The Rendezvous navigating the Inca Trail will include the optional Versatrak "on-demand" all-wheel-drive system. Versatrak uses front drive under normal road conditions and adds torque to the rear wheels on slippery roads. Rendezvous may also be ordered as a front-wheel-drive model.
Rendezvous' 3.4-liter V-6 engine, attached to an electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission, generates 185 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 210 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. It combines power with exceptionally good fuel economy (estimated EPA fuel economy numbers are 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway for the all-wheel drive version and 19 and 26 for the front-drive version).
Bowen is excited showcasing Rendezvous' abilities in the Inca Trail. "By combining the best features and design elements of today's SUVs and premium sedans, we've been able to create a vehicle with real comfort, all-road and all-weather driving security and flexible cargo versatility," he said.
The 2001 Inca Trail, which includes a classic reliability trail for vintage automobiles as well as the separate rally for modern 4x4s, is being organized by the Historic Endurance Rallying Organization (HERO) of Worcester, England.
The Inca Trail event was created by John Brown, HERO director, who was the route coordinator for the South American leg of the London-Mexico World Cup Rally of 1970. Brown was once described by the London Daily Telegraph as "motoring's answer to the Marquis de Sade" because of the tough rallies he has organized. The newspaper also described him as "the most meticulous organiser of rallies for old cars in the world".
