Kyle Johnson
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Actor Van Damme Splits Between Moving Volvo Trucks Because He Can

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Van Damme splits truck stunt

Van Damme doesn’t always do the splits. But when he does…

Say what you will about Jean-Claude Van Damme.  Well, don’t just go saying anything you please, because if he hears you talking mess about Street Fighter, you’re probably going to end up eating a foot for dinner.  One thing that you can safely say without fear of dining on a buffet of Muscles from Brussels: the guy sure is flexible.  Anybody who has ever seen Timecop probably remembers with some great fondness the scene where Van Damme splits across a kitchen counter in only his underwear (we’re pretty sure there was some kind of context for this).  Nearly 20 years later, Van Damme is trying to top that memorable feat with a stunt that sees him doing the splits between two Volvo trucks…while they’re driving backwards.

Volvo Truck’s latest viral ad—following one that saw president Claes Nilsson suspended 65 feet in the air and another that demonstrated Volvo Dynamic Steering by letting a hamster drive a truck up a winding mountain road—features the famous action star staring calmly-yet-intimidatingly into the camera, arms crossed and unaffected.

Van Damme’s voiceover compares his battles in life to a “fair share of bumpy roads,” but states that these hardships are what led to a “body crafted to perfection, a pair of legs engineered to defy the law of physics, and a mindset to master the most epic of splits.”

The camera slowly pans out to reveal that the completely composed Jean-Claude is standing on the side mirrors of two Volvo FM trucks that are driving backwards side-by-side.  Then, as the strains of Enya’s “Only Time” swell (yes, the commercial is scored by Enya), the trucks begin to split.

And so, too, does Van Damme.

The stunt is an effort to promote Volvo Dynamic Steering, and it’s really incredible to watch.  So incredible that it almost allows us to completely forget about Double Team.  Okay, maybe it’s not that cool, but it certainly shows that JCVD and Volvo Trucks have style points in spades (even when counting the Enya).

So what’s next from those zany folks at Volvo Trucks?  Have any ideas of your own?  Want to tell us about your favorite instances of Jean-Claude Van Damme splits?  Leave us a comment and let us know!