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SUV Attempts to Demonstrate Power in Extreme Test in China and Ends Up Causing Unexpected Damage to One of the Most Famous Tourist Spots on Tianmen Mountain.
The Chery Fulwin X3L, hybrid SUV with 422 hp, was involved in an accident while attempting to replicate the feat of the Range Rover Sport and ascend the 999 steps of the so-called “Heaven’s Stairway” on Tianmen Mountain in China.
The test, conducted on November 12, ended with the vehicle losing traction, sliding backward, and hitting part of the stone structure of the tourist site.
No one was injured, but access to the location had to be temporarily closed for repairs.
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Test on the Heaven’s Stairway
The action was part of a Chery campaign to promote the Fulwin X3L, the brand’s new hybrid SUV in China.
The car was positioned at the base of the staircase leading to Heaven’s Gate, also known as the Gate of Heaven, a natural opening in the rock connected to the Tianmen Mountain complex in Hunan Province.
The vehicle began its ascent guided by a specialized team and supported by a safety structure, including ropes and anchoring points.
Images circulating on social media show the SUV advancing up a considerable portion of the steps before it began to skid on the steeper sections.
At one point, the Fulwin X3L lost momentum, ran out of sufficient traction, and started sliding backward.
The SUV descended uncontrollably down a section of the staircase and hit the stone guardrail, knocking down part of the protection and spreading debris along the side of the monument.
Witnesses reported that the vehicle remained stopped at the site for about two hours before being removed.
According to tour guides working in the area, the staircase and access to Heaven’s Gate were closed to visitors on November 12 and 13, while teams assessed the damage and began the restoration process for the affected area.
Chery’s Responsibility
Shortly after the video’s impact, Chery released a statement on its official social media in China.
The automaker stated that the test was interrupted due to an “unexpected incident” and cited a problem with the safety structure as the cause of the accident.
According to the manufacturer, an anchoring shackle from the safety rope detached during the ascent.
Subsequently, part of the rope would have gotten caught in the right front wheel of the SUV, causing a loss of power and compromising the traction system’s capability.
With insufficient force to continue moving forward, the vehicle began to slide backward until it collided with the guardrail of the staircase.
Chery further stated that there were no injuries among operators, technical staff, or support professionals, and that the incident occurred in an area isolated from tourist traffic, specifically because it was a closed marketing test.
Commitment to Repairs
In a public note, the company acknowledged that the risk assessment conducted during the planning phase was insufficient to prevent the accident.
The automaker admitted to risk estimation failures and committed to cover all restoration costs for the damaged structure on the Tianmen Mountain staircase.
Local authorities responsible for managing the park informed the Chinese press that the closure of access was preventive, to ensure visitor safety and allow for an inspection of the historical area.
Chery stated that it will cooperate with authorities and the administrator of the tourist site until the completion of repairs and any potential compensations.
The mountain and the staircase are considered historical and touristic heritage of the region.
The staircase of 999 steps leads to the cavity known as Tianmen Cave, a natural structure around 1,700 years old, which intensified the demand for accountability from the automaker after the recorded damages.
Details of the Fulwin X3L
The Fulwin X3L was recently launched in the Chinese market as a hybrid SUV with a robust proposal and design inspired by off-road models from major global brands.
The model measures 4.54 meters in length, 1.95 m in width, and 1.85 m in height, with a wheelbase of 2.78 m, dimensions that place it among medium SUVs focused on mixed urban and off-road use.
The version used in the challenge in Tianmen is equipped with a REEV (Range Extended Electric Vehicle) system.
In this arrangement, a 1.5 turbo gasoline engine acts as a generator to recharge the batteries while the traction is handled by two electric motors.
Together, they deliver 422 hp of power and 51.5 kgfm of torque, with all-wheel drive and calibration aimed at low-traction terrains.
This setup was one of the arguments used by the brand to justify the test on the “Heaven’s Stairway”.
The intention was to demonstrate power capability, torque control, and traction system efficiency in extreme conditions, repeating the route that made the Range Rover Sport famous years earlier.
In practice, however, the experiment ended up associated with safety failures and damages to a tourist site of great international visibility.
Land Rover Record Remains Unbeaten
Chery’s attempt sought to replicate the feat accomplished in 2018 by Land Rover, when a plug-in hybrid Range Rover Sport climbed the 999 steps to Heaven’s Gate after traveling the famous Dragon Road, approximately 11.3 km long with 99 curves.
On that occasion, the British SUV, with 404 hp combined power, was driven by pilot Ho-Pin Tung, then affiliated with Jaguar’s Formula E program.
First, the vehicle completed the winding mountain road; then it faced the staircase with slopes of up to 45 degrees, in a challenge widely publicized in the brand’s global campaigns.
The success of that action solidified the feat as one of the most talked-about marketing campaigns in the automotive sector in the past decade.
Since then, no other manufacturer has succeeded in replicating the road and staircase sequence to the top of Tianmen Mountain with the same visibility and technical success.
With the failure of the Fulwin X3L, the “Heaven’s Stairway” challenge remains an exclusive reference of Land Rover, at least in terms of successfully recorded and widely confirmed attempts.
Public Reaction and Debate on Preservation
The video of the Fulwin X3L accident spread rapidly across Chinese and international social media, generating criticism of using a historical heritage site in advertising actions.
Comments question whether campaigns of this type should occur in locations with ancient and sensitive structures, even if supported by technical expertise and official authorizations.
Heritage and tourism experts consulted by local media also highlighted the symbolic impact of seeing a millennia-old staircase damaged in a marketing test, even though the automaker has promised to fully restore the area.
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