The Rebelle Rally 2023, the longest off-road rally competition held in the United States. The six-stage rally takes participants through the south-west of the country, from the Mammoth Mountain Resort in Mammoth Lakes in California to the Imperial Dunes near the Mexican border. But not on well-maintained highways: the 2,100 kilometres lead through the harsh and unforgiving deserts of California and Nevada. In mid-October 2023, shortly after its world premiere, a BMW M automobile was also on the starting line. The BMW X2 M35i was a first-time competitor in the rally, faced a tough challenge that put the vehicle’s endurance and reliability to the test. Driven and navigated by veteran Rebelle Rally competitors Rebecca Donaghe and Sedona Blinson, the SAV immediately impressed on its debut in the X-CROSS™ class and achieved a fantastic second place.
SLIGHTLY MODIFIED.
THE X FACTOR.
“I have competed in a different vehicle for each of my six years of the rally”, says driver Rebecca Donaghe, “It can be especially challenging to bring a new model you don’t get to train with or even shakedown in the dirt before day zero, but that’s part of what makes it appealing to me. Those challenges are part of the game, but when the x factor is BMW, the engineering and capabilities are proven and solid – that’s a game changer.”
Teaming up with BMW for the highly anticipated 2023 Rebelle Rally is a thrilling privilege! This partnership is especially exciting because Rebecca and I get to introduce a new Manufacturer to the Rebelle community and showcase the all-new BMW X2 in this ultimate proving ground. The Rebelle Rally is the perfect stage for BMW to demonstrate their unparalleled performance and engineering prowess.
