For the second consecutive year, the modified Hyundai Santa Cruz will be piloted by automotive journalists Jill Ciminillo (navigator) and Kristin Shaw (driver), aka “The Brute Squad”.
The Rebelle Rally is a grueling all-female off-road navigational challenge that begins and ends in the California desert on October 13. Over the course of eight challenging days, Shaw and Ciminillo will tackle this adventure in a specially outfitted Santa Cruz they call "Sandy. What's more, they'll be taking on this challenge with little more than a compass and paper maps to guide them - no GPS or Internet-enabled devices allowed.
The custom graphic wrap was created in California by Matt Marble, senior graphic designer and Kellen Gustine, junior exterior designer, Hyundai Design North America.
“As an artist, I’m excited to present the new livery scheme design of the Rebelle Rally Hyundai Santa Cruz, said Marble. “We were inspired by the natural ruggedness of the desert and worked to capture its beauty along with the adventurous nature of mountain journeys in every hue and line of our design.”
In terms of technical upgrades, Hyundai had to make only "minimal" modifications to prepare the Santa Cruz for the rally. The truck's larger, 17-inch Falken Wildpeak A/T3W off-road tires "improve ground clearance," as does the Truxxx lift kit, which raises the front and rear by 1.5 and 1.0 inches (38 mm and 25 mm), respectively.
The pickup has two powertrain choices, the most powerful being the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 281 hp (285 PS). It has all-wheel drive and the brand's eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Hyundai also sells the truck with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter mill that makes 191 hp (193 PS). The Korean company did not specify which engine is fitted to this rally car.
The truck has a skid plate and a custom front bumper, which supports the Rally Innovations front recovery mount with auxiliary lights. On top, the Santa Cruz features cross bars, a Hyundai Genuine Accessory, and a roof-rack-mounted light bar.
Source: Hyundai Motor America