Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Stellantis are considering developing a Defender pickup truck for the US market, according to a report by The Times. The development comes a few months after the two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities for product and technology development in North America.
The Defender pickup is expected to be one of several new products JLR is considering for the region, with local production in the US reportedly being evaluated to avoid import tariffs.
Defender pickup: key highlights
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Potentially aimed primarily at the US market
- Could be locally produced in the US
- JLR and Stellantis signed an MoU for North American product development
- More details are expected towards the end of 2026
Defender pickup could use a monocoque platform
JLR has previously acknowledged the potential for a Defender-based pickup. In 2021, former JLR Executive Director of Vehicle Programmes Nick Collins told Autocar UK that there was customer demand for such a model and that a pickup could be developed using a monocoque architecture.The exact platform for the proposed Defender pickup, however, remains unclear.
JLR has the Defender’s monocoque platform at its disposal, while Stellantis has access to body-on-frame architectures used by its Jeep and RAM brands. This leaves open the possibility of different approaches to the pickup’s construction.
Defender pickup would enter a competitive US segment
The proposed Defender pickup would enter a market dominated by full-size body-on-frame pickups. High-end versions of models such as the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 and RAM 1500 are among the established choices in the segment.How JLR and Stellantis would position a Defender pickup against these models remains unclear. Further details on the vehicle are expected to emerge towards the end of 2026.
Local US production being considered
The Defender SUV is currently produced at JLR’s facility in Slovakia, but The Times reports that the proposed pickup could instead be manufactured in the US.Local production would help JLR avoid import tariffs while supporting its wider plans for the North American market.
JLR CEO PB Balaji has described the US as a “priority growth market” and said the company will introduce exclusive offerings there. He also said the partnership with Stellantis allows JLR to explore complementary capabilities in product and technology development for its long-term US plans.
Autocar Professional perspective
A Defender pickup would represent an expansion of the nameplate into a segment that is particularly important in North America. However, the project remains at an exploratory stage, with the platform, production location and technical specification yet to be confirmed. The existing JLR-Stellantis MoU provides a framework for collaboration, while the reported consideration of US production underlines the importance of localising future products for the North American market.