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

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.

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 ...