Watch As New Range Rover Sport Climbs Deadly 999 Steps to China’s Heaven’s Gate

A world record has been set, following the historical climb of an electric Range Rover Sport to the Heaven’s Gate summit. The vehicle has become the very first off-roader to ascend the death-defying stairway of 999 steps at an angle of 45-degrees.

The stunt features the new Range Rover Sport P400e, which was driven by Jaguar Formula E racer Ho-Pin Tung. Deemed to be the “hardest Range Rover Sport challenge” ever filmed, all Land Rover engineers were keen to prove the power and capability of the plug-in version. They want to show the world that the new make is just as equally adept off-road as the conventional diesel and petrol-powered siblings.

The death-defying challenge features the infamous Tianmen Mountain Road.

The Dragon Challenge finds an electric Range Rover Sport in an epic climb to the titular Heaven’s Gate Summit.

The challenge started at the bottom of the legendary Tianmen Mountain Road, which is also known as the Dragon Road. Hence the challenge was called the Dragon Challenge. Infamous for dozens of deaths and accidents, the serpentine seven-mile road features 99 treacherous turns and spins that look like a dragon’s tail.

The plug-in version was driven by none other than Ho-Pin Tung, a professional Formula E racer.

The Tianment Mountain Road is consists of 99 dangerous turns.

But the main event was the climbing of the 45-degree angle staircase that boasts a total of 999 steps. It leads from the aforementioned road all to the way to the peak of China’s breathtaking Heaven’s Gate. The vehicle was equipped with a combination of electric battery and petrol power.

The historical climb was achieved in just less than 23 minutes, with Ho-Pin Tung taking control of the wheel. The people, who were featured in the footage, were skeptical at first. They initially thought that the stunt itself was “impossible” and that no vehicle could ever grace the “stairway to Heaven.”

The idea was to conquer the 999 steps leading to the breathtaking Heaven’s Gate summit.

The new Range Rover Sport is capable of running on zero-emmision electric power.

Despite being a professional, Ho-Pin Tung himself admitted that the feat could be deadly for him.

In fact, the driver was warned by his colleagues and the authorities. That the feat was not only “crazy” and “unheard of,” but it could also mean his death. “If he crashes, he will die,” one of them said. Fortunately, he emerged victorious on the top of the peak.

Even the authorities suggested that the challenge itself was “impossible.”

Well, apparently, that was not the case.

Following his victory, Ho-Pin Tung said:

I’m still shaking. The adrenalin is something I’ve never experienced before. The mountain very generously gave us one shot to make it up here.

He added:

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.

The driver was victorious and appeared to be stoked.

For Ho-Pin Tung, the Dragon Challenge was “the most demanding driving challenges” he had ever faced.

Of course, when it comes to vehicles, great power comes with great price. The Solihull-built 4X4 is said to have a market price of more or less £70,800. Interestingly, it is capable of running on zero-emission electric power (though only for up to 31 miles) and can be fully charged from the mains in just under three hours.