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Land Rover Defender may return to USA as kit vehicle; Regulations loophole could re-open market for British company.(News)(Brief Article)

Automotive News Europe December 1, 2003 | Rechtin, Mark Byline: Mark Rechtin The Land Rover Defender could return to the United States, but the automaker first would have to clear several obstacles.

Land Rover North America Inc. cannot directly import the Defender 90 or 110 because of US safety and emissions regulations. go to web site land rover defender

But Land Rover is studying whether importing the vehicle in knockdown-kit form would bypass US rules.

Although Land Rover has not received US government approval for its plan, it displayed a Defender 110 at its booth at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas last month to gauge reaction. go to site land rover defender

Checking for loopholes Land Rover spokesman Larry Rosinsky said the response was better than expected.

Now Land Rover is trying to work through a perceived loophole that vehicles considered “home-built kits” traditionally are not subject to the same stringent regulations as vehicles sold through dealerships.

Land Rover stopped selling the Defender 90 in the United States in 1997. The Defender 110 was last sold in the USA in 1993.

Land Rover sells about 27,000 Defenders annually worldwide.

There are Land Rover knockdown operations in Brazil, China, Zimbabwe, Jordan, South Africa and Turkey.

The operations are independent distributors that have no direct financial connection to Land Rover.

The Brazil plant is the largest, building between 1,200 and 2,000 units a year.

CAPTION(S):

Land Rover Defender: Some assembly required in the USA?

Rechtin, Mark