Not your typical Nissan Armada
The TFLtruck team was lucky enough to get an early preview of the Nissan Armada Mountain Patrol Concept at the 2018 Overland Expo in Arizona. It was a brief introduction, but we were able to get a feel for what Nissan was aiming for. They were trying to create a serious off-road SUV/overlander — one that can take on just about anything. This year, the concept is going racing during the 2019 Rebelle Rally.
Nissan stacks the vehicle with beefed up armor, suspension, tires, wheels, lighting, storage and a host of recovery extras. All of these items can assist when tackling 1,500 miles of desert running.
“Armada Mountain Patrol is the ultimate expression of the Armada’s immense capabilities both on and off-road, and everywhere in between,” said Tiago Castro, director of trucks and SUVs, Nissan North America. “Already having successfully traversed The Sahara Desert, this vehicle is at home on some of the most challenging terrain in the world. We can’t wait to watch Sedona and Lyn tackle this year’s Rebelle Rally behind the wheel of Armada Mountain Patrol.”
Not your typical rally
This is the longest off-road rally held in the United States. Over ten days, the drivers head from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to San Diego, California on and off-road. This is a test of navigation and driver’s skill – not an all-out race from point-A to point-B.
The challenge is to make it to various checkpoints at the correct time, which is remarkably difficult without the aid of electronic equipment. Much of the terrain is extremely rugged and the on-road sections can be tedious. It’s a rough ten days.
Oh, and the Rebelle Rally is for women only.
Serious tech
Serious drivers
Sedona Blinson and Lyn Woodward will represent Team Wild Grace and drive the Armada Mountain Patrol in the 10-day rally. Blinson is a rally veteran and Woodward is an automotive journalists with racing experience as well.
Last year, Blinson drove a stock Nissan Armada and finished 11th overall.
“Our team was kind of a fun surprise for everyone last year – they really didn’t realize what the Armada was capable of,” said Blinson, who will be competing in her fourth Rebelle Rally. “The comfort and the capability was really a huge advantage people didn’t think about.”
The Rebelle Rally begins Oct. 10 in Lake Tahoe and will conclude Oct. 19 with a celebratory gala in San Diego.
Here’s a video of the team with the Nissan Armada Mountain Patrol concept before it set out on its many adventures.
