With over 16-million views in only three days on YouTube, Volvo trucks has a legitimate viral success with their new clip featuring Jean Claude Van-Damme performing his signature split between two trucks as they travel backward at a pretty good rate of speed. Volvo claims that the trucks are in fact going backward and the tape is not being manipulated to just make it look that way. Volvo is rolling out two new truck models this year and as one of the highlighted innovations, the steering system has been revamped and refined for greater precision and control by the drivers. This stunt was meant to illustrate that control.
As you will see, the clip opens with a close shot of the Muscles from Brussels. We can tell he is moving but not how or where he is positioned. As the camera pulls back we can see him standing on top of the truck’s mirrors and the trucks are driving backward. As the camera pulls back, the trucks begin to spread and soon Van Damme is in a complete split between the trucks. While the height of his career was certainly a while back, Van Damme has legit martial arts chops. Apparently he has kept up on that stuff because this is something that would cause a normal person (read: you or me) to break in half, scream like a girl, and then get squashed by a new Volvo truck. By all accounts Van Damme is still a 3D being and hasn’t been squashed flat. This is neat.
PRESS PLAY BELOW TO SEE A TOTALLY VIRAL VIDEO FOR VOLVO TRUCKS FEATURING JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME PERFORMING A SPLIT BETWEEN TWO MOVING TRUCKS!
They should have hired Tony Stewart. He could be doing his split while eating “soda cookies”. Now THAT would be great! JCVD is a ringer.
Ouch, special effects are so cool!
Video is running in reverse! No driver can backup a trailer that straight!!!
first what is with the deathmask makeup? second, watch his legs grow in length out of proportion to his standing height. nice effect though. he has wanted to do this for some time anyway, from what i remember from way back. some tv show he said it on. honestly.
Haynes is in negotiations to use this clip for their comfort fit waistband briefs in the U.S.
If it matters only the rig on the right is a tractor trailer
First, great stunt.
The more I watch it, the more I see. The truck his right foot is on is a box truck, and it’s the one that moves over. The truck with the trailer maintains a straight line. Still impressive to back that straight. Both the skill and the technology to do so.
Also, do I see a safety strap on his right ankle “just in case”?
I think they are going in reverse as a safety precaution, if JCVD falls there are no tires to get stuck under. another thing i noticed is that it looks like the lines on the road are measured out to the correct distance for the split so all the driver has to do is reference the truck to the new line and hold it straight. I say it’s lagit and I say it’s puzzled out so well I could drive the truck. Great Video!
How does he make his legs get longer like that?
variants are showing up already:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRdXOr-uYlU&feature=share
Seeing him do that hurt me ever since I saw Blood Sport. That fact he is flexible enough to still do those splits is amazing.
I Googled around and it is legit. Lots of practice for everyone else, then one take. He has safety wires to keep him off the tarmac, but not off the side of one of the trucks. The ad is for electronic steering assist, and apparently it works well.