Robust off-roaders from the Chinese brand 212 Testing has been spied in Australia again, suggesting a local launch is on the cards.
A Daily Sparkz A reader in Alice Springs photographed these two examples of the T01, the off-road brand’s debut model.
If you look closely, you can see that both are left-hand drive vehicles, although there are no right-hand drive models known for 212. It’s unclear whether the brand will launch the model here or whether it will wait for a future model.
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Boxy off-roaders are all the rage in China at the moment and we’ve already seen a few on the market in Australia, including the GWM (Tank 300) and Denza (B5), which offer robust body-on-frame architectures but sophisticated in-car technology and clever off-road equipment.
The T01 is no exception. The available equipment includes, among other things, a tank turning function, a crawl mode and an all-round view camera with transparent undercarriage mode.
Like the Jeep Wrangler, it has live axles at the front and rear. It also features a approach angle of 40 degrees, departure angle of 36 degrees, breakover angle of 23.6 degrees and a fording depth of 850mm and is available with front and rear locking differentials.
The 212 brand is part of Qingdao-based BAW, which was formerly a subsidiary of BAIC Group but is now privately owned and produces various civilian and military vehicles.
We have asked the BAW for comment.
The Chinese automaker announced last year that it plans to launch the 212 brand in Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The T01, which entered production in 2024, is the only model of the 212 so far, although there is a wide range of variants.
While at first glance its style is reminiscent of the Jeep Wrangler or the original Land Rover Defender, which are common design inspirations for many Chinese brands alongside the Ford Bronco, it is actually inspired by the BAW BJ212, which entered production in 1965 and was commonly used by Chinese armed forces.
The T01 is powered by either a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with 185kW of power and 410Nm of torque or a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine with 125kW and 415Nm.
In contrast, the GWM Tank 300’s petrol and diesel engines produce 162 kW/380 Nm and 135 kW/480 Nm respectively.
Both engines in the T01 are equipped with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and part-time all-wheel drive.
The five-door SUV is 4705 mm long, 1895 mm wide and 1936 mm high and has a wheelbase of 2860 mm. This makes it 55 mm shorter, 35 mm wider and 33 mm higher than a Tank 300 with a 90 mm shorter wheelbase.
There are also more robust Highland and Changfeng editions with better off-road angles and robust design changes. 212 also previewed a ute body style late last year.
Inside the T01 there is a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
BAW does not currently sell any models in Australia, making it one of the few Chinese car manufacturers, alongside FAW and Dongfeng, that does not yet sell vehicles here.
