Range Rover Sport Does Something No Other Vehicle Has Ever Done
The Range Rover Sport from Land Rover is the first SUV to ever climb to Heaven’s Gate.
Taking on 99 turns and 999 steps, the Range Rover Sport has completed a world-first at one of China’s most famous landmarks, climbing the stairs to the natural rock arch of Heaven’s Gate. The “Dragon Road Challenge” started at the seven-mile Tianmen Mountain Road, which is also known as Dragon Road. For the task, the Range Rover Sport received reinforced tires, while Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Ho-Pin Tung was the one chosen to pilot the vehicle.
SEE ALSO: 2018 Range Rover Sport Adds Plug-in Hybrid Variant
For the seven-mile trek across Dragon Road, the Range Rover Sport took advantage of its Terrain Response 2 system in Dynamic mode, and once Tung reached the summit of the road, he optimized Terrain Response for the second part of the challenge: climbing the 45-degree staircase of 999 steps.
“I’ve experienced Formula E, Formula 1 and won at the 24 Hours of Le Mans but this was without doubt one of the most demanding driving challenges I’ve ever faced,” said Ho-Pin Tung.
The Dragon Road Challenge is the latest adventure conquered by the Range Rover Sport after the plug-in hybrid model made its debut in a race against two-time open-water swimming world champion Keri-anne Payne and endurance athlete Ross Edgley in Devon, U.K.
Previous challenges include a record-setting hill climb at Pikes Peak, a record crossing of the “Empty Quarter” desert in the Arabian Peninsula, and a 7,119-feet descent of the legendary Inferno downhill course in Mürren, Switzerland.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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It's not a badass feat. A cable is attached to the pimp-mobile all the way up to heaven's gate