The Range Rover Sport PHEV is the first vehicle to reach the Heaven’s Gate landmark top of Tianmen Mountain, having first taken on a treacherous seven-mile road — known locally as Dragon’s Road —before climbing 999 steps and navigating 99 turns to reach its final destination.
Not a single modification was made to the vehicle, with the showroom-ready SUV simply utilising the Terrain Response 2 system to reach the top – piloted by Formula E driver Ho-Pin Tung, of Panasonic Jaguar Racing.
Phil Jones, Land Rover Experience expert, said: ‘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. By making it to the summit, we’ve proven the phenomenal capability of the Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid like never before – with a genuine world first.’
The Range Rover Sport PHEV, for which UK order books are now open, is powered by a hybrid drivetrain consisting of a four-cylinder petrol engine and an 85 kW electric motor. It develops a total of 398 bhp and 640 Nm of torque, capable of taking the car from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds and up to a top speed of 137 mph.
Prices start at £70,800 in the UK.
