Rugged, military-inspired Chinese off-roader spied in Australia

Yet another boxy Chinese off-roader has touched down in Australia, though it’s unclear if it’ll reach showrooms.

Photos sent to CarExpert by reader Rory shows what appears to be a 212 T01 in Alice Springs, potentially undergoing hot-weather testing as its maker undergoes a global push.

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.

It announced last year it is planning to launch in Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

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

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While its styling appears derivative of the Jeep Wrangler or the original Land Rover Defender at first glance, like so many other Chinese SUVs in recent years, 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.

Both 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 177mm shorter but 1mm wider and 35mm taller than a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited on a 328mm shorter wheelbase.

There are live axles front and rear, with an approach angle of 40 degrees, a departure angle of 36 degrees, and a breakover angle of 23.6 degrees.

The company claims a wading depth of no less than 850mm and braked towing capacity of 2500kg, and available off-road equipment includes a tank-turn function, crawl mode, locking front and rear differentials, and a surround-view camera with a transparent chassis mode.

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

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 vehicles in Australia, and neither does the BAIC Group from which it was spun off.

They’re two automakers in a quickly evaporating pool of Chinese automakers that don’t yet sell vehicles here, with others including FAW and Dongfeng.