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Hyundai's Santa Cruz pickup truck has had some special treatment ahead of the 2022 Rebelle Rally event

Hyundai is a car manufacturer on their A-game at the moment. The recent reveal of the Ioniq 6 and their N Vision 74 and RN22e concepts showcased the very best of what the South Korean company can do. Of course, their current range of products is still hugely popular, with the Santa Cruz pickup truck one of the latest release from the brand and one that has already received very good reviews and proven to be quite the hit with the consumer.

Hyundai also have a lot of pedigree in rallying, as they do currently compete in series such as the FIA World Rally Championship. They aren’t afraid to spice things up a little bit either. We are soon to see the start of the 2022 Rebelle Rally, the seventh time the annual all-women even has taken place. Ahead of the event, Hyundai has teamed up with Brad Arnold and Matt Marble to unveil this very special version of their Santa Cruz pickup truck, adorned in a stunning special livery for the event and featuring a few enhancements to make it perfect for rallying.

This Santa Cruz is in fact created in collaboration with North American designers Brad Arnold and Matt Marble, who are currently based in California and put in many hours to create a superb looking livery for the pickup truck. Hyundai says that Arnold and Marble blended the California surfing lifestyle with the motif of a custom bandana to create this rather epic look for the Rebelle Rally Santa Cruz, a look that captures the feel of off-roading. In terms of drivers, auto writers Jill Ciminillo and Kristin Shaw will be in the cockpit of the Rebelle Rally Santa Cruz.

Various sponsors have come onboard to help ensure that this Santa Cruz can take part in the event. These are Bose, Falken Tires, Rally Innovations, Gear Offroad Wheels, Truxxx and She Buys Travel. The event will be a grueling one, taking place over eight days and will push the crew and the Santa Cruz truck to the peak of their performance. Ciminillo and Shaw have christened their team Brute Squad, which is quite appropriate as their steed exhibits a lot of brute force ahead of the event.

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Amazingly, Hyundai says that very few modifications were actually made to the Santa Cruz in order to get it ready for the event. Off-road tires are of course one of the key components, but there is more to it than just that. A skid plate is underneath now to protect the underside from stones and debris as much as possible. A lift kit is also included as one of the other modifications to the Santa Cruz. The back of the truck will also be fully filled with equipment and a radio will no doubt be a feature for communication reasons.

The modifications for the Santa Cruz were all done by Hyundai Motor America and led by model line engineer Eric Buxton, and it is fair to say that he and the Hyundai team have done wonders to get the pickup truck ready for the event. It really is the perfect vehicle. The Santa Cruz has already shown itself to be a rugged and dependable vehicle just a year on from its launch, and has become one of the most impressive vehicles in the current Hyundai range. As such, it feels like it is the perfect choice to tackle the famed Rebelle Rally.

Hyundai have been keen to stress that safety is one of the key factors in preparing a vehicle like this for any motorsport event. Off-road driving can be dangerous in any environment, particularly so during a tough and challenging eight-day rally event. There will no doubt be a full support team behind the Brute Squad team's efforts to conquer the event. Hyundai have stressed to their customers that owners should consult their owner’s manual before they themselves take in any off-roading in their vehicles. It is unlikely any of us will be doing the Rebelle Rally of course!

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Some have said that the Santa Cruz handles more like a car than a pickup truck and that should put it in good standing for the rally event. It could prove to be a nimbler machine on the tight and twisty stages compared to some of its rivals. The Santa Cruz really has a big opportunity here to shine and showcase to the world just how good it is. It's already on a pretty good standing at the moment, and this will likely elevate it. We wish Ciminillo and Shaw the best of luck as they take on this event that starts on October 6th.

Covering anything from JDM cars to classic jets. Contributed to HotCars since the Autumn of 2018. Writes features, news and list articles.