Australia-bound Chinese off-roader brand readies diesel LandCruiser rival

Fledgling Chinese off-roader brand 212 is expanding its model lineup as it eyes an Australian launch, with a new body-on-frame SUV called the X03 slotting in at the top of its range.

It’s unclear if the X03 will come to Australia, however, a spokesperson for the company told CarExpert in February: “For our next generation model we will develop right-hand drive.”

212 has already been spied testing its current-generation T01 – produced only in left-hand drive – in the Northern Territory.

The X03 is a larger SUV, which according to a Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology certification filing shared by YueShi Car Review, measures 5095mm long, 2038mm wide and 1945mm tall on a 2950mm wheelbase.

For comparison, a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series measures between 4995mm and 5015mm long, between 1980mm and 2000mm wide, and 1955mm tall on a 2850mm wheelbase.

Unlike the LandCruiser, the X03 is listed as offering only a five-seat layout.

The X03 is powered by a 2.3-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine sourced from Dongfeng, producing 140kW of power. No torque figure is listed in the MIIT filing, however, the 212 T01 Explorer 01 ute features a 140kW/500Nm 2.3-litre turbo-diesel four which is likely the same engine.

It’s unclear if a petrol engine will also be available, as with the T01.

This engine has to lug around a total kerb weight of 2570kg, or roughly the same mass as a LandCruiser 300 Series GXL which uses a 227kW/700Nm twin-turbo 3.3-litre V6 diesel engine.

The X03 has an approach angle of 33 degrees and a departure angle of 30 degrees.

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. 212 announced last year it planned to enter new markets such as Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The T01, which entered production in 2024, is thus far 212’s only model, though there’s a wide range of variants on offer.

Similar in size to the GWM Tank 300, the rugged T01 off-roader features live axles front and rear, and a choice of 125kW/415Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel and 185kW/410Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engines. These are mated with a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission.

Locking front and rear differentials are available, and it offers an approach angle of 40 degrees and a departure angle of 36 degrees.

While at first glance its design appears derivative of the Jeep Wrangler or the original Land Rover Defender, which are common inspirations for many Chinese brands along with the Ford Bronco, it’s actually inspired by the BAW BJ212 that entered production in 1965 and which was commonly used by Chinese armed forces.

The T01 range was expanded this year to include the Explorer 01 dual-cab ute, which rides on an identical 3488mm wheelbase to the Jeep Gladiator but is slightly shorter overall at 5469mm (versus 5591mm).

MORE: Chinese military-style off-roaders spied testing in Australia