Reverse-driving speed record - GIF

[Altair]

Rimac Nevera reverse-driving speed record.




Previously:

1930 Stapp Jupiter land speed record car - photo
1965 Lambretta Filtrate land speed record motorcycle - photos
Ice speed skating record fairing - GIF
Porsche 935 Turbo cycling record car - photo
1939 Mercedes-Benz T80 land speed record car - photos

[Frank S]

While stationed in Germany a couple of friends of mine and I went to the slaloms race sometimes. There was a German dude that ran the course then would return in reverse and could beat just about every entrant. The guy was that good

[hemmjo]

This is impressive as the steering in a regular car is not set up correctly to drive at speed in reverse.

[nova_robotics]

This is impressive as the steering in a regular car is not set up correctly to drive at speed in reverse.

Exactly. About 10 years ago I tried this in my Porsche 928 and it got HORRENDOUSLY unstable around 80-90 km/hr. Somewhere between a speed wobble and a high side if using a motorcycle as an analogy.

[Frank S]

By reversing the castor, increasing the anti-roll bar stiffness, and the suspension setting for slight toe in, increasing tire pressures adding double acting stiff steering dampeners and disconnecting the power steering are several things which will aid in driving higher speeds in reverse at the same time doing all of these will limit the responsiveness when need in driving normally. there is no best of both worlds. Except for maybe forklift which do equally well in forward or reverse since they have zero castor or toe in/out but can have lots of camber due to the kingpin inclination. The reason why forklift drivers should be properly trained before turning them loose on the forklift, is because a forklift can overturn going forward or in reverse equally easy. with radical steering movements. That huge, massive counterweight plays a large part in that.

[odd one]

I used to live down the road from a guy named Bob Duffy in Las Cruces, NM that held the record for the fastest man in the quarter mile backwards on a motorcycle. A little different, but still impressive.

[Duke_of_URL]

Seems strange for a production car to have such a "tall" Reverse gear ratio.

[Frank S]

Seems strange for a production car to have such a "tall" Reverse gear ratio.

You can bet it was specially set up for the attempt at the record. Reverse gears are inherently hardly ever higher than low or second gear/

[nova_robotics]

Seems strange for a production car to have such a "tall" Reverse gear ratio.

I believe the Rimac is using a single speed gear reduction for a transmission, similar to most electric cars. Just basically a direct drive from the electric motor to the wheels. So it'll go as fast backwards as forwards.

[hemmjo]

Reverse in my Tacoma, 2005, is ridiculously high. If I am backing up a trailer with any weight to it I have to switch to 4 Lo. Then I have to deal with torque bind.