Watch a 1,184bhp electric Audi go 128mph in reverse

Often, it is best not to ponder too much on the ‘why’, but instead to marvel at the result. Today’s example: an all-electric Audi A3 saloon going really, really quite fast in reverse.

Though it’s not an ordinary electric Audi A3 saloon. It is Schaeffler’s A3 saloon. It features four electric motors from the team’s season two Formula E car – the championship winning FE01 – producing a total of 880kW. Or 1,184bhp in old money.

They’re powered by a pair of batteries totalling 64kWh. This, together with those four motors, torque vectoring, many smart brains and a dash of The Future means the Schaeffler 4ePerformance concept will go from 0-124mph - forwards - in under seven seconds.

But what about backwards? That’s the question posed by Audi Sport Formula E driver Daniel Abt. Who decided to clear himself a really large space (don’t try this at home kids, not that you’d want to anyway), select ‘R’, and nail the throttle as much as his conscience and regard for personal safety will allow.

Turns out, it’s really quite rapid. He even pits it against a Porsche 911 GT2 RS (the GT2 going forwards, Schaeffler’s concept going backwards), because we all need a bit of weirdness in our lives.

The results – posted via Daniel’s vid above – are definitely worth a watch, if only for the sheer terror that runs across the poor lad’s eyes.

Read more about the 1,184bhp Schaeffler concept here