# Blue blood, Green Hell and a silent race car



## tim330i (Dec 18, 2001)

A month ago, the MINI E Race car became the first electrically-powered vehicle to tame the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife at race speed. Now the BMW Group is about to repeat this tour de force before the massed ranks of spectators at the 24-hour endurance race - relying on blue blood to accomplish it. This Saturday, 15 May, His Royal Highness Prince Leopold of Bavaria will get behind the wheel to clock up a fast - but virtually noiseless - lap of the "Green Hell".

"I'm really looking forward to this outing, particularly being able to feel the immense power of the electric motor. In my career as a racing driver I have had the honour of driving some of the most beautiful and celebrated vehicles in motor racing history. The MINI E Race represents a seamless continuation," commented the former DTM racing driver and great-great-grandson of King Ludwig I of Bavaria.

The MINI E Race is a modified race version of the series-production MINI E. To ensure optimal performance and safety out on the race track it features a special lightweight body and roll cage. Individual components such as the suspension, brakes and tyres are likewise race-specification. Other than that, the car draws almost entirely on the standard technical make-up of the MINI E. It shares the 150 kW/204 hp electric motor that is fed with energy from 5,088 lithium-ion battery cells.

The starting signal for the Nordschleife lap by HRH Prince Leopold of Bavaria will sound at around 11.15 hrs on Saturday, immediately after the MINI Challenge race that is also taking place on the support card of the 24-hour event. A video of the demo lap will be available online at approx. 18.00 hrs on the day on the YouTube channel www.youtube.com/MINI.






*Model-specific conversions*

*Interior* - Recaro Pro Racer (HANS) CFRP seat, 6-way safety harness (3-inch), suede leather steering wheel 320 mm diameter

*Roll cage* - Bolt construction (lightweight) CrMo4, approx. 35 kg incl. mounting materials

*Transmission* - Mechanical multi-plate limited-slip differential with 40°/50° ramp breakover angle, 55 Nm preload

*Engine* - Adjusted engine management settings

*Suspension* - KW Variant 3 coilover suspension, tuned to the higher axle loads of the MINI E Race with modified damping characteristics and adjusted springs

*Exterior* - Diffusers, rear wing, CFRP body parts

*Safety* - Integration of special race ABS, Differentiated main switch concept


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