A Chinese automaker has pulled off an extraordinary gravity-defying feat with its newest battery-electric model. Dongfeng Motor’s luxury division recently sent its upcoming passenger crossover on a full barrel roll along the inside walls of a testing facility.
The stunt serves as an homage to a widely debated 16-year-old commercial where former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher appeared to drive a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG across the roof of a subterranean passage. While sceptics long questioned if computer graphics aided that original German clip, executives at the Chinese brand insist their footage features an unmodified showroom-ready car tackling the physical ordeal.
Engineers took the family-oriented SUV to a designated proving ground in Hubei province. Hitting the required centrifugal threshold meant propelling the heavyweight machine to roughly 80 mph. At that precise velocity, the driver engaged a 16-degree turn to transition from the flat tarmac up the curved concrete. Falling below the target pace by even a fraction would have resulted in an immediate plunge back to the ground.
Gravity-defying electric architecture
Executing such an extreme barrel roll poses massive challenges for large utility models compared to sleek sports coupes. Planners did not strip any components to lighten the load; the featured automobile carried its entire high-voltage power source and all advanced driver-assistance hardware.
Such a demanding physical trial required immense bursts of instantaneous energy. The vehicle relies on twin motors that pump out a combined 637 horsepower alongside 765 Newton metres of twisting force. Underpinning this drivetrain is a high-efficiency 800-volt architecture built with silicon carbide components. This setup ensured the SUV did not suffer any power loss while fighting gravity at the apex of the roof.
Consumers can place orders for the high-performance crossover when it officially hits the market on August 15. Pre-sale figures peg the top-tier configuration at 309,900 yuan ($45,600).
