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
Newly formed American Rally Association (ARA) driver Ryan Millen and co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino sped to victory in the early-February Perce Neige Rally championship thanks to their rally-build custom Toyota RAV4 SE, besting 140 stage miles and nearly 300 miles total of diverse terrain and obstacles replete with a total snow whiteout. And on Friday and Saturday, March 17-18, Team Millen was at it again, taking on a new challenge in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains at the Hundred Acre Wood rally event. The racing aficionados competed against both 120 miles of crested roads, deep gravel and river crossings and 52 other vehicles (33 finishers and 19 vehicles that didn't finish), earning the highly respectable seventh place spot.
This says a lot about Toyota quality, as Team Millen's build was comprised of factory-RAV4 front-wheel drive and automatic transmission as well as mostly standard stock vehicle components, and took advantage of already excellent standard ground clearance as well as RAV4's 2.5L, 176-horsepower engine and its 172 pound-feet of torque. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the team's curio: it's comparable to its siblings in the 2017 Toyota RAV4 line!
In fact, you can see performance in 2017 RAV4 models fresh off the line, from their independent MacPherson strut front and double-wishbone rear suspensions that deliver stability on which you can rely, to the get-up-and-go traction offered by Electric Power Steering (EPS) with power-assisted rack-and-pinion and Automatic Limited-Slip Differential (Auto LSD), made possible during low-speed Vehicle Stability Control disengagement. Toyota's Star Safety System also takes center stage, offering precise control by reducing RAV4 power to a minimum during traffic's stops and starts, meaning dependable braking and safe halts in weather and across terrain befitting the moniker of 'nature's own rally event.'
Stop by our 1600 W. Lake St. showroom for a test drive and see what a 2017 Toyota RAV4 can mean for your next road trip. Our Elgin Toyota staff can make it happen. And keep an eye out for future Team Millen custom RAV4 events!
