Chinese EV Recreates Iconic Mercedes Tunnel Loop Stunt

Dongfeng-owned Voyah has made headlines in the automotive world with its latest stunt, recreating the famous Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG tunnel loop stunt with its new Passion S electric SUV. ## A Tribute to Automotive Legend The stunt, which was carried out at a closed test tunnel in Wuhan, China, pays tribute to one of the most iconic automotive advertisements ever made. The original commercial featured Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher driving upside down inside a tunnel. While the original stunt's authenticity has been debated, Voyah's recreation of the stunt is undeniable. ## Engineering Feat According to Dongfeng, the stunt was carried out using a standard production-spec Voyah Passion S, with no modifications or weight reduction. The company claims that engineers calculated that the SUV needed to enter the tunnel wall at around 130 km/h while maintaining a steering angle of 16 degrees. At that speed, centrifugal force keeps the tyres pressed against the tunnel surface, allowing the vehicle to complete the full loop before returning safely to the ground. The stunt vehicle is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup producing 637 hp and 765 Nm of torque. It is underpinned by an 800V architecture with a 98 kWh battery pack, offering up to 700 km CLTC range for the rear-wheel-drive version and around 660 km CLTC for the dual-motor AWD model. The flagship AWD variant accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. ## A Successful Stunt? While the company says the stunt was completed successfully, visible tyre marks on the tunnel ceiling suggest multiple attempts may have been carried out before achieving the final run. A video shared on X, shows one such unsuccessful attempt. Voyah claims that even a speed reduction of 3-5 km/h during the manoeuvre could have caused the vehicle to lose grip and fall from the tunnel ceiling. The stunt is a testament to the capabilities of electric vehicles and the engineering prowess of Voyah. Whether or not the original stunt was entirely real, Voyah's recreation of the famous tunnel loop is an impressive feat that showcases the potential of electric vehicles.