Fastest in reverse gear?

[Fizzgog]

Do all cars go the same speed in reverse gear or does it depend on engine size?

[puk]

nah, it's like in the movies. A car traveling in reverse will outrun a car going full speed ahead every single time.

[Akke]

The DAF variomatics were very fast when driving in reverse.

These cars had multiple automatic reverse 'gears'.

[Ringo]

No. Take two otherwise identical cars, one with 3.07:1 differential gear ratio and one with a 3.56:1 differential gear ratio; the 3.56-geared vehicle will accelerate quicker, but its ultimate reverse top speed will be less than that of the 3.07-geared vehicle.

Outside of the movies, few automobiles ever approach their reverse gear top speed. The range in which most cars are typically operated in reverse is probably pretty similar.

[starfish]

It's hard to tell. The speedometer doesn't work when the car is in reverse.

Seriously, it depends on what the gear ratio for reverse in a particular car is. The engine size is also a factor. The engine doesn't know it's in reverse so you will get full power.

[yabob]

Cars do not have governors on reverse gear. Like in forward gears, some cars are going to be faster than others, due to a combination of factors, though I suspect the difference may not be that great. Reverse is typically a lower gear ratio than the lowest forward gear - I don't know how much variance there is in the reverse gear ratios for the common models. In normal use, you are not likely to find out how fast your car can go wound out all the way in reverse.

I don't know that anybody has ever run "reverse races" for cars - if they haven't, it sounds like a novelty that might attract a crowd once.

http://www.esayyarat.com/motor_world/did_you_know.asp

This site does mention this, along with some other bizarre automotive facts:

Fastest Reverse Driver: In 1996, John Smith drove a 1983 Chevrolet Caprice classic 806.2 km (501 miles) in 13 hours, 48 min.

That's an average speed of a bit over 36 mph, and I'm willing to bet we have the odd distance because the Caprice finally had some abused component break at that point.

As for odd vehicles, I've heard of people constructing vehicles where they mounted two standard automotive trannies in series with a shifter for each one. You wind up able to shift through gears in reverse by having one of the transmissions in reverse, as well as having a really incredible "reverse reverse" forward creeper gear. Since trannies are usually near 1-1 in the top gear, you get fairly normal operation by having one of them in top gear and shifting the other.

[Gary Kumquat]

Fastest car in reverse gear? Any rental car.

[casdave]

A diesel engine could be set to run in reverse with no problems, you could then drive the forward gears using the reverse rotating engine and in theory get full speed backwards.

[Akke]

I don't know that anybody has ever run "reverse races" for cars - if they haven't, it sounds like a novelty that might attract a crowd once.

They actually held annual "reverse races" here in the Netherlands.

That's an average speed of a bit over 36 mph,

The top speed of a DAF variomatic is about 80mph in reverse.

[mangeorge]

I only know about older, american, standard transmission cars. To get reverse they would simply place an idler between first gear and the pinion. I think automatics did the same. So top speed in reverse would be the same as top speed in first gear.
Personally, I wouldn't want to drive an 80 mph fork lift.
Peace,
mangeorge

[jinty]

Gary Kumquat: Fastest car in reverse gear? Any rental car.

That sounds familiar...

"There's a lot of debate on this subject - about what kind of car handles best. Some say a a front-engined car, some say a rear-engined car. I say a rented car. Nothing handles better than a rented car. You can go faster, turn corners sharper, and put the transmission into reverse while going forward at a higher rate of speed in a rented car than in any other kind." P J O'Rourke.

[Gary Kumquat]

Originally posted by jinty
Gary Kumquat: Fastest car in reverse gear? Any rental car.

That sounds familiar...

"There's a lot of debate on this subject - about what kind of car handles best. Some say a a front-engined car, some say a rear-engined car. I say a rented car. Nothing handles better than a rented car. You can go faster, turn corners sharper, and put the transmission into reverse while going forward at a higher rate of speed in a rented car than in any other kind." P J O'Rourke.

Guilty as charged, but I couldn't find the full quote online. Or my copy of the Bachelors Home companion, which is really upsetting me.

[Evnglion]

I dunno about the real qorld, but in Gran Tourismo 2 I can get my Skyline GT-R to 80 in reverse


^{gosh i hate myself}