On November 12, a yellow Chery Fengyun X3L off-road vehicle, a model under the Chinese Chery Automobile Company, attempted to challenge climbing the “Stairway to Heaven” at Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, China. The vehicle lost control midway while climbing and slid down a steep slope, crashing into and destroying some of the guardrails, sparking discussions and debates.
The incident occurred at 12:00 pm on the 12th, attracting a crowd of onlookers as the Chery off-road vehicle attempted to climb the 999-step “Stairway to Heaven” at Tianmen Mountain.
Video footage shows the Chery off-road vehicle suddenly losing control during the climb, rapidly reversing, sliding down the steps, and crashing into the guardrail at the roadside, knocking down a large section of the guardrail before coming to a stop. There was also white smoke emanating from the vehicle as it reversed.
It is understood that the “Stairway to Heaven” is the main access route to Tianmen Cave, with a total length of nearly 300 meters and a vertical drop of about 150 meters. It consists of 999 steps with an average slope of 45 degrees and some sections exceeding 60 degrees, making the challenge extremely difficult due to the slippery and narrow steps.
Similar challenges have been undertaken before, with a Land Rover model completing the “99 Bends, 999 Steps” challenge at Tianmen Mountain in 2018 and setting a record time of 9 minutes and 51 seconds as the first successful vehicle to climb to Tianmen Cave.
Chery Automobile attempted to challenge Tianmen Mountain for the first time in September this year, but was unsuccessful. At that time, Li Xueyong, the Vice President of Chery, posted on Weibo that the attempt was halted due to bad weather with constant rain causing slippery roads, forcing the vehicle to stop halfway.
In this latest attempt, Chery Automobile once again took on the challenge with good weather conditions, but it still ended in failure. Chery attributed the failure to an unexpected incident where the safety protection rope became detached and wrapped around the right wheel, preventing the vehicle from moving forward and causing it to slide down the steps.
Following the incident of the Chery vehicle crashing into and damaging the guardrail while climbing Tianmen Mountain, Chery Automobile issued an apology statement on November 13, expressing their commitment to fully repair the site at Tianmen Mountain and provide compensation for the damages incurred.
Videos of Chery Automobile’s failed attempt to climb Tianmen Mountain have been widely circulated on the internet, sparking various reactions from netizens.
Some netizens criticized the action of testing a vehicle on the staircase usually used by tourists, which not only affects visitors but also causes damage to the scenic area facilities. Questions were raised regarding the responsibility in case of accidents or injuries in a publicly accessible scenic area like Tianmen Mountain.
Others mocked Chery Automobile, saying, “The promotion failed, they ruined their own reputation! This advertising is amazing, everyone now knows about it.” Some remarked on the partnership between Chery and Land Rover, highlighting the irony of Chery trying to emulate its partner’s image.
There were also comments questioning Chery’s capabilities, claiming that despite years of cooperation with Land Rover, they still produce subpar products. Criticisms were made about joint ventures in general, accusing companies of stealing technologies without improving their own brand reputation.
Overall, the failed attempt by Chery Automobile to climb Tianmen Mountain has stirred debates and discussions both online and offline, raising concerns about safety, responsibilities, and the impact of such actions on public spaces and businesses involved.