Custom V8-Swapped 212 T01 Chinese SUV (SEMA 2025 Show Car)
A custom 2024 212 T01 arriving at and leaving Winter Drive 2025, organized by Purist Group, at Industry Hills Expo Center. Launched as a brand in 2024 under BAW (Beijing Automobile Works), 212 was named after the BJ212, an off-road utility vehicle originally developed for the Chinese military in the 1960s. The T01 is a four-door SUV with styling inspired by the classic off-roader. Powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, it is available in various trim levels priced from around $20,000 to $25,000. This example, commissioned by Sean Lee, founder of Purist Group, has been modified with a V8 engine swap and the rear section converted to a pickup bed. It made its debut at the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
This custom car may look familiar if you attended SEMA or saw photos from the event, but even though I observed it from just about every possible angle, I couldn't figure out what the heck it was based on. And for the average American auto enthusiast, the base vehicle will probably have little or no relevance. First, the brand name (which I had never heard of before) is simply a number, which, in today's world where the majority of information we receive is filtered through complex search algorithms, may struggle to make headlines. Second, the Chinese automotive market is largely unknown here in the States, with the exception of a handful of EVs with noteworthy statistics. Well, the T01 ain't an EV, and if the few reviews of it I found are any indication, it's actually quite a good SUV. It looks like a cross between a Jeep, a Land Rover, and a G-Wagen, except it's priced in the $20-$25K range(!). Of course, long-term reliability is still a huge area of uncertainty. But for what it's worth, it's something worth paying attention to.
Of course, this particular example isn't exactly your typical T01. And details of the build are scarce, with "C-Werk" (the name displayed throughout the car) returning nearly no online search results. The owner and builder probably could have gotten much more publicity at SEMA by starting with a U.S.-market SUV, but this is surely an interesting way to introduce us Americans to a company we otherwise may never know exists. I have no clue how this car was imported and whether it's going to stay in the States, but I'm sure glad to get to see an interesting build and learn about a new car, not to mention be able to post my first video of a vehicle from a Chinese brand.
What are your thoughts on this unique SEMA build? And do you think the 212 T01 would be able to successfully compete in the American market if it were available? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!