Chery apologises after SUV fails to climb Tianmen Mountain

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Chinese automaker Chery (奇瑞汽車) has apologised after its sport utility vehicle (SUV) failed to climb the iconic 999 steps of Tianmen Mountain's Stairway to Heaven during a commercial shoot, resulting in damage to part of the guardrail.

On 12 November at noon, Chery sent a Fengyun X3L, an extended-range electric version of the iCar 03 SUV, up the stairway at Zhangjiajie (張家界) scenic area. However, several videos online showed the SUV sliding down the steps while attempting to climb, damaging part of the stone pillar guardrail.

In a statement on its Weibo account, Chery said that preliminary investigations have confirmed the direct cause of the incident: the unexpected detachment of the safety harness's anchor point. This caused the protective rope to entangle around the right wheel, blocking power output and leading the vehicle to slide down and collide with the guardrail, resulting in damage to part of the structure.

“This outcome exposed our insufficient assessment of potential risks during the planning and execution of this test, revealing lapses in attention to detail. We deeply reflect on the public concerns raised by our decision to conduct the test in a public scenic area,” the statement reads.

Chery has apologised for the damage caused to the Tianmen Mountain site during the test, noting that the incident did not result in any injuries or harm to the natural environment. "We promise to fully restore the area and take responsibility for compensation, ensuring that all follow-up measures are properly addressed.”

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Chery Automobile for a statement.

The incident has sparked discussions among Chinese netizens on Weibo, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE confirmed. While some praised Chery's willingness to admit fault in its statement, others suggested the brand should focus more on investing time and resources into vehicle development and manufacturing rather than undertaking such challenges.

In fact, Tianmen Mountain is not new to off-road challenges. Back in 2018, Land Rover conducted a successful challenge there, navigating 99 turns and climbing 999 steps in a record time of nine minutes and 51 seconds. This achievement made it the first vehicle to ascend the Tianmen Mountain stairway and reach the Tianmen Cave.