In early June, the 2026 China Ring Tower International Rally concluded. The 212 Off-road Vehicle team, which competed as a manufacturer team for the first time, completed the full 7,500 km course using T01 production vehicles close to factory state — the only brand in the T2.1 production group manufacturer teams to achieve 100% completion, winning two first places and one second place during stages SS10–SS13, and finally securing the runner-up spot among manufacturer teams in the group.
The participating vehicles were basically the powertrain of the commercially available T01: 2.0T engine (185kW/410N·m) + ZF 8AT + BorgWarner part-time 4WD, with torque amplified 2.64 times in 4L mode. The body-on-frame structure and front/rear solid axles (five-link) are the foundation that allows it to dare to run the Ring Tower — this structure sacrifices highway comfort, but in Gobi potholes and cross-axle sections, it has strong torsional rigidity, and the body does not easily deform.
Completing the race without major mechanical failures in a continuous 17-day high-load, high-temperature, and dusty environment proves at least that the basic reliability of this powertrain and chassis withstood tests much harsher than daily use, and not just marketing speak.
212 announced Ring Tower modification kits (chassis armor, anti-skid wheels, off-road tires, etc.) launching soon on the official mall, and launched 2027 Ring Tower user driver recruitment, partnering with Han Wei to establish a champion off-road training academy — attempting to integrate event resources with ordinary users, rather than just stopping at the brand exposure level.
Dakar, Malaysia Sabah Rainforest Race, and Alxa T3 have also been included in the plan. Whether "promoting R&D through racing" can feed back into production vehicle quality improvement is the next chapter that 212 truly needs to prove.
In one sentence summary: If you explicitly want a body-on-frame hard-core off-roader and can actually drive on unpaved roads a few times a year, the T01 is currently one of the few serious options in the 150,000 RMB range adhering to front and rear solid axles.
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