Santa Claus Drove a Race Car Before Delivering Presents and a WRC Photographer Has Proof

Yes, instead of reindeer power, Santa went for electric power on this one, but we admire his dedication to two-door vehicles. Sure, Racing MIMI is not a convertible, either, but it started life as a three-door hatchback, and now it only has two seats. It is tricky for Santa to get in if you consider the usual depiction of his body, but if he can get through a chimney, we think he can pull this off, as well.

Instead of the usual preparation work before competitions, Racing MIMI received a different kind of attention from the workshop that takes care of it. This time, the folks over at Engage Engineering installed 1,060 LED lights on the electric racing car. The roof also includes a Christmas tree because it would not have been the same without it.

Santa went ahead and drove through Brasov at night, which is a city in the heart of Transylvania, close to where the workshop takes care of MIMI before and after each race. This EV made for racing started life as a prototype for the British marque.

It was then used for promotional purposes, which included driving it to various places in the world for photoshoots, and it was supposed to be eliminated from the fleet afterward. However, an unusual request from the Romanian MINI importer led to an experimental project that became a world first.

It all started as an idea in 2019, became reality with small steps in 2020, and it has since become a test bed for various ideas and technologies. The example was one of those vehicles that were supposed to be scrapped, and the German conglomerate that was supposed to gain knowledge from turning this vehicle into a stack of parts was convinced to spare it of this fate.

For example, through its transformation into MIMI EVO, as its new and improved form is described, the electric vehicle was equipped with a limited-slip differential that was developed by the German company Drexler.

The new differential has the same ratio as the BMW i3s, and it can be installed on either BMW i3s cars, as well as on MINI Cooper SE models. It is surprising to see that a custom element for a locally developed racing version of an electric vehicle has become an aftermarket component that can be acquired by owners from across the world of these two related EVs.

Previously, autoevolution had several one-on-one meetings with MIMI EVO. Now, it has been taken for one final spin before it is laid to rest in the garage over winter. Unlike other racing cars, Racing MIMI makes no noise, so it had to be fitted with a sound generator to make noise while it was driven on hill climb events.

Thanks to numerous improvements, including a diet, MIMI managed to cut 30 seconds off its time from the first participation in an event and its second season. When the entire run takes about three minutes from start to finish, the 30-second improvement is nothing to snuff about.

While it started life as an entirely stock version of the MINI Cooper SE, MIMI can now hit a top speed of 124 mph (200 kph), and its zero to 62 mph (100 kph) time has been slashed to just six seconds from 7.3. The latter represents an improvement of a second over stock values, while the top speed part was done by eliminating some software limitations while reducing the weight of the vehicle.

The top speed part does not have too much relevance on a hill climb track for the MINI Cooper SE, as it does not get the chance to max out its speedometer, but the removal of the stock limit was helpful in getting a bit more speed on the straights.

Currently, Racing MIMI weighs about 1,200 kilograms (ca. 2,645 lbs.), and this is to make the most of its resources in the events it is entered. All the conventional safety systems were eliminated, while various components of the interior were either dismounted to leave room, or just replaced with lighter parts that accounted for essential functions.

For example, the infotainment unit was eliminated, and its place was taken by a carbon fiber board that holds the key in place. The center console was replaced by a lighter and simpler element, as well. It is all functional, too, so there is no funny stuff, just things that need to be used during a race.

Another addition is a hydraulic handbrake, which can be used in a hairpin, which was not a possibility with the factory-installed unit.

Santa Claus refrained from doing any crazy stuff in the MINI, but at least you can enjoy the electric race car in its glory while you wait to get your presents this Christmas. As a fun fact, the photographer responsible for this photo shoot is the youngest in the world to have an accreditation to cover the WRC.