Why a Family SUV Doing a 360-Degree Loop Is the Hobby We Never Knew We Needed

Back in 2010, Mercedes had Michael Schumacher pilot an SLS AMG through a tunnel, driving up the wall and around in a full circle. It was a jaw-dropping ad, the kind that car people still talk about. Sixteen years later, a Chinese automaker named Voyah decided to try the same trick—except this time, the star isn't a two-door gullwing supercar. It's a three-row electric SUV.

The vehicle in question is the Voyah Zhuiguang S, a 5,050mm-long, 3,000mm-wheelbase electric SUV that also happens to have a fridge, dual screens, and zero-gravity seats. And in its launch campaign, it drove up the inside of a circular tunnel, flipped over the top, and came back down. A 360-degree loop. In an SUV. For families.

Now, let's be honest: as a hobby, watching car commercials might not top your list. But if you've ever enjoyed the visceral thrill of a well-executed stunt—or if you're the kind of person who reads about cars for fun—this is the kind of thing that makes you sit up. It's not just a gimmick; it's a statement. Voyah is saying, "We built an SUV that can do this."

The Stunt That Started It All

The Zhuiguang S isn't a track toy. It's a 2.2-ton electric SUV with a 98kWh battery, a claimed 740km range, and enough screens to feel like a mobile living room. But Voyah wanted to prove that practicality doesn't have to mean boring. So they took a page from Mercedes' playbook and filmed the loop for real.

Executing a 360-degree loop requires more than just horsepower. The car needs enough speed to climb the wall, enough grip to hold the line, and a suspension that can cope with constantly shifting loads. Voyah says the Zhuiguang S's 475kW all-wheel-drive system and all-aluminum chassis made it possible. The suspension—a fully adaptive "magic carpet" setup with air springs that can adjust ride height by 80mm—keeps the body composed even when physics is trying to throw it off.

Why a Family SUV Needs a Sports Car Attitude

Here's the thing about hobbies: they're supposed to bring joy. And for many of us, driving is one of those joys. But as SUVs got bigger and more practical, the fun factor often got left behind. Voyah is betting that there are enough people out there who want both—a car that can haul the kids on Monday and carve corners on Sunday.

The Zhuiguang S is built on a double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, with adjustable dampers as standard. In sport mode, it tightens up to reduce body roll. Over bumpy roads, it softens to soak up the rough stuff. There's even a "Lanying Mode" that simulates the sound and shift feel of a petrol performance car through the speakers and AR-HUD. It's a bit theatrical, but it's also a nod to the fact that driving is as much about feel as it is about numbers.

The Numbers Behind the Magic

Let's get into the specs, because that's part of the fun. The Zhuiguang S comes in three flavors: a rear-drive Max at 223,900 yuan (about $31,000), a rear-drive Ultra at 249,900 yuan, and a dual-motor Ultra+ at 273,900 yuan. That's a lot of car for the money, especially with the 5.5万元 (about $7,700) in launch incentives.

Under the hood—or rather, under the floor—is an 800-volt architecture with 5C fast charging. Voyah claims you can go from 20% to 80% in 10 minutes, and a 15-minute charge adds up to 577km of range. That's the kind of convenience that makes range anxiety a thing of the past. The rear-drive version uses a single 300kW motor, while the dual-motor adds a 175kW front unit for a combined 475kW—enough to make this big SUV feel genuinely quick.

Aerodynamics: Not Just for Supercars

To pull off that loop, the Zhuiguang S also needed to manage airflow. It has 10 through-body air ducts and 19 functional vents, all designed to reduce drag and keep the car stable at speed. The front bumper and fender vents channel air around the wheels, while channels in the hood and rear tidy up the flow. There are even active grille shutters that open and close based on cooling needs.

Most of this goes unnoticed in everyday driving, but it's the kind of engineering that makes a car feel planted at highway speeds. And if you're the type who geek out over such details, it's a hobby in itself—just ask any aerodynamicist.

Everyday Usability: The Other Half of the Equation

But a car that only does stunts isn't a good family car. So Voyah made sure the Zhuiguang S covers the boring stuff, too. The cabin has two 15.6-inch screens, a 29-inch AR-HUD, and a 6.6-liter cooler that can keep drinks cold or warm. The seats are zero-gravity style with ventilation, heating, and massage—front and rear. The rear seats fold forward to give more room, and there's an 80-liter frunk with a drain, perfect for wet umbrellas or smelly gym gear.

Even the roofline is a compromise. It slopes gently from the B-pillar, preserving headroom for second-row passengers and cargo space. It's a design that says "sporty" without sacrificing utility. And that's the sweet spot for anyone who loves driving but also has to live with a family.

The Tech Side: Huawei's Four-Laser System

If the chassis is about feeling the road, the sensors are about seeing it. The Zhuiguang S is equipped with Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5 system, which includes four lidar units—one main 896-line lidar and three solid-state blind-spot lidars. That's 33 sensors in total, covering everything from highway driving to tight parking spots.

The system is designed to handle complex city traffic, narrow roads, and low obstacles. It's the kind of tech that makes driving less stressful, which is a different kind of fun. And it pairs with Huawei's Harmony cockpit, which uses a large language model to understand vague commands like "It's foggy" or "I'm feeling stuffy" and automatically adjusts the climate or windows.

A Looping Stunt, A Serious Message

Let's be clear: the 360-degree loop is a marketing stunt. It's not something you'll do on your commute. But it's a powerful metaphor. It says, "This car is different." And in a market crowded with cookie-cutter SUVs, that's worth something.

For hobbyists—whether you're into cars, engineering, or just watching cool videos—the Zhuiguang S is a reminder that even the most practical objects can have a soul. It's a family SUV that wants to be driven, not just transported in. And that's a hobby we can all get behind.