Jeep Produces New Film to Honor International Day of the Girl and 2023 Rebelle Rally
Since 2016, America has been the home of the Rebelle Rally. Known as the first all-women’s off-road rally and the longest competition of its kind in the lower 48 states, the Rebelle Rally is a competition for women to get behind the wheel and prove their mettle over the course of eight days. Spanning from Nevada to California, covering more than 1,440 miles of desert terrain and off-road mayhem, the race has gathered a lot of attention from automakers over the years, such as the Jeep® brand (winning two during Rebelle Rally 2022). This year (2023), the stars have aligned, with the Rebelle Rally starting on October 12, 2023, immediately after International Day of the Girl on October 11, 2023.
What is International Day of the Girl? An annual and internationally recognized event, International Day of the Girl empowers women and amplifies their voices, addressing the various issues girls and women face in different parts of the world and celebrate the growing rights they have earned over the years. Designated by the United Nations in 2012, every year has a theme, and this year’s theme (2023) is “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”.
The Jeep brand has supported the Rebelle Rally since its inception, and to shine a little light on the internationally recognized day and the challenging navigation rally, the automaker launched a short film, “Rebelle With a Cause: Empowering the Future.” Starring two-time Rebelle Rally champion Nena Barlow, you can watch the 5-minute film below. The film highlights some of the amazing women competing in the race while Barlow narrates. Mirroring the pillars of the Jeep brand – adventure, freedom, authenticity, and passion – Barlow invites a new generation of women off-road drivers to the rally with training sessions designed to inspire confidence and welcome new entrants to the sport of driving off-road and tackling the challenges of the Rebelle Rally.
“We are changing the stereotypes of off-roading, and my hope is to provide more pathways for entry, especially for women… The more events we have like the Rebelle Rally, the more women are breaking down barriers, making the route smoother for the next generation to enter this world, and I am already seeing change with Gen Z feeling like this is more of their world,” – Barlow
Now in its eighty year, the Rebelle Rally consists of 65 teams hailing from 28 states and three nations, with 10 automakers supporting the drivers and taking a chance to make their mark. The Rebelle Rally has expanded in recent years, with vehicle classes now including the 4×4 class and X-Cross class, made up of crossovers, SUVs, and pickup trucks, as well as electrified vehicles and bone stock vehicles. The latter means any vehicle that comes straight from the factory, no modifications added. That’s a large feat to take on, seeing as how so many vehicles are modified to take on the challenges of the rally. Wouldn’t you know it, Jeep took hoe the Bone Stock award in 2022. That’s how capable a Jeep SUV, specifically the Wrangler 4xe, is in terms of off-road adventure. The Wrangler 4xe also won the award for the electrified class in 2022.
Teaming up with Barlow and Teralin Petereit for the third consecutive year, Team 4xEventure will be driving a 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon to take home the gold. Now having to defend the titles of electrified and bone stock, we look forward to the results of the 2023 Rebelle Rally. Also joining this year Rebelle Rally partner Pennzoil, supporting rookie team Full Synd Sisters (#149), comprised of sisters Alex and Megan Taylor behind the wheel of a stock Jeep Wrangler 4xe.
Follow along with us on Aventura Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram social media. It all starts October 12, 2023 in Mammoth Lakes, California, and ends October 21, 2023 in the Imperial Sand Dunes of Southern California.
Photo Source/Copyright: Stellantis Media