Our Managing editor Jill Ciminillo along with Kristin Shaw, aka “The Brute Squad,” are competing again in the Rebelle Rally. This time with an even more custom 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz.
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The Rebelle Rally is a grueling all-women, off-road navigational challenge starting and ending in the deserts of California starting Oct. 13. Over the span of eight demanding days, Shaw and Ciminillo will bravely tackle this adventure in a specially equipped Santa Cruz they call ‘Sandy.’ What’s more, they’ll take on this challenge with little more than a compass and paper maps to guide them – GPS and Internet-enabled devices are forbidden.
Ciminillo will instead be plotting the course and choosing the direction as navigator by hand while Shaw will be the driver.
Custom 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Let’s start with the exterior. The custom graphic wrap for the Rebelle Rally Hyundai Santa Cruz was a collaborative effort between Matt Marble, the senior graphic designer, and Kellen Gustine, the junior exterior designer, both from Hyundai Design North America.
Marble, sharing his enthusiasm as an artist, spoke about their creation, in a press release, saying, “I’m thrilled to unveil the new livery scheme design for the Rebelle Rally Hyundai Santa Cruz. We drew inspiration from the rugged beauty of the desert landscape, aiming to capture its allure and the adventurous spirit of mountain journeys in every aspect of our design.”
The Santa Cruz’s striking appearance drew inspiration from iconic typography and the vibrant aesthetics, logos, and decals that resonate with contemporary outdoor enthusiasts. The outcome is a modern yet nostalgic look reminiscent of 1970s design. Bold color blocking gives life to vivid and saturated tones that create a captivating contrast against the desert backdrop. What sets this design apart is the eye-catching gradient sunset and prominent mountain range in the foreground. Moreover, a cleverly designed horizon line tilts dynamically, synchronizing with the Santa Cruz’s movement as it conquers mountains or dunes, forging a subtle yet captivating connection with the surrounding landscape.
From a performance perspective, the Rebelle Rally Santa Cruz required only minimal modifications compared to the standard production model. Hyundai Motor America model-line engineer Eric Buxton and experts at the Hyundai America Technical Center oversaw these enhancements. A selection of off-road equipment was curated from Hyundai and leading aftermarket brands like Rally Innovations, Truxxx, Gear Off Road, and Falken Tires. The custom-built bed rack was designed precisely to securely hold essential gear, including four MaxTrax recovery boards, a full-size spare tire and wheel, and two dependable shovels. This vehicle’s thoughtful combination of genuine Hyundai accessories and aftermarket upgrades showcases how customers can personalize their Santa Cruz to match their unique tastes and needs. The modifications include:
- A custom front bumper and skid plate for added protection.
- Larger 17-inch Falken Wildpeak A/T3W off-road tires for improved ground clearance and tackling rough terrain.
- A Rally Innovations front recovery mount equipped with auxiliary lighting.
- A roof-rack-mounted light bar affixed to Hyundai Genuine Accessory cross bars.
- A rear spare-tire mount with MaxTrax and shovel mounts.
- A Truxxx lift kit (1.5-inch front, 1-inch rear).
- A Terratrip rally computer.
- An exciting graphic wrap that embodies Santa Cruz’s versatility for work, home, surfing, and mountain sports.
In compliance with Rebelle Rally rules, the Santa Cruz’s antennas have been disconnected to disable GPS functionality.
About The Brute Squad
Jill Ciminillo is a talented automotive writer, YouTube personality, podcaster, contributing editor to Consumer Guide Automotive, and the managing editor of this company. Catch up with her engaging content on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube at @jillciminillo.
Kristin Shaw is an accomplished freelance journalist who works in both automotive and aviation reporting. Her byline can be found in notable publications including Popular Science, Edmunds, Forbes, Road & Track, A Girls Guide to Cars, Motor1, Airport Improvement Magazine, and many more. For a closer look into Kristin’s world, find her on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @DriveModeShow and Twitter or Instagram @KristinVShaw.
For updates on the Brute Squad, follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TeamBruteSquad and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/teambrutesquad/
“Kristin and I are looking forward to our second year in the Hyundai Santa Cruz,” said navigator Jill Ciminillo. “This is an amazingly capable vehicle while managing to be comfortable at the same time. With the ever-changing weather conditions during Rebelle, we have the confidence to handle mud and sand as well as rocky terrain, and if we need to get out of the vehicle, we know there are heated-and-cooled seats as well as a phenomenal climate-control system waiting for us when we get back in. As we head into the 2023 Rebelle Rally, we have a better idea of what is ahead of us. We know there are seven 10-hour days ahead of us and we’re lucky to be in our Hyundai Santa Cruz, which has some of the most comfortable seats for long-distance drives. That, combined with the carefully curated modifications to our dear Sandy means we’re extra prepared for what’s to come this year.”
“Hyundai has been an incredible supporter and cheerleader for our team,” said driver Kristin Shaw. “We know that Santa Cruz is capable and rugged from our experiences at last year’s rally and through multiple training sessions. We’ve established strong teamwork and honed our skills. And every mile we travel gives us more experience and a better connection with the vehicle.”
The bottom line
What else is there to say besides go Team Brute Squad, GO!
