Kiwi to rally in RAV4

Ryan Millen, son of Kiwi rally and off-road racing legend Rod Millen, will be driving a production Toyota RAV4 rally car in the US for the rest of the year. Millen, who won the 2014 Baja 1000 in a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Ute, will compete with Christina Fate in six events. A RAV4 competing in any motorsport is rare. It is even rarer to see a compact SUV go head-to-head with the American Rally Championship’s two-wheel-drive (2WD) production class. The marque’s entry into the series has a standard transmission and 2.5-liter, four-cylinder, double-overhead cam engine that produces 132kW of power and 233 Nm of torque. Millen and his crew have removed more than 220kg of weight, while adding a roll cage, BFGoodrich all-terrain tyres and upgrading the suspension to competition units. “I’ve been especially impressed with the RAV4’s tight, compact body and smooth handling,” says Millen. “I’m looking forward to putting it through its paces.” “Over the years, the RAV4 has become known more for its benefits as a practical family-vehicle alternative to the larger SUV,” saiys Alex Du, the vehicle’s marketing and communications manager. “We felt it was time that its performance was put on display.” Millen has been involved in Toyota Racing since childhood. From helping Ivan Stewart at stadium truck cross events and then competing in stadium races at the age of nine, to racing the FJ Cruiser in the Baja 1000, he has poured his life and professional racing career into Toyota. He will also be entering some of the Rally America West Series in the 2WD production class with the Toyota RAV4.