Remember Elsa? No, not the fictional character from Frozen. It’s the nickname given to a purpose-built electric race car based on the BMW i4 M50. Born in Romania, the track-ready EV machine developed by independent racing team Engage Racing recently competed in the inaugural event of the local 2025 Super Rally season. The first round took place in Alba Iulia, where the i4 Racing triumphed in the electric class.
That’s not all, as it nearly clinched third place in the touring car class. Well, almost. With Horia Platona behind the wheel, the i4 Racing was just 0.14 seconds shy of the final podium spot. Still, a fourth-place finish is impressive for an EV going up against 20 other cars, including factory-prepped TCR and Group Rally2 cars. As you can imagine, this isn’t a stock i4 M50 with racing livery and custom wheels.
Compared to the road-going version, the i4 Racing has shed 205 kilograms (452 pounds) by stripping out the interior. The cabin ditched its sound-deadening materials and virtually all comfort features, not to mention replacing the glass with lightweight Plexiglas. A custom carbon fiber dashboard also helped the car slim down. Even with the drastic weight reduction, this i4 M50 still tips the scales at around 2,000 kg (4,400 lbs), a hefty number compared to its gasoline-powered counterparts.
Although the i4 Racing had previously been shown with an aggressive aero body kit, it skipped the massive rear wing during the opening round of the Super Rally championship. It also went without the oversized front splitter, keeping a look that’s almost stock. However, a cutout in the tailgate for three cooling fans is a clear giveaway that this isn’t your average i4 M50.
Time has run out for the i4 M50 anyway. BMW recently replaced it with the more powerful M60, introduced with the i4’s facelift last year. Engage Racing’s project is based on the pre-LCI model, hence the older headlights and absence of laser taillights. We’ll be seeing more of Elsa soon. The race-ready i4 will compete later this week in the fifth stage of Romania’s National Hill Climb Championship. On August 8-9, it will also race in the next round of the Super Rally.