MINI Countryman Untamed Takes a Rebelle Rally Podium Before It Hits Dealers
Killman and Ferrer finished third of four in X-Cross and won rookie honors, 262 points behind Subaru's modified Forester Hybrid.
MINI's first Rebelle Rally ended on the podium. The No. 206 Countryman Untamed Edition, driven by Felicia Killman and navigated by Erika Ferrer, finished third in the X-Cross class. That is a competitive result for a model that won't reach U.S. dealers until early 2027.
The crew also took the class Rookies of the Year title and the "Challenge Accepted" award, which fellow competitors and event staff vote on. MINI's results announcement came out on October 20. As our Rebelle Rally 2026 preview explained, X-Cross is the class for unibody crossovers without a low-range transfer case.
How the X-Cross class shook out
The result needs some context. MotoringFile and BMWBlog both report that the MINI scored 1,149 points. That put it 262 points behind the winning Subaru Forester Hybrid of Carey Lando and Andrea Shaffer, who scored 1,411. According to MotoringFile, it was their third straight class win, and the X-Cross field had just four cars. A Subaru Crosstrek crewed by Kendra Miller and Tasha Krug finished second with 1,393 points.
Fourth place went to the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport, according to MotoringFile and 4WDTalk. That is the car Honda entered bone stock. The gap shows how much preparation mattered. The winning Forester Hybrid ran a lift, 30-inch tires, and a locker. The MINI was much closer to showroom spec.
Speed doesn't decide the Rebelle. Over eight days and more than 1,500 miles of Nevada, California, and Utah, teams score points by finding checkpoints with maps, a compass, and a roadbook, because GPS is banned. MINI says this year's event brought temperatures near 100 degrees Fahrenheit, river crossings, and storms. In the final stages, 50-mph wind gusts kicked up sand into whiteout conditions.
What the rally car was, and wasn't
MINI revealed the Untamed Edition only days before the start. U.S. versions get ALL4 all-wheel drive, a suspension lift, all-terrain tires, and 19-inch wheels. As we reported in our Countryman Untamed Edition pricing story, the gas S ALL4 version starts at $43,900 plus a $1,350 destination charge. That is above a 2027 Forester Wilderness at $39,495.
The rally car wasn't a showroom car. Partners supplied a Thule roof rack, Morimoto auxiliary lights, a Heinlein Racing Development skid plate, and tires and spares from MINI Tire Center. MotoringFile reports that it ran smaller 18-inch accessory wheels with taller-sidewall tires. MINI still hasn't said whether car No. 206 was the gas S ALL4 or the electric SE ALL4.
The entry continues BMW Group's run at the Rebelle, which began in 2019 with a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. In 2025, a BMW X5 finished second in X-Cross with 1,350 points, according to the official 2025 standings. This year's third place is one spot lower, but it came in a smaller, cheaper car making its competition debut.
"We achieved our mission: to show everyone what MINI is capable of," Ferrer said. The real test of that claim begins when production starts at Leipzig in November and the Untamed reaches U.S. buyers next year.
