On March 20th, the Shenzhen International Performance and Customized Auto Expo grandly opened at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center. 212 Off-Road Vehicles, under the theme "Play with 212, the More You Love Off-Roading," showcased four deeply personalized upgraded models in Hall 11. All the vehicles on display were based on the T01 series, demonstrating the diverse possibilities of an off-road lifestyle.
As a inheritor and disseminator of Chinese off-road culture, 212's participation in this exhibition was not only about showcasing its diverse products, but also about forging a deep value resonance with all users who love exploration. Leveraging its rich historical heritage, the brand presented a globally-oriented approach, bringing the audience an immersive off-road culture experience.
Inheriting the glorious heritage, interpreting diverse passions.
Since its birth in 1965, the 212 has traversed a glorious sixty-year history. It pioneered the light off-road vehicle in China and has become a national icon with its millions of sales. Today, the 212 has evolved into a symbol of spirit—from overseas auto shows to top-level racing events, from deserts and rainforests to bustling cities, its presence has always represented exploration, passion, resilience, and reliability.
The design of booth 212 and the array of vehicles on display convey this concept: off-roading is not about conquering, but about engaging in dialogue with nature and oneself; personalized upgrades are not for showing off, but for staying true to one's passion and exploring the distant places in one's heart with greater ease.
Since its brand refresh, 212 has been deeply involved in global off-road culture, understanding the diverse needs of off-road enthusiasts worldwide for different terrains and off-road activities. The four deeply customized models showcased this time are a response to these needs: based on the robust off-road genes of the T01 series, they are adapted to four scenarios—extreme climbing, comprehensive trekking, outdoor camping, and personalized expression—through professional upgrade kits, fully demonstrating 212's technical strength in personalized expansion and scenario adaptation. Reliable hardware provides the foundation for exploration, while the injection of creativity continuously expands the boundaries of off-road life.
• The hardcore answer for extreme off-roading: T01 diesel climbing version
For enthusiasts seeking to conquer extreme terrain, the ultimate goal of personalized customization is to enable vehicles to overcome all obstacles. The T01 diesel crawler represents the pure pursuit of raw mechanical performance and off-road capability in the modification culture. Equipped with a professional-grade portal axle upgrade kit, coupled with 37-inch all-terrain tires and a central tire inflation/deflation system, it pushes off-road capabilities to the extreme. Portal axles and large tires directly serve challenging rock climbing, heavy-duty traversing, and extreme water fording, a dual declaration of technical prowess and visual appeal. The stock T01 diesel already boasts a peak torque of 415 N·m, and after the upgrade, it becomes an undisputed "crawler weapon."
• A reliable partner for comprehensive trekking: T01 Explorer Trekking
For players who need to explore complex jungles and long unpaved routes in depth, the essence of personalization upgrades lies in building comprehensive protection and self-sufficiency for the vehicle to cope with unknown environments. The T01 Explorer Crossing embodies a pragmatic functionalist philosophy. Its deep green body, paired with a large bull bar, side steps, and roof platform, presents an overall aura of "strong protection and strong expansion." This personalization upgrade plan is more geared towards jungle crossings and long-distance unpaved driving. The large bull bar is not only a visual focal point but also integrates a winch mounting point, towing point, and various expansion interfaces, giving the vehicle stronger self-rescue and rescue capabilities in complex environments. It represents 212's mature thinking in comprehensive off-road directions, emphasizing practicality and reliability. The stock T01 Explorer already comes standard with a wealth of active and passive safety and off-road assistance features, providing a high starting point for in-depth off-road adventures.
• The endless possibilities of outdoor living: T01 Changfeng
For gamers who aspire to make distant places their home and maintain a high quality of life while exploring, personalized upgrades aim to expand their vehicles into safe and comfortable mobile living spaces. The T01 Changfeng, showcased at this event, echoes the globally popular "Overlanding" long-distance camping culture, demonstrating a perfect fusion of off-roading and outdoor living. The roof-mounted Desert Eagle raised tent and 2.5-meter side tent create a mobile camping space; the addition of an integrated kitchen, folding tables and chairs, and other equipment demonstrates the T01 Changfeng's powerful expandability as a mobile living space. The T01 Changfeng itself already features a 1.5-inch lift, 285 tires, front and rear differential locks, a wading depth of 910mm, and an approach angle of 43°, sufficient to handle most complex road conditions, making it an ideal partner for long-distance travel, nature exploration, and camping.
• Self-expression on the journey: T01 Diesel Edition
For enthusiasts who wish to showcase their unique aesthetic and distinct attitude through their vehicles, the core of personalization lies in making it a visual extension of their personal style. This uniquely styled T01 diesel version is a perfect example of this personalized expression. Zero-value wheels, 285 tires, and custom body paint give this T01 diesel version a completely different visual style. Details such as window tinting, tailgate flagpole brackets, and off-road flagpoles further reinforce its individuality. It demonstrates the 212 T01 diesel version's function as a vehicle for users to express their personal attitude; even minor adjustments can give the vehicle a unique character.
Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) empowers personalized upgrades, unlocking endless possibilities.
For the 212, the essence of personalization is to transform a reliable off-road tool into a unique creation that embodies passion and self-expression. This passion points both to the distance—encouraging people to venture into mountains, dunes, and wilderness to explore the boundaries of nature—and to the vehicle itself—using creativity and technology to explore just how many more possibilities a car can offer.
Based on this understanding, 212 has instilled "playability" and "high expandability" into its core design from the very beginning. The T01 series features a non-load-bearing chassis and a solid axle structure, and provides ample factory-installed modification interfaces, allowing every personalized upgrade to start with "easy installation" and lowering the barrier for players to explore their creativity. In terms of collaboration, 212 partners with professional modification specialists to jointly develop certified high-quality kits and customized solutions, ensuring that deep modifications, from appearance to performance, always operate on a professional and reliable track.
This system, which "provides a reliable foundation and empowers diverse creations," has transformed the 212 from a manufacturer of classic products into an enabler and co-builder of a personalized automotive culture ecosystem. The 212 assures users that reliable hardware is the foundation for exploring distant places; while the exploration and passion for the vehicle itself allows the boundaries of off-road life to continuously expand. The interplay of these two elements ultimately allows the core spirit of "exploration" and "passion" to be reborn in every personalized creation.
Starting from national memories, continuing the legend on the world stage.
Deep-rooted national memories are the foundation of 212, while the vast world stage is its direction of growth. More than sixty years of heritage have accumulated 212's unique and profound cultural genes, and continue to empower the brand to move forward.
Last year, the 212 off-road vehicle made its debut at the world's premier automotive personalization event—SEMA Show in Las Vegas, becoming one of the few Chinese brands to appear on this international stage, sharing the stage with top global brands. This presentation at the Shenzhen Auto Tuning Show can be seen as a deep dialogue between 212 and the domestic market after absorbing cutting-edge international concepts. It demonstrates how the brand integrates an international perspective with its understanding of the Chinese off-road lifestyle, continuously enriching the connotation of the three numbers "212" in the new era.
In 2025, 212 not only supported Chinese teams in the Dakar Rally for the second consecutive year, but also became the first Chinese brand to participate in the Italian Mille Miglia Classic Rally. In Europe, 212 has made its debut at the Munich International Motor Show in Germany and has reached a strategic partnership with a local dealer group. In the Middle East, 212's brilliance illuminated the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. To date, 212's overseas sales network covers more than 70 countries and regions worldwide.
Today's 212 is not only about building professional off-road vehicles, but also about promoting an attractive lifestyle. It resonates with the global users' love for exploration and freedom, and in every journey into the unknown and in every dialogue across cultures, it deeply imprints the footprint of Chinese brands on the map of the world.
