For many Land Rover enthusiasts, a V8 engine is an essential part of any rebuild job, helping to turn an old model needing some TLC into a strong performer both on and off the road.

However, those keen to explore new possibilities might be interested in the latest development as Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has been negotiating with Stellantis, the makers of Jeep, over a strategic collaboration.

What has been agreed to date is a deal to “explore opportunities to collaborate on product development in the United States”.

Who Gains What From The JLR-Stellantis Deal?

Benefits of the deal may include:

·       Helping Stellantis gain from the manufacturing quality of JLR

·       Giving JLR a new way into the US market involving stateside manufacturing, thus bypassing tariffs

·       Expertise from JLR in electric car technology may boost efforts by Stellantis to grow in this area

With the two rivals joining forces, a further implication could be that it will be bad news for Jeep’s rivals such as Ford. As Autocar notes, Ford has jumped ahead with high-quality vehicles like the Bronco, but this advantage could now diminish or disappear.

This may be one consequence of the collaboration, with some exciting new vehicles rolling off the production line over the next few years. But there may be others.

Among these may be the development of components that both Land Rovers and Jeeps can use, making it easier to incorporate different parts in vehicles by either manufacturer. This might even mean that some jeeps could be enhanced with a V8 designed for Land Rovers.

Technical development that may find uses in future Land Rover or Jeep rebuild projects is one potential benefit. Another, perhaps less tangible, but still significant, benefit is that it may give a timely boost to JLR as a brand.

A few months on from the huge blow of the mass cyber attack, the deal shows that JLR remains a big name in the motoring world that others want to associate and collaborate with.

This factor will be good news for anyone revamping an existing Land Rover, as this exercise will bring more kudos the greater the company’s reputation is.