Side-by-side video of Chinese automaker’s attempt to recreate Range Rover ‘Stairway to Heaven’ climb next to real thing is awkward to watch

Chinese carmaker Chery attempted to recreate Range Rover’s legendary ‘Stairway to Heaven’ challenge – and it’s an awkward watch.

Side-by-side footage showing both attempts, which you can see in the video above, helps to showcase just how wrong things went for Chery.

In the original challenge, Range Rover appeared to defy gravity, but the same could not be said for Chery.

In fact, things went so badly that the automaker even issued an apology.

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Range Rover nailed the Stairway to Heaven challenge

Back in 2018, a Range Rover Sport took on China’s Tianmen Mountain Road in an impressive stunt dubbed the Dragon Challenge.

The dizzying seven-mile stretch features 99 hairpin bends and culminates in a steep bank of 999 steps, which lead up to a natural rock arch known as Heaven’s Gate. 

At their steepest point, the steps hit a 45-degree angle, and until that day, no other vehicle had managed it. 

Footage of the climb shows the Range Rover hit what looked to be impossible angles before disappearing into the fog and finally reappearing at the top.

“This was the hardest Range Rover Sport challenge I’ve ever been involved with because, until we reached the top, we couldn’t categorically say we would succeed,” Land Rover Experience expert Phil Jones said at the time.

“By making it to the summit, we’ve proven the phenomenal capability of the Range Rover Sport like never before – with a genuine world first.”

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Chery’s attempt didn’t go quite so smoothly

A few years on from Range Rover tackling the Tianmen Mountain Road, Chinese carmaker Chery gave it a go. 

And although the Range Rover made the Stairway to Heaven climb look easy, that’s far from the case – as you can see if you watch Chery’s attempt. 

In the clip, the Chery Fulwin X3L appeared to be making good progress up the stone staircase until it veered off course and a component fell off.

As if the prospect of the failure on home soil wasn’t quite bad enough, things then got worse. 

The driver appeared to lose control of the vehicle as it came crashing back down the steps and smashed into a barrier. 

Thankfully, the driver wasn’t physically hurt, but we reckon his ego probably took a bit of battering. 

Things went so wrong, the company issued an apology

Following their less-than-ideal attempt at the challenge, Chery issued an apology. 

The carmaker explained that a safety rope had become entangled in the right wheel of the car, which led to it losing power and hitting the guardrail and fence. 

Chery went on to say the incident involved ‘oversights and insufficient risk assessments’ on their part.

The Chinese automaker also apologized for the damage caused to Heaven’s Gate and said it would pay for any repairs.

It’s unclear if Chery will ever give the challenge another go, or if they’ll leave it to Range Rover in the future.

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