Electric hypercar dazzles with a 171mph backward blitz

Rimac Nevera has set a Guinness World Record for the fastest reverse speed, obliterating the previous record of 102.58mph.

Rimac’s electric marvel, the Nevera, has once again blazed a trail into the spotlight, but this time, it’s the view in the rear view that’s capturing the motoring world’s attention.

Setting a new Guinness World Record for the fastest reverse speed, the hypercar turned heads at the Automotive Testing Papenburg facility in Germany by reaching a backward speed of 171.34mph.

Having already shattered over 20 acceleration and braking records, the Nevera obliterated the previous record held for 22 years by the Caterham 7 Fireblade, which stood at 102.58mph.

The electric hypercars’ unique drive train, devoid of gears and powered by four individual liquid-cooled electric motors, delivers a mammoth 1,914bhp and 1,740lb-ft of torque and continuous acceleration in either direction.

Rimac Neverta breaks Guinness World Record by reaching a backward speed of 171.34mph. Picture: Rimac

This design has already proven its phenomenal capabilities, with the car achieving 0-100mph in just 3.21 seconds and 0-200mph in under 11 seconds when moving forward.

Matija Renic, the Nevera chief program engineer, initially brushed off the idea of a reverse speed record as a lighthearted possibility.

“The car wasn’t built with high-speed reverse travel in mind,” he noted.

However, the team’s curiosity about the car’s full potential led them to push the envelope, leading to this unprecedented record-breaking run.

Rimac test driver Goran Drndak described the surreal experience as the Nevera blitzed through the record: “Driving in reverse at such speeds is almost the opposite of what the car was engineered to do, yet the Nevera performed flawlessly.”

The Nevera obliterated the previous record held for 22 years by the Caterham 7 Fireblade, which stood at 102.58mph. Picture: Rimac

The Nevera accelerates to 0-100mph in just 3.21 seconds and 0-200mph in under 11 seconds when moving forward. Picture: Rimac

This is not the first time the Nevera has made headlines.

In July, it set the record for the fastest production car time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s Supercar Shootout. In August, it broke the Nordschleife EV production lap record by 20 seconds.

Both feats were achieved in the Nevera’s Time Attack Edition livery, limited to 12 units and featuring striking Squadron Black and Lightning Green paintwork.

The colour pays tribute to Rimac’s e-M3, the converted electric BMW that set five Guinness World Records in 2012.

The Time Attack’s bespoke paintwork, designed in-house and hand-applied, is as visually striking as the vehicle’s breathtaking performance.

The Lightning Green hue is not just an aesthetic choice; it’s a nod to the charged particles that colour the skies before a storm – a fitting metaphor for the Nevera’s record-breaking prowess.

“Despite it being almost completely unnatural to way the car was engineered, Nevera breezed through yet another record,” said Mr. Reni