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Mercedes Lilienthal is an award-winning automotive journalist and PR/marketing consultant who specializes in all things related to vehicular adventure travel, the auto industry, and women within it. She is the contributor for several outlets like The New York Times, Car and Driver, Forbes, Autoblog, TREAD Magazine, and more. Mercedes has extensively covered the Rebelle Rally—as a driver and a journalist. She is one of a few competitors who has participated in both 4×4 and X-Cross classes. In 2021, her team made history as the first crossover EV to finish the Rebelle Rally, as well as one of the first teams in the world to finish a major competition in a full EV crossover, too. After completing the 2022 rally, Mercedes’ team became the first duo in Rebelle Rally’s tenure to take an ICE-equipped vehicle, EV powertrain, and plug-in hybrid across the finish line. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Emily Winslow is a project manager with an adventurous spirit. She currently lives in Puyallup, WA with her husband and three cats. Emily is a manager who specializes in first responder pre-employment testing. She keeps testing available and safe, she assists fire and police departments across North America find new personnel. Emily enjoys solving challenges that arise each day by thinking about all sides of the issue and creating unique solutions—a key trait for traditional navigation and rallying. Emily competed in the Rebelle Rally four times while Mercedes rallied three times. In 2018, Emily placed 2nd in the crossover class. In 2018 and 2019, she was the navigator of Team Naviguessers (in her own Subaru Crosstrek). In 2021, Emily navigated the aforementioned ID.4 all-electric vehicle for Volkswagen of America with driver Mercedes and in 2022, the pair partnered with Jeep, a subsidiary of Stellantis, and piloted one of three Wrangler Rubicon 4xe plug-in hybrids entered in the competition. The love of rallying and manual transmissions brought us together, but a common love for adventurous challenges solidified our partnership as a team. Well, that and Cheez-Its!
Honda
Project Manager
Puyallup, WA
"Dear God," she prayed, "let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me be cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry...have too much to eat. Let me be ragged or well dressed. Let me be sincere - be deceitful. Let me be truthful; let me be a liar. Let me be honorable and let me sin. Only let me be something every blessed minute. And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost." Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
I am a member of the Daughter's of the American Revolution (DAR).
Because Mercedes asked me, so I said yes.
Podcast: Smartless
Book: The Midnight Circus
Show: Gilmore Girls
Traveling to Vietnam with my best buddy Natalie.
2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
2nd place crossover 2018, marathon stage winner 2018
Journalist and PR/Marketing Consultant
Portland, OR
I'm a dual-citizen German American with parents that emigrated from Germany in the late '60s without knowing a word of English.
Honda! From two CRX hatchbacks and several Civics to a Prelude, CR-V, and even a 1979 Civic 1200, my husband Andy and I have owned nine Hondas in our lifetime! We're longtime fans of the brand. I'm honored to be a part of Honda's "TrailSport triple threat" this year.
Those around me who tackle challenges head on, with grace, determination, positivity, and patience.
Rallying our 1991 right-hand-drive Mitsubishi diesel-powered Pajero 4x4 for the winter 2020 Alcan 5000 Rally. I competed with my husband, Andy, and completed the endurance rally successfully and mechanically sound, including all optional extreme control routes. We endured over 5,000 and 10 days of ice and snow-covered roads, temperatures of -43 and below, blizzard conditions, hazardous road conditions, almost hitting a wolf, ditch diving, recovering other vehicles, and sleep deprivation. We loved it so much we competed in the summer 2022 version with Subaru of America and will once again tackle the Arctic winter in 2024 with another auto manufacturer.
2018, 2021, 2022
First all-electric crossover to compete/finish Rebelle Rally (2021 with VW), after 2022 rally we were first team to take ICE-equipped, EV powertrain, and plug-in hybrid vehicle types across the finish line.