Here’s a 212 T01, seen at a car market in east Beijing in the summer of 2025. It looked great in Breeze Blue, with big off-road tires and a night-light on the front fender. It has a 4×4 powertrain with a 252 hp 2.0 turbo under the hood. Let’s have a closer look at this interesting machine:
About 212
212 is a brand name. It used to be a type name, then it became a series name, and since 2025, it has been a standalone brand. The owner of 212 is Beijing Auto Works (BAW), which claims that 212 is the only numeral brand name in China, and I believe that is indeed correct.
In Chinese, the brand is called 二一二, Èryī’èr, the traditional character spelling for the numbers 212. However, the brand is not super consistent with this; sometimes using 212 in Chinese text, and sometimes 二一二. The company’s website URL is fantastic: https://www.212.com.cn.
Beijing Auto Works is one of China’s oldest car makers, founded in 1956 in Beijing. Its most famous car was the BAW BJ 212 utility vehicle, hence the name of the new 212 brand. In the 1970s, BAW became part of the much larger Beijing Automobile Industry Corporation (BAIC).
In 2021, BAW once again became an independent company, now based in Shandong Province. The 212 brand currently sells two car models, but at least six more are underway.
The full Chinese name is 北京汽车制造厂 (Beijing Automobile Manufacturing Works). Its common trade name is 北京汽车厂 (Beijing Automobile Works).
The 212 T01
The 212 T01 is a mid-size off-road -capable SUV with a cool boxy body and a retro-style design. The T01 in the photos is the top-spec T01 Changfeng model. It has all the off-road goodies: raised suspension, 285/70 R17 all-terrain tires, running boards, sturdy black mirrors, and, most importantly…
… a traditional army-style night light, albeit with modern LED power.
The bumpers are gigantic, so crashing into a tree is no problem for the 212 T01. It has a full-size spare wheel on the rear door. The T01 has super short overhangs fore and aft, all-wheel drive, front and rear differential locks, so it is seriously capable off-road. The approach angle is 43 degrees, and the departure angle is 39 degrees.
The interior of the 212 T01
The old BJ 212 was a utilatuian car, with a very basic cabin. Well, no more! The 212 T01 has a luxurious interior with leather seats and lots of tech, like an 8-speaker audio system and a 50W wireless charger. There’s a tissue box atop the dashboard. The odd-looking neck pillows are aftermarket accessories.
The T01 has a shipload of buttons and switches in the center stack. Not because that’s necessary, but because buyers of this kind of vehicle think that it is cool. Screens: 10.25-inch driver’s display and a 12.3 touch screen.
Specifications of the 212 T01
That bumper is massive! The round headlights are a nice retro touch. The air inlet on the hood is a faker. Power: 2.0 turbo four-cylinder petrol, with an output of 252 hp and 410 Nm. That’s a lot of torque for a 2.0 turbo. The gearbox is an 8-speed automatic.
The company claims a 170 km/h top speed, 0-100 in 9.3 seconds, and a fuel consumption of 11.3 liters per 100 kilometers. Fortunately, it has an 80-liter fuel tank. The dimensions are: 4749/1945/1999, 2860, with a 2265-kg curb weight.
Price in China
The 212 T01 Changfeng costs only 188.800 yuan, or $27.6K. That’s a good deal for a car of this size, with a powerful motor, and with a storied tradition. Its main competitor in China is the Tank 300, a similar off-road style machine. But I think that the T01 is cooler. That same day, I visited a 212 dealer, which was just 15 minutes away from the market. More about what I saw there in an upcoming post!