Chinese military-style off-roaders spied testing in Australia

Rugged off-roaders from Chinese brand 212 have been spied testing in Australia again, indicating a local launch is on the cards.

A CarExpert reader in Alice Springs shot these two examples of the T01, the debut model from the off-roader brand.

A closer look reveals they’re both left-hand drive vehicles, with 212 yet to reveal any right-hand drive models. It’s unclear if the brand will launch the model here, or if it will wait for a future model.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.

Boxy off-roaders are all the rage in China at the moment, and we’ve already seen a few arrive in Australia from the likes of GWM (Tank 300) and Denza (B5), offering rugged body-on-frame architectures but sophisticated in-car technology and clever off-road gear.

The T01 is no exception, with available equipment including a tank-turn function, crawl mode, and a surround-view camera with a transparent chassis mode.

Like the Jeep Wrangler, it has live axles front and rear. It also boasts an approach angle of 40 degrees, a departure angle of 36 degrees, a breakover angle of 23.6 degrees, and a wading depth of 850mm, and is available with locking front and rear differentials.

The 212 brand is part of Qingdao-based BAW, previously a subsidiary of the BAIC Group but now privately owned, which produces various civilian and military vehicles.

We’ve reached out to BAW for comment.

The Chinese automaker announced last year it’s planning to launch the 212 brand in Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The T01, which entered production in 2024, is thus far 212’s only model, though there’s a wide range of variants on offer.

While its styling appears derivative of the Jeep Wrangler or the original Land Rover Defender at first glance, which are common design inspirations for many Chinese brands along with the Ford Bronco, it’s actually inspired by the BAW BJ212 that entered production in 1965 and which 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 with 125kW and 415Nm.

In contrast, the GWM Tank 300’s petrol and diesel engines produce 162kW/380Nm and 135kW/480Nm, respectively.

Both of the T01’s engines are mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission sourced from ZF, as well as a part-time four-wheel drive system.

The five-door off-road wagon measures 4705mm long, 1895mm wide and 1936mm tall on a 2860mm wheelbase, which makes it 55mm shorter, 35mm wider and 33mm taller than a Tank 300 on a 90mm shorter wheelbase.

There are also more rugged Highland and Changfeng editions with better off-road angles and rugged styling changes. 212 also previewed a ute body style late last year.

Inside the T01, there’s a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

BAW doesn’t currently sell any models in Australia, making it one of only a dwindling number of Chinese automakers that don’t yet sell vehicles here, with others including FAW and Dongfeng.