MINI USA is celebrating a remarkable debut at the 2026 Rebelle Rally, where driver and MINI enthusiast Felicia Killman and navigator Erika Ferrer, a member of the BMW Group Corporate Communications team in Mexico, earned a third-place podium finish in the X-Cross class, along with two additional team awards, in the all-new 2027 MINI Countryman Untamed Edition.
In MINI’s first-ever entry in the Rebelle Rally, one of the longest off-road navigation rallies of its kind in the United States, the duo known as the #NotSoMINIRebelles put the brand’s newest adventure-focused model to the test across some of the most challenging terrain in the American West.
As an all-women’s competition, the Rebelle Rally celebrates the skill, resilience and resourcefulness of women in motorsport. Over eight days and more than 1,500 miles of rugged terrain across Nevada, California and Utah, competitors navigate desert trails, rocky climbs, sand washes and river crossings using maps, compass and roadbook rather than GPS. The 2026 running pushed teams to their limits, with temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit, powerful storms, steep climbs and wind gusts reaching 50 mph that sent blowing sand across the course in the final stages.
The team earned three distinguished honors: third place in the X-Cross class in MINI’s inaugural appearance; Rookies of the Year in the X-Cross class, recognizing Killman and Ferrer’s outstanding first campaign; and the “Challenge Accepted” Award presented by Stryten Energy, voted on by fellow competitors and event staff for embracing challenges with exceptional attitude and inspiring others through their example.
“MINI’s first Rebelle Rally has been an incredible demonstration of what happens when bold engineering meets determination, teamwork, and a willingness to take on the unexpected,” said Sean Green, Vice President, MINI of the Americas. “Felicia and Erika delivered an outstanding result, earning a podium finish and two additional team awards while demonstrating the capability of the new MINI Countryman Untamed Edition. We couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments and the way they represented MINI.”
“We achieved our mission: to show everyone what MINI is capable of,” said Ferrer. “Reaching the finish line with a podium finish in the debut of the new MINI Countryman Untamed Edition was incredibly rewarding, especially after overcoming everything from river crossings to some of the toughest off-road challenges imaginable. It was just as meaningful to see fellow competitors inspired by what our team and MINI could accomplish.”
“It was an honor to take on the Rebelle Rally with Erika for MINI,” said Killman, a longtime MINI enthusiast from Lacey, Washington. “Earning a podium finish after all the challenges we faced is a surreal feeling, and knowing we’ve added to MINI’s motorsport history makes it even more meaningful.”
Revealed to the world just days before the competition began, the 2027 MINI Countryman Untamed Edition made its competitive debut on one of the most demanding proving grounds imaginable. U.S. models include MINI ALL4 all-wheel drive, a suspension lift, specially developed all-terrain tires and exclusive 19-inch Untamed Edition wheels.
MINI’s Rebelle Rally debut builds on a motorsport legacy that spans generations. The original Mini Cooper S secured overall victories at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967, and MINI has more recently established an international reputation in off-road competition including the Dakar Rally. The 2026 campaign also continues BMW Group’s participation in the Rebelle Rally, which began with a Rolls-Royce Cullinan in 2019 and continued with BMW entries in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
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