In the fast-paced world of hypercars, Rimac’s Nevera has been making waves like a boss. We’ve seen it conquer Nürburgring lap records, blitz through acceleration and braking challenges, and even smoke the competition in drag races against some of the fiercest motorsport contenders out there. But what’s next for this electric beast? Well, how about breaking a Guinness World Record while going in reverse?
Breaking Boundaries: The Rimac Nevera’s Reverse Speed Record
You might be wondering, why in the world would they attempt such a peculiar feat? Well, sometimes it’s good to mix things up and add a dash of fun into the mix. That’s exactly what the Rimac team thought when they decided to push the Nevera’s limits in reverse gear.
Now, you’re probably thinking, “Reverse speed records? Is that even a thing?” Well, it is now, thanks to the Rimac Nevera. Back in 1967, the Lamborghini Miura roared its way into the history books as the world’s fastest production car, hitting a blistering 170mph forward. Fast forward to today, and the Nevera has pulled off a jaw-dropping achievement—reaching the same speed, but in reverse!
Rimac Nevera’s Unconventional Speed Demonstration
Guinness World Records was there to witness this mind-boggling feat, officially crowning the Nevera as the fastest car in reverse. The action went down at the Automotive Testing Papenburg facility in Germany, a place that’s become synonymous with records thanks to the Nevera. This is where the car had previously shattered over 20 acceleration and braking records in a single day and set a top speed record of 256mph. Dressed up in the exclusive Time Attack Edition livery, the Nevera hit an astonishing top speed of 171.34mph while going backward.
Here’s the kicker: the Nevera doesn’t play by the rules of traditional cars. It doesn’t have gears; instead, its four motors can thrust it forward or backward with an unstoppable surge of acceleration. So, that same powertrain that can rocket from 0 to 100mph in a mere 3.21 seconds or hit 0 to 200mph in under 11 seconds can deliver equally breathtaking performance in reverse. Impressive, right?
Unconventional Achievement
Matija Renić, the Nevera’s Chief Program Engineer, gave us some insights into this ambitious venture. He said, “It occurred to us during development that Nevera would probably be the world’s fastest car in reverse, but we kind of laughed it off.” Imagine the challenge – the aerodynamics, cooling, and stability weren’t initially designed for reverse speed. But the team decided to go for it because, well, why not? Their simulations showed that they could easily breach the 150mph mark. However, stability was still a question mark as they were entering uncharted territory.
Renić also shared his experience of the reverse speed run, saying, “On the run itself, it definitely took some getting used to.” Picture this: you’re hurtling backward, watching the world whiz past in reverse, and feeling your neck pulled forward, like you’re slamming on the brakes. It’s like driving in reverse on steroids. You have to move the steering wheel delicately, maintain balance, keep an eye on your course through the rear-view mirror, and watch your speed. It’s pretty much the opposite of how the car was designed to operate, yet the Nevera effortlessly smashed another record.
From Goodwood to the Nürburgring
But the story doesn’t end there. At the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Nevera blazed through a 49.32-second record in the Supercar Shootout. And in August, it conquered the Nordschleife, obliterating the previous EV production lap record by a jaw-dropping 20 seconds. Behind the wheel was Croatian racing driver Martin Kodrić, equipped with Michelin Cup2R tires. The record was verified by independent timing data, TÜV SÜD, and on-board telemetry.
All of these triumphs were achieved with the Nevera sporting its unique Time Attack livery, paying homage to the e-M3, Mate Rimac’s electric BMW 3 Series. Back in 2012, the e-M3 set five Guinness World Records as the fastest accelerating electric vehicle at the time, marking Rimac’s first foray into record-breaking territory.
GORAN DRNDAK
RIMAC TEST DRIVER
IMAGES: RIMAC
AUTHOR: AutomotiveWoman, Automotive & Motorsport Content Creator
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