Chinese off-road specialist 212 used the 21st Alxa Hero Festival, held in the desert of Alxa Left Banner in Inner Mongolia, to publicly show several upcoming models, including the 2026 T01, the T01 METTA, the Tanjing 01 and the new three-door T10, according to Chinese outlet PCauto.
More than 300 vehicles and 500 owners from across China formed a convoy to attend the event, which ran from late September into early October. The festival offered competitive, challenge and experience categories, alongside leisure activities such as a sandstorm electronic-music festival. 212 provided vehicle inspections and support crews for participating owners, helping them choose suitable activities.
Desert-ready hardware
For desert crossing, the brand planned routes of varying difficulty, from short scenic off-road trails to long-distance deep-desert crossings, to suit drivers with different levels of experience. The 2026 T01 features a body-on-frame construction with front and rear solid axles, powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission and a BorgWarner transfer case, with part-time four-wheel drive and low-range torque multiplication. The model previously completed testing in the Taklimakan Rally (TAR). The three-door T10 is more compact, with a focus on lightweight off-roading.
During the event, 212 set up a brand camp for vehicle displays and owner interaction. On October 2, the METTA DAY was held, and the METTA CLUB was launched, featuring product tastings and off-road experiences.
Live modification with JD Auto
212 also partnered with JD Auto at the festival to run a 24-hour live-streamed vehicle modification session, modifying a 2026 T01 on-site, with an auction of the modification plan held during the broadcast.
As one of China's largest offline gatherings for off-road enthusiasts, the Alxa Hero Festival serves as a key venue for hardcore off-road models to be tested in real conditions and for owners to connect. 212 used the event to publicly demonstrate multiple models and to launch owner community, vehicle support and cross-industry modification projects.
