Can a car go in reverse as fast as it can go forwards?

Most times no, reverse is lowered geared, but it can be modified to go a lot faster.

Given that in most cars the engine is in the front and the turning wheels are there too, driving fast in reverse would make handling much less stable. Since rear wheels aren’t steerable, The car would be impossible to control safely.

No, reverse is usually (always?) your lowest gear. On the other hand, if you had to drive up a super-steep hill or tow an overly large truck out of the mud, reverse would maybe be the best option. Not a good option, but the best.

Not a chance

Let’s all try it and come back to this.
Also does the speedometer work in reverse?

Not a chance !

Definitely a lower gearing. It may have decent “acceleration.”
IF you could steer, you’d blow the engine with the pedal to the floor. Unless you had more gears, in reverse. I’m actually guessing that perhaps some vehicles (mainly large construction equipment,) that has a multiple geared reverse.

I’m fairly certain “rock crawling” trucks, occasionally have a couple reverse gears. Again. Not for speed though.

☆The “Remac Nevera,” holds the claim as the fastest car in reverse. Top speed, in R, is listed as 171.34 mph!
Having gone into the 160’s with several vehicles of mine, mostly years ago, I cannot imagine going that fast in reverse….
A “Croatian Electric Hypercar.”
Top speed going forward, is listed at 256 mph.

The driver who clocked the speed, in R, said he felt his neck pulled forward the whole time, as if he were heavily braking…

My adnoH civiC can go 99 in reverse! ;-o

@Dutchess_III

“Also does the speedometer work in reverse?”

Good question.
I’ll have to investigate that in a large, empty parking lot at about 3 AM.

To answer more clearly yes but most stock vehicles can not, but you can modify them to go as fast as you want, it’s just modifying the reverse gearing .

Yeah, driving away in reverse seemed intuitively like a questionable decision. But I didn’t know for sure.

Thanks, everyone! Will keep that in my pocket in case I’m ever driving away from a tornado—or zombies. Also good to know for zombies.

Reverse gear is typically a bit shorter than the first gear. Not only would you not go as fast, it would be slower than going forward in first gear.

The gear ratios for my 1997 Honda Civic EX auto-tran are:

1st: 2.6
Reverse: 1.954

I don’t know whether that’s typical, but apparently it can go faster in reverse than in first.
However, the lowest limit I can impose is 2nd gear, so I can’t make it stay in 1st.

I tried in a 67 Malibu. Nope.

@filmfann Ha! I love that you actually tried!