Range Rover is known for setting new standards for performance in the Large SUV segment, but it actually did the unthinkable by climbing up 999 steps towards China’s Heaven’s Gate to complete the Dragon Challenge just a few days ago. This is now officially the record for the steepest climb by a vehicle in the history of automotive industry. The astonishing stunt demanded serious skills from the driver, amazing handling capabilities of the vehicle and a bit of luck to conquer this enormous challenge.
Information about the Driver
The driver, without whom this amazing feat couldn’t have been achieved, was the Le Mans 24 Hour winner and Jaguar’s famous Formula E Racing Driver, the skillfull Ho-Pin Tung. He was given the task to justify the might of the all-new Range Rover Sport SUV by completing the Dragon Challenge with a striking display of handling over the 999 steps.
The preparation for this amazing record-setting stunt was completed at Jaguar’s testing facility in the UK as a specially built test model was used to practice the breathtaking stunt before performing it in real-time. Despite hours of practice, the team at Jaguar couldn’t test all the aspects of the challenge, which made it one of the toughest stunts to execute for the experienced Jaguar Team.
According to Phil Jones, Land Rover Experience Special Projects Expert, this was the hardest challenge he was ever involved in and he could never say it categorically that this Dragon Challenge will be successfully completed.
2/4 “To drive up to Heaven’s Gate? It’s impossible.” #RangeRoverSport #TheDragonChallenge pic.twitter.com/ucBBy7iHmF
— Land Rover USA (@LandRoverUSA) February 13, 2018
Also read: All-New 2018 Range Rover Velar with Supercharged Engine and Upgraded Performance Features
Details of the Breathtaking Dragon Challenge Record
The stage was set for the Dragon Challenge in the Hunan Province of China. The 999 steps to reach the Heaven’s Gate was no mean feat as the driver had to first complete 99 hairpin turns along the Tianman Mountain Road to reach the steps that headed towards the Heaven’s Gate. The Tianman Mountain Road is considered to be one of the most dangerous roads in the world and there was virtually no room for error and any small mistake could prove to be deadly.
To begin with, the driver had to complete 7 miles of distance on the Tianman Road that had 99 hairpin turns. Ho-Pin Tung did it effortlessly, thanks to his amazing driving skills and the astounding handling capabilities of the vehicle that were boosted by the Terrain Response 2 System. The track with 99 hairpin turns was covered easily, which in itself was an incredible achievement, given the difficult conditions and something that only a trained driver of ECO buses could do before Ho-Pin Tung.
After completing the initial challenge, the driver now had to climb the full-sized SUV over 999 steps at an angle of 45-degree to reach the Heaven’s Gate, which is thought to be the ultimate connection between the mortal world and the world of the gods in the Chinese mythology.
Here is how Ho-Pin Tung completed the mind-blowing Dragon Challenge:
Switching to the Mud and Ruts mode, Ho-Pin Tung pushed the limits of the 2019 Range Rover Sport to drive it in one motion along the 999 steps at a dangerous 45-degree angle that left everyone shell-shocked. Even a small mistake or loss of control over the vehicle could have had fatal consequences, but the stunt was completed rather smoothly, which has been attributed to the amazing expertise of the driver and the remarkable capabilities of the Monstrous Range Rover Sport 2019.
At one moment, the vehicle disappeared in the fog while completing the final ascent, but soon it emerged again to conquer the mighty 999 steps. The unbelievable stunt was completed in just 22 minutes and 41 seconds to set a unique world record that now seems difficult to break anytime soon.
Also read: BMW Storms into Record Books with the Longest Ever Sustained Drift
Power Specs of the All-New Land Rover Range Rover Sport
The Range Rover Sport 2019 that completed the incredible Dragon Challenge successfully was a hybrid SUV that hosted a powerful engine and amazing handling capabilities. It boasted an advanced 2.0-litre i4 Turbocharged Ingenium engine with an electric motor to guarantee a breathtaking performance. The vehicle was driven in the 4×4 mode to complete the stunt that stunned car enthusiasts across the world. The 2019 Range Rover Sport will be available in the global markets in the summer of 2018.
If you are looking to sell your used car to buy a new one with advanced safety features and improved performance, then don’t forget that with us, you can sell any used car in just 30 minutes while all the post-sale paperwork is handled by SellAnyCar.com’s team.
