Congrats team @ryan_millen_ on your 1st place 2WD class finish at @PerceNeigeRally - kickin' off 2017 @ara_rally right! #RallyRAV4 pic.twitter.com/6AWKFXCp1G
— Toyota USA (@Toyota) February 6, 2017
140 stage miles and nearly 300 total miles of terrain, obstacles, and even a complete snow whiteout at the newly formed American Rally Association's (ARA) early-February Perce Neige Rally championship were no sweat for the custom Toyota Rally RAV4 driven by Ryan Millen and co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino. This time, Team Millen is headed to Hundred Acre Wood, in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, for this Friday and Saturday, March 17-18's rally, which will include 120 miles of crested roads, deep gravel and river crossings. Millen's confident his roadster can handle them, though, as it features his trusty 2.5L, 176-horsepower, 172 lb-ft of torque-capable engine, comparable to those in the 2017 Toyota RAV4 line, as well as excellent ground clearance and the same front-wheel drive, automatic transmission and mostly standard stock vehicle components as a factory RAV4.
Dick Poe Toyota totally gets where the praise comes from. RAV4's a solid performer, as an independent MacPherson strut front suspension and double-wishbone rear suspension attest. Add in the mix Electric Power Steering (EPS) with power-assisted rack-and-pinion and an Automatic Limited-Slip Differential (Auto LSD) for traction on which you can rely during low-speed Vehicle Stability Control disengagement, and one can begin to get a feel for how the racing duo surmounted their obstacles. The SUV's got the safety to back it up, too. Its Star Safety System enables precision control in conditions diverse and adverse, reducing power during the stop-and-go stuff and helping RAV4 come to a reliable stop.
Come check out this racer inspiration at our 6330 Montana Avenue showroom, here in El Paso, TX. We'll be happy to put you behind the wheel for a test drive. And keep an eye out for Team Millen at Hundred Acre Wood!
