“Elsa” is a special racing car, unique in the world, developed by the local Romanian racing team, Engage Racing, and showing its performance in the first competitions. Supported by VELOElsa participated in Super Rally Bucharest and is preparing for new important races. The BMW i4 Racing “Elsa” electric racing car is a world premiere, being the first competition car developed on the basis of the BMW i4 M50 series model.
The Engage Racing team has ambitious plans for the year-long car. In a special partnership, powered by VELO“Elsa” is participating in several national championships in Romania this year.
An unprecedented approach
A year of design, simulations, execution and assembly, 9 engineers with various specializations, over 15000 lines of code, an ambitious and enthusiastic team, set on great deeds. “Elsa” was created by the independent racing team “Engage Racing”, it is the first competition car developed on the basis of the BMW i4 M50 series model and is preparing for the first competitions, with the support of VELO.
Part of the BAT portfolio, VELO is a brand synonymous with innovation, being present in top international competitions. By teaming up with Engage Racing, Velo expands its footprint in motorsport, continuing to challenge conventional boundaries, creating weirdly wonderful experiences with every challenge.
Officially launched in August 2024, the BMW i4 Racing debuted in the first competition in Baia Mare in September. “Elsa” then impressed thousands of enthusiastic spectators with her surprising performances at Super Rally Bucharest. He recently participated in the Coastal Speed Masters Stage, the speed race on the road between Brașov and Poiana Brașov.
“We are satisfied with the evolution of the BMW i4 Racing model. We are in a phase of tests and accumulation of information. We know that we have to make many more changes that will bring us closer to the true potential of the car. For me, as a driver, it is a phase of learning and getting used to a very different racing car”, said Horia Platona, engineer and pilot of the Engage Racing team.
On October 19, powered by VELOElsa will demonstrate her special skills in the Mangalia Super Rally Stage in the city center, the 4th stage of the National Super Rally Championship, the last one in 2024.
Engage Racing has been competing in sports competitions in Romania for four years, won several trophies, and demonstrated, with each season, that electric vehicles can face direct competition with traditional cars.
„Engage Racing is a team story, we are honored and happy to have with us a large number of passionate and valuable experts who help the project with their creativity and competence. As the project develops, we have more and more cool people with us, it’s a phenomenal team spirit, which makes us strong”explains Anya Gherghina, Marketing Manager Engage Racing.
The transformation process
The development of the racing car “Elsa” involved a complicated process of deconstruction, reconstruction and innovative transformation. Engage Racing took the BMW i4 M50 and made a series of modifications that included aerodynamic optimization, weight reduction and the integration of special components, while maintaining the powertrain of the stock version.
A number of controls of the conventional car have been modified in a new, simplified, optimized formula. Thus, the specially designed central console and special steering wheel with programmable buttons allow the pilot to quickly access important functions even in race mode – for example the ignition, driving modes, activation of functions such as ventilation or additional cooling. At the same time, part of the telemetry functions as well as car functions can be accessed over-the-air, based on the mobile phone.
Another special project is the development of a sound for the competition car, which has a number of important practical functions: it provides direct feedback to the driver about the driving regime and acoustically signals the presence on the track for spectators, as an essential safety measure.
The design was made by Marius Dascălu, a Romanian designer who established himself with his project, 2Fresh Design, who also created the visual identity of Engage Racing.
The concept was developed based on an aerodynamic study developed specifically by the team to meet the challenges of Pikes Peak, the coastal speed race in the United States, which comes with a series of particularly fast turns at high altitude, where, due to low atmospheric pressure , aerodynamic efficiency drops by up to 40%.
Until the race in the USA, Elsa impresses in the competitions in Romania, within the partnership with VELO. A new competition of the season follows, the Mangalia Super Rally Stage, on October 19.
On the account velo Romania on IG you can find out more information and updates about this project.
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