When competitors take to the hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week, they'll all be facing forward in their seats. The sole exception will be professional stunt driver Terry Grant who will pilot a
Nissan Leaf in reverse in the hopes of setting a Guinness World Speed Record.
Part of the automaker's
The Big Turn On media campaign, the stunt is meant to showcase that the Leaf is nearly as fast in reverse as it is in forward, since the motor can spin just as fast in either direction and features a direct drive.
The specific record Nissan is shooting for is the fastest time over a distance of one mile in reverse. Last year, Grant drove a
Nissan Juke up the hill on two wheels. He points out the drive is full of turns and obstacles, and steering the Leaf in reverse could be a challenge.
At the same time, Nissan will field its
Leaf Nismo RC race car to set another record up the hill, this time driving forward. It will be piloted by Michael Krumm, 2011 FIA GT1 Champion and the pilot of Nissan's
DeltaWing racer at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours.
