Defender lineup, enabling us to deliver customized luxury offerings and services to a wider circle of American customers."

JLR lacks a North American assembly site, which explains why the Stellantis alliance proves valuable. The firms disclosed a "non-binding Memorandum of Understanding" the prior month, with a domestically produced Defender serving as the initial outcome of their cooperation.

Land Rover Defender Octa

Photo by: Land Rover

Land Rover presently manufactures the Defender 90, 110, and 130 at its Nitra facility in Slovakia. An upcoming variant will arrive on the new Electrified Modular Architecture platform offering both hybrid and fully electric drivetrains, versions expected to reach American buyers once Defender output begins in North America.

JLR outlined further lineup updates, among them revised Range Rover and Range Rover Sport editions that will continue on the modular longitudinal architecture with mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric choices. The firm notes its first EMA-based electric model will debut later this year, potentially the compact Defender long discussed in industry circles.

What do you think?

Land Rover further intends to refresh the Discovery SUV while preserving its core character, and Jaguar is transitioning into an all-electric marque. The Type 01 is scheduled to arrive later this year as a sleek four-door grand tourer.

Motor1’s Take: Shifting Defender assembly stateside should allow Land Rover to sidestep the current 15.0% tariff applied to vehicles from Slovakia, an increase from the earlier 2.5% rate. Observers will watch closely to learn what advantages Stellantis receives in return, as JLR establishes its first meaningful production foothold in North America through this local partner.