On April 24, the 2026 (19th) Beijing International Automotive Exhibition opened with a dual-venue linkage between the China International Exhibition Center (Shunyi Hall) and the Capital International Exhibition Center. At the media day press conference, 212 Off-Road unveiled its two major technology platforms, "Xiaoke" and "Expedition," and announced the official launch of its all-new pickup model, "Tanjingzhe 01," with an official guide price of 179,900 yuan; at the same time, it also brought the 2026 T01, with a full-line guide price ranging from 149,900 yuan to 208,800 yuan. With the theme "From the Legendary 212 to the World's 212," this conference not only solidified the brand's firm belief in globalization, but also affirmed its determination to deeply cultivate the off-road field. 212 Off-Road will uphold the strategic focus of "doing something one meter wide to a depth of one hundred thousand meters," and write a new footnote for Chinese off-road brands in the future.
From the "Backbone of the Nation" to the "World's 212"
China's off-road vehicles originated from the 212. In 1965, when the first "212" rolled off the production line, it had no ornate name, only a plain code designation, but over the past sixty years, it has carried the memories of several generations and left behind a series of legends. It has served the people, solved social problems, participated in historical events, and witnessed tremendous changes in mountain villages. It is a super phenomenon in China and a cultural wonder in the human world.
Its identity was initially that of a pioneer, a comrade-in-arms, and the backbone of an era, but its story has never been locked within national borders. In the permafrost of Siberia, it was used as a lead vehicle for scientific expeditions; on the edge of the Sahara Desert, it became a regular partner for safari guides; on the highland pastures of the Andes, it helped herders cross seasonal rivers; in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, it shouldered the dual mission of material transport and personnel commuting... In places that need a truly rugged partner, there are always people who recognize this square silhouette. This is a consensus forged by global users pressing their wheels into extreme terrain.
Last year, 212 took a key step in Dubai. At the brand globalization strategy press conference, it carried the expectation of a classic Chinese symbol going global, and also told the story of Chinese off-road spirit. What the world needs is not just an off-road vehicle, but an off-road vehicle brand that can tell Chinese stories. "212" is exactly such an existence. With deep cultivation of off-road scenarios, combined with the technological confidence and engineering wisdom bestowed by China's current automotive industry, 212 Off-Road is walking a focused and profound path—on this one-meter-wide track defined as "off-road," it continues to advance toward a depth of one hundred thousand meters. "The World's 212" is not a simple slogan, but a fact verified by time. From the Gobi to the grasslands, from permafrost to rainforests, 212 Off-Road will continue to connect people around the world who choose not to take detours.
From the Functional Rationality of "I Need" to the Emotional Value of "I Identify With"
"What should a car bring to users and leave for the era?" This is the question raised by Lu Yunran, General Manager of 212 Off-Road, at the media press conference of this auto show, and he also answered it this way: "I hope we only do one thing, and that is to always focus on off-road and become the brand in the world that understands off-road best. I hope what 212 provides is not just a car, but allows consumers to shift their attitude toward this car from the functional rationality of 'I need' to the emotional value of 'I identify with,' thereby defining a distinctive and unique 212 brand."
People of different eras have fundamentally different expectations for a car. In the era when "212" was born, the value of a car was almost entirely equivalent to its function. Users at that time were not "choosing" a car, but "needing" a car. Later, life on wheels became richer, and a car began to carry things beyond function. Social value became a non-negligible part of users' decision-making. Today, we are at a brand-new crossroads. When almost all functions have been pushed to the extreme, when the numbers on the spec sheet can no longer stir much excitement, what users truly lack is emotional resonance, and this also determines whether it can gain consumers' "preference."
Lu Yunran stated that the relationship between 212 Off-Road and its users will complete an evolution from "I need" to "I identify with." "I need" is a transaction at the functional level—I need a car that can handle bad roads; while "I identify with" is a choice of spiritual value—I identify with 212's attitude toward off-roading.
This shift from "I need" to "I identify with" is also happening simultaneously in two dimensions. From the dimension of time, it runs through users of different generations. Function is the entry point, emotion is the destination; the same "212," at both ends of the years, has established relationships of different depths but equally real with different people. From the dimension of space, it crosses national borders and cultures. In China, what is read from the 212 is more than half a century of national memory; in the deserts of the Middle East, it is the tireless "old ox" in the mouths of locals; on the grasslands of Africa, it becomes the iron horse under the guide's steering wheel that never picks roads; on the plateaus of South America, in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, and in the outback of Australia, it is remembered by different names. A Chinese brand is using the most plain off-road language to dialogue with users around the world. Lu Yunran said that sincere products and a passionate spirit are a global language, and 212 products will also shift from the "better" expected by consumers to a truly resonant "better understanding."
From the Cornerstone of "Platform Architecture" to the "Off-Road Technology" System
The brand's thinking must ultimately land as answers in technology and products. "The World's 212" is not only a distillation of history, nor merely a vision of the future; it should be transformed into perceivable technology, deliverable products, and verifiable performance. Therefore, at the press conference, the two core technology architectures carrying the 212 brand toward the world were officially named the "Xiaoke" platform and the "Expedition" platform.
The core of the Xiaoke platform is "wildness" and "diversity," and it is the technical foundation for users pursuing pure off-road fun. It represents an off-road spirit closer to the origin—no compromise. Front and rear five-link solid axles and a body-on-frame structure make up the most traditional and most reliable off-road setup, returning the product to the essence of off-roading; the Xiaoke platform supports gasoline, diesel, and hybrid systems, and also has multi-form expansion capability from three-door and five-door to pickup.
If the Xiaoke platform is about pushing toward the limit, then the Expedition platform is about going farther, a future-oriented full-scenario intelligent off-road architecture. The first mid-to-large SUV of 212 Off-Road at the center of the booth intuitively interprets its core: Beauty, reshaping classics—the "Awakening Lion" front face paired with restrained yet tension-filled surfaces, and an interior that blends technological and retro elements, allowing classics to be recreated; Wildness, uniqueness—the engine adopts a structure similar to a front-mid layout, making the vehicle's mass distribution more concentrated, off-road dynamics more stable, and shaping a body posture full of power; Intelligence, intelligent equality—powertrain coverage from fuel to hybrid, introducing Horizon intelligent driving solutions and a voice intelligent large-model cockpit, realizing intelligence in off-road scenarios and promoting off-roading from "experience-driven" to "technology-empowered."
Xiaoke and Expedition, the two platforms are not a choice, but a parallel advancement. One traces back to the origin of off-roading, answering "where we come from"; the other defines the evolution of off-roading, answering "where we are going." The former turns inward, pursuing the ultimate; the latter turns outward, embracing evolution. Between machinery and intelligence, classics and the future, we do not compromise and do not neglect either, but let both coexist and advance together. A brand-new off-road journey is about to begin.
From "Single Model" Upgrade to "Product Sequence" Expansion
In addition to the naming of the technology platforms, He Zhaopeng, General Manager of the 212 Off-Road Marketing Company, also announced the official prices of the new products, as follows:
All-new pickup product Tanjingzhe 01: 179,900 yuan
2026 T01 Mechanic: 149,900 yuan
2026 T01 Inspector: 169,900 yuan
2026 T01 Changfeng: 194,800 yuan
2026 T01 Highland: 208,800 yuan
As the first pickup product of 212 Off-Road, Tanjingzhe 01 has attracted much attention since its debut at last year's Guangzhou Auto Show, because this is not a simple pickup product. It is a brand-new expression in a new era of a symbol that has continued for 60 years. It is an pioneering product independently developed by 212 based on its own genes in the face of new market and user needs, built on the Xiaoke platform. It targets groups such as off-road enthusiasts and long-distance expedition players. It can calmly handle extreme terrain while also integrating into daily travel, expanding diverse lifestyles.
Tanjingzhe 01 has 254mm ground clearance and 850mm wading depth, comes standard with a ZF 8AT transmission and a BorgWarner large transfer case, and in terms of power is equipped with a 2.3T diesel engine, adopting high-pressure multi-hole fuel injection technology to achieve efficient combustion performance, with a maximum power of 140kW and peak torque as high as 500N·m. In addition to strong off-road performance, Tanjingzhe 01 also balances passenger-car-level comfort and intelligence, and has strong loading capacity, greatly expanding users' vehicle usage scenarios. The multi-functional cargo bed comes with a high-strength protective coating that is scratch-resistant, impact-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and easy to clean; the cargo bed is equipped with 6 sets of high-strength fixing anchor points (single-point load-bearing 150kg), and reserves 3 sets of detachable rail holes, supporting lossless installation and easily enabling quick fixing and removal of equipment; the regular and sturdy cargo bed structure has a load-bearing capacity of 500kg.
At the same time, the upgrade of the 2026 T01 is not just a routine annual upgrade, but a comprehensive evolution centered on "stronger performance and higher comfort"—we have pushed both the hard strength of off-roading and the ease of daily driving to a new height at the same time. First, there is a leap in the powertrain system. The entire lineup comes standard with a ZF 8AT transmission, paired with a newly tuned 2.0T engine, continuously delivering more abundant and more stable power under any complex road conditions; second, it is stronger under extreme conditions. The T01 full lineup comes standard with a BorgWarner large transfer case. In low-speed four-wheel-drive mode, torque is amplified to 2.64 times, and extreme capability is increased by another 12%. The sturdier structure, combined with an intelligent torque distribution system, works in coordination with ABS and ESP, allowing powerful output to both erupt and be precisely controlled; third, multiple comfort configurations have been upgraded, with systematic optimization of the vehicle's NVH, plus high-damping bushings and enhanced sound insulation materials, improving the quietness and driving quality of the entire vehicle; to satisfy extreme players, the 2026 T01 Changfeng also adds a high-strength front tubular axle, making off-road performance unique.
In addition, at this Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, 212 Off-Road appeared with a product lineup of multiple platforms and multiple models, marking the brand's official leap from a single model to an expanded product sequence. In addition to the previously much-watched official modified models, there are also the newly launched pickup model, the first-ever three-door version, and the all-new mid-to-large SUV on the Expedition platform. 212 Off-Road is building an off-road product matrix covering all scenarios and all needs. This is not only an increase in the number of models, but also a deepening of the brand's understanding of the proposition of "off-road"—off-road is not the exclusive domain of a specific size, but a lifestyle that can be interpreted by products of different forms.
60 years is enough for a car to drive from the production line into the memories of several generations, and also enough for a brand to go from the national border to the world map. With an all-new technology architecture, a diverse product matrix, and a clear value proposition, 212 Off-Road shows the outside world how a classic symbol completes self-renewal. 212 Off-Road is also turning the four words "focus on off-road" into an experience worthy of the world's trust, a life choice lived to the fullest, and also expressing to the world an understanding of and respect for exploration itself under Eastern philosophy.
In the future, 212 Off-Road will always be on the world stage, telling China's story well.
