The Goodwood Festival of Speed in England is one of motorsport’s most famous international events, annually drawing thousands of fans to see some of the world’s most interesting machines—from cutting-edge Formula 1 racers to vintage motorcycles—tackle the hill at Goodwood House in West Sussex. And while this year’s event was no different, the way one of the cars ran the course certainly was: A Nissan LEAF covered the one-mile distance in 1:37.02 at an average speed of 55 mph—while driving backward.
According to Johnston Nissan, professional stunt driver Terry Grant actually set the record in his first attempt, at a bit over two minutes, then went on to slice some 26 seconds off his initial time during four more successful reverse runs at the three-day festival of fast.
“I had a great car at my disposal—with direct drive from the electric motor to its wheels, the Nissan LEAF can, in theory, go as fast backwards as it can forwards,” said Grant. “There were times I wasn’t sure if I was coming or going. However, thanks to the LEAF’s low center of gravity—the batteries are an integral part of the car’s floor—the car is extremely stable, no matter which direction it’s traveling.”
Of course, Campbell River Nissan would prefer most drivers to concentrate on following the rules of the road and use the LEAF’s innovative propulsion system to enjoy EPA ratings of 106 MPGe city/92 MPGe highway/99 MPGe combined, as well as an all-electric, zero-emissions driving range of 73 miles.
See the LEAF at Nissan Virginia or your local Nissan Dealer today.
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