Remember that iconic Mercedes-Benz advertisement from 1990 based on Christopher White’s horrific crash off Chapman’s Peak Drive in Cape Town? Well, the automaker has returned to the scene, taking White along in an autonomous S-Class.
White survived the plunge down a cliff back in 1988, crawling from the wreckage without any serious injuries. A little while thereafter, Mercedes-Benz created a dramatic television commercial based on the incident, claiming that White survived for two reasons: he was wearing his seatbelt and he was driving a Mercedes-Benz.
Now, some 30 years later, the local arm of the Stuttgart-based automaker has released a documentary-style short film showing White back at the scene of the crash, this time putting his faith in an autonomous version of the brand’s flagship sedan on the very same road.
“For White, Chapman’s Peak was a place of horror. We asked him to revisit it, to drive it again, but this time to let our car drive him,” said Selvin Govender, marketing director of Mercedes-Benz Cars SA.
“His fear, his trepidation, his emotions, are evident to start with. It’s heart wrenching. But then you see him relax. You see the wonder on his face. You see the future of driving,” added Govender.
Watch the original advert below (you’ll likely remember BMW’s famous “Beats the Bends” response) and the short film below that…
