These ladies of Team Brute Squad are spoiling for a fight.
Hyundai has confirmed that Team Brute Squad has signed on to compete in the 2023 Rebelle Rally, where they will drive a Hyundai Santa Cruz for the second year running. Jill Ciminillo and Kristin Shaw hope to steal the win away from the Jeep Wrangler 4xe.
2023 will be the eighth time this all-women off-road navigational challenge occurs. Team Brute Squad will compete in the Tough X-Cross Class. Ciminillo and Shaw will square off against several other women as they traverse 1,500 miles across the California and Nevada deserts.
"We are excited to be sponsoring Team Brute Squad in the Rebelle Rally for the second year in a row," said Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai Motor America. "This event is a unique way to showcase the power and versatility of our one-of-a-kind sport adventure vehicle, the Santa Cruz. And we're proud to partner with Jill and Kristin again this year as they take their performance to the next level."
The Rebelle Rally is not technically a rally as we know it. Normally a driver and a navigator cover a stage as quickly as possible, but Rebelle is not about speed. The challenge is instead a combination of off-road driving and precise navigation skills. Teams aren't allowed to use modern navigational devices and face this challenge using nothing more than a map and a compass.
"The Rebelle Rally is one of those life-changing events that teaches you a lot about who you are as a person and what you can accomplish as a part of team," said Ciminillo. "The rough terrain and primitive environment pushed Kristin and I to our physical and mental limits last year, and the Hyundai Santa Cruz proved to be a capable third teammate protecting us from the elements with its heated-and-cooled seats while helping us tackle a route that often did not include roads."
"As rookies in 2022, Jill and I learned how to navigate with paper topographical maps, brushed up on using a compass, and forged a strong partnership between the two of us and our Santa Cruz," said Shaw. "We also explored the edges of what the Santa Cruz is capable of, and we're looking forward to pushing it even further in 2023."
Hyundai did not state the differences between the custom-built 2022 rally car and the new model, but Shaw said that she couldn't wait to test the new enhancements made to the 2023 vehicle. The Rebelle Rally only takes place in October, so the South Korean manufacturer will likely reveal more details closer to the time. We expect it to be based on the 2.5-liter turbocharged model with standard all-wheel-drive.
The Rebelle Rally has become a showcase for manufacturers to showcase the abilities of models you wouldn't generally associate with off-roading. While cars like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco do well, other manufacturers enter cars you wouldn't expect to see on anything with "rally" in the name.
Last year, Nissan sent a stock Pathfinder; a year before, Volkswagen entered an EV with a modified ID.4. Hyundai's corporate cousin, Kia, will likely enter a Sportage X-Pro again.
The event has become so prominent that it even spawned a similar event in Saudi Arabia, which is a massive win for women's rights. The Rally Jameel was so successful that it's being rerun this year with more competitors than ever before.
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