Xiangjie Auto says viral S9 moose-test clip was manipulated, sues MCN operator

Company denies authenticity, points to certified test results

Xiangjie Auto (享界汽车) legal department issued a statement after a series of widely shared videos showed its S9 losing control and performing dramatic oversteer during a so‑called “moose” (elk) test. It has been reported that the clips, which compare the Xiangjie S9 against a BMW 5 Series, Audi A6L and Mercedes‑Benz E300L, were deliberately produced and circulated to discredit the brand. Xiangjie says the footage was not recorded by a professional body following national testing standards and therefore does not reflect the vehicle’s true performance.

Certification, legal response and wider stakes

The company pointed to certification by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (中国汽车技术研究中心有限公司), saying the S9 achieved a moose‑test speed of 84.1 km/h and the S9T 83.3 km/h — figures Xiangjie says place the models at the front of the large luxury sedan segment. It has been reported that Xiangjie has preserved evidence and initiated legal action against XiaoMo Interactive Entertainment (小摩互娱) — an MCN operator and a cluster of associated accounts — for what it calls commercial defamation. The firm says it will hold those behind the posts legally accountable.

Why does this matter beyond a domestic reputational fight? Viral safety clips can inflict real commercial damage. As Chinese automakers expand exports and face closer regulatory and media scrutiny abroad, contested safety footage can influence regulators, consumers and markets far outside China. Reportedly, this episode is another example of how online virality, professional testing bodies and legal tactics now intersect in the country’s fast‑moving auto sector.