Romania, the country that gave us the first purpose-built electric MINI race car, is at it again. This time around, with a BMW. “Elsa” is the nickname given to an i4 M50 that has lost its road-legal status to become a bespoke race car. Independent racing team “Engage Racing” is the mastermind behind the project, with backing from the automaker’s local division. To our knowledge, it’s the first race car for which the i4 M50 is used as the foundation. The dual-motor setup making 536 hp (400 kW) and 795 Nm (586 lb-ft) of torque has been carried over. We can say the same about the lithium-ion battery pack with a usable energy content of 81.3 kWh. Ok, what has changed?
The aggressive aerodynamic package includes a massive wing and a beefy diffuser. The XXL-sized front spoiler can easily double as a snowplow. To shave off unnecessary weight, the body has been lightened by getting rid of all the sound-deadening material. In addition, the regular glass windows have made way for Plexiglas while the interior has been stripped down to the bare essentials.
There’s now a Pikes Peak-spec full roll cage and a redesigned carbon fiber dashboard with plenty of buttons for various functions. Some controls are configurable for quicker access during a race. Although the rear doors are still there, the cabin is now strictly a two-seat affair with body-hugging Sabelt bucket seats and a racing harness.
The upgrades are skin-deep since the BMW i4 M50 “Elsa” has custom Drexler limited-slip differentials at both axles. In addition, Dutch company Intrax provided the suspension setup with dedicated shock absorbers and springs to handle the car’s weight. Although an exact figure hasn’t been announced, the car certainly weighs less than the street-legal model. A regular i4 M50 tips the scales at 2,215 kilograms (4,883 pounds) in European specification. An artificial engine sound generator helps the driver assess the car’s speed more accurately and serves as a safety measure by warning spectators to keep a safe distance from the i4 M50.
Elsa took one year to develop by a team of nine engineers. The goal is to eventually race it at the grueling Pikes Peak. It was initially supposed to tackle the hill climb challenge in Colorado this year. Due to lack of funding, the plan was abandoned, but Engage Racing is not giving up: “Pikes Peak is to us what a World Championship is to other athletes – the world’s most important, famous, world-famous coastal speed race. We prepare with that goal in mind. It is important for us to have a competitive entry that develops over several years, and this is where resources are the biggest challenge.”
Source: BMW