MINI will make its first appearance in the Rebelle Rally this October, using the demanding off-road event to debut a tougher new version of its popular Countryman crossover.
The 2026 Rebelle Rally takes place from October 7 to 17 across the deserts of Nevada, California and, for the first time, Utah.
MINI will enter its upcoming Countryman Edition, an adventure-focused model that has already been tested on gravel roads, loose surfaces and at high altitude in the Rocky Mountains.
Spanning more than 2,400km, the Rebelle Rally is the longest competitive off-road navigation rally in the US. Unlike conventional rally events, competitors do not use GPS, instead navigating with maps, a compass and a road book as they tackle remote desert terrain.
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The manufacturer’s entry will be crewed by driver Felicia Killman and navigator Erika Ferrer.
Ferrer, who works for BMW Group Mexico, is an experienced co-driver with three consecutive regional rally championships to her name. She has also navigated for Mexican rally driver Benito Guerra in the famous La Carrera Panamericana.
Killman is a regular competitor in the American Rally Association and has experience both behind the wheel and in the navigator’s seat. She also campaigns a modified MINI in stage rally competition.
MINI’s Rebelle Rally debut adds another chapter to the brand’s long association with rallying. The original Mini Cooper S famously claimed overall victories at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967, while more recently MINI has enjoyed success in the Dakar Rally.
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