"National Treasure" 212: A gorgeous transformation from a model to a brand, ready to return to the market

Recently, what has excited off-road vehicle enthusiasts the most is the news that the 212 will soon be back. In the 383rd batch of new vehicle declaration catalog released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the new products under the 212 brand have made their first appearance. The family design language of one arch, two circles, three horizontals and four verticals awakens the memory of nearly 60 years. At the same time, the new products that have been modernized and upgraded are younger and more user-friendly, and are more in line with the needs of hardcore off-road enthusiasts.

(Photo: New 212 official design manuscript)

212 is recognized as the originator of China's hard-core off-road vehicles. As a single off-road vehicle model, it has created and maintained the leading records of similar models in terms of sales time, production volume and ownership, and carries the memories and feelings of several generations.

However, it is not only the inheritance and innovation of the product that has truly revived the 212. According to official information from Beijing Automobile Manufacturing Plant, the re-emerged 212 has been upgraded to an independent brand. The branded 212 is expected to better inherit and promote the unique charm of Chinese hard-core off-road vehicles and meet users' ultimate pursuit of hard-core off-road vehicles.

Tribute to a generation of off-road vehicle legends

Careful car enthusiasts noticed that the new 212 product disclosed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology still retained the classic air defense lights. This detail shows that the 212 brand has always been a military vehicle.

Since the 1960s, 212 has been an important part of national defense construction. At that time, my country urgently needed to independently develop and produce an off-road vehicle of our own. Beijing Automobile Manufacturing Plant was entrusted with the task and seized the opportunity given by history. With relatively backward technology and craftsmanship, it took only a few years to develop the Chinese people's own "national treasure" off-road vehicle - 212.

(Photo: 212 off-road vehicle produced by Beijing Automobile Manufacturing Plant)

212 has been the main off-road vehicle for Chinese military since its birth. It is the only Chinese off-road vehicle that has ever been on the battlefield. It "bravely crossed the Pingjiang River" in the Gaoping Campaign of the "Self-Defense Counterattack against Vietnam", and won the praise and trust of our military commanders and fighters. Later, it was gradually transformed from a military product to a civilian product, becoming an exclusive vehicle for "county and regiment level".

Serving the military and the people for decades, the advantages of 212, such as "high passability, high usability and high reliability", have been widely recognized. There are many military memories and life stories about 212, which has become an indispensable part of China's hard-core off-road culture. Due to its profound historical accumulation, excellent performance and the Chinese hard-core off-road spirit it represents, 212 can be upgraded from a model to a brand in a logical way.

The 212 brand is expected to represent Chinese hardcore off-road vehicles to the world

As early as 2021, Beijing Automobile Manufacturing Plant established the independently operated 212 Off-Road Vehicle Co., Ltd., which carries all the intellectual property rights of the entire 212 series and focuses more on the operation of the 212 brand. On December 12, 2022, 212 Off-Road Vehicle Co., Ltd. officially launched the 212 brand and launched a new brand logo. From then on, 212 will face the market as an independent brand.

The 212 brand is currently the only car brand named after a number. Lu Yunran, general manager of 212 Off-Road Vehicle Co., Ltd., once said in an exclusive interview with the media: "We operate the 212 brand as a whole company in the hope that we can launch more 212 brand models in the future, explore more off-road vehicle culture, and create a brand that represents Chinese off-road vehicles to the world."

Lu Yunran's words reveal his confidence in boosting the global status of Chinese hard-core off-road vehicles. For users, this means that in the future there will be 212 brand models with different power and different application scenarios to choose from, and the 212 brand can also meet the differentiated vehicle needs of different user groups.

(Photo: Lu Yunran, general manager of 212 Off-Road Vehicle Co., Ltd., accepts an exclusive interview with the media)

It is reported that the new 212 will roll off the production line at the Qingdao headquarters of Beijing Automobile Manufacturing Plant in the second half of this year. Relying on the strong innovation and manufacturing capabilities of Beijing Automobile Manufacturing Plant, it is believed that the new 212 will not disappoint the expectations of off-road fans and users. In the near future, the 212 brand may lead Chinese off-road vehicles to the world.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.