Land Rover Defender 90 Spare Tire Delete Signals Shift to Urban Buyers

Land Rover has begun offering a factory spare-tire delete for the two-door Defender 90, a move that quietly acknowledges what dealers have known for years: most buyers never take the SUV off pavement. The option, first reported by Motor1, lets customers remove the tailgate-mounted wheel before delivery — something the aftermarket has supplied for years at a premium.

The spare has lived on the Defender’s tailgate since the original Series I launched in 1948. Engineers placed it there for departure angle, cabin space, and trail accessibility. But the configuration adds mass to the rear hinge, partially blocks the rearview, and drives up rear-collision repair bills. Aftermarket delete kits proved popular enough that Land Rover decided to capture the revenue itself.

No price has been published. Availability outside Europe remains unconfirmed; Land Rover North America declined to comment. The option is also absent from the four-door 110 and three-row 130, at least for now.

Removing the wheel and carrier shaves roughly 50 pounds from the tailgate, reducing hinge stress and marginally improving fuel economy — a figure that helps European WLTP emissions certification. Whether the spare is relocated under the chassis or omitted entirely has not been disclosed. The tailgate remains a side-hinged swing-out design either way.

For buyers who actually venture off-road, the delete creates a logistical gap: no factory provision for a full-size spare elsewhere on the 90’s compact frame.