- Veteran driver Rebecca Donaghe will pilot a BMW X5 with BMW of North America Product Manager Rebecca Dalski as navigator.
- Contested by an all-women field of drivers and navigators, the rigorous competition covers 1,700 miles of demanding desert terrain and prohibits GPS guidance, forcing teams to rely on paper maps and compasses.
- Challenging offroad competition helps gather real world insights for BMW’s X family of Sports Utility Vehicles.
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – October 8, 2025… BMW is back for the nation’s longest competitive offroad challenge. Veteran driver Rebecca Donaghe will pilot a BMW X5 across 1,700 miles of demanding terrain alongside BMW Product Manager and first-time navigator Rebecca Dalski. Taking place October 11–17 across a vast stretch of California and Nevada desert, the challenge features a lineup of 68 female driver-navigator teams and forbids the usage of GPS guidance. Instead, competitors are forced to rely on analogue navigational techniques to hunt for checkpoints throughout the desert landscape.
Dalski, whose day job centers around shaping the future of the BMW product lineup for the American market will be helping test the limits of the BMW X5 while guiding her team’s journey from the navigator’s seat as they demonstrate how BMW’s best-selling model is also capable of conquering obstacles offroad.
“Adventure is worthwhile in itself”, said Dalski. “With an off-road package featuring xSand, xGravel, xSnow and xRock modes, the BMW X5 is well-equipped for this challenge. Add to that Rebecca Donaghe’s excellent driving skills, along with the analog navigational techniques I’ve been sharpening, and I’m sure that we’ll cross the finish line proudly in October. The Rebelle Rally was described to me as a game of chess played out in the world and I cannot wait to see what we’ll encounter.”
At the core of the BMW X5 xDrive40i is a 375-horsepower inline-six engine paired with a mild-hybrid system, delivering responsive driving experience without sacrificing fuel efficiency. Its powertrain is complemented by BMW’s signature xDrive all-wheel-drive system, which provides confident handling and stability in various driving conditions, from daily commuting to navigating life’s more adventurous scenarios. For the Rebelle Rally, the stock vehicle was only augmented by the additions of offroad tires, camping gear, and recovery equipment.
Since its original debut more than two decades ago, the BMW X5 has been instrumental in the steady growth of the BMW X family of vehicles and remains one of the brand’s most popular iconic nameplates, famous for its versatility. The BMW X5 is proudly assembled at the brand’s largest production site globally in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The following internal and external partners helped bring this year’s Rebelle Rally journey to life:
- BMW Credit
- BMW Protection Products
- BMW Women in Motion
- BMW Performance Center
- BMW Car Club of America and BMW CCA X Chapter
- XPEL
- Falken
- Rotiform
- Morimoto
- Thule
Follow BMW’s progress on the Rebelle Rally website at www.rebellerally.com for official updates and live coverage beginning Friday, October 10.
BMW Group PressClub USA
