BAIC BJ80 History

Development of the BJ80 was first revealed via spy shots in 2011; a concept appeared at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show before the production BJ80C was unveiled at the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show. Civilian production at BAW (Beijing Auto Works, a BAIC subsidiary) began in November 2016, with the military variant (BJ80J) entering service around the same time.

The BJ80's square-rigged styling drew an explicit comparison to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class — a similarity Mercedes publicly noted. Irony was not lost on observers given that BAIC Group and Daimler were simultaneously expanding their Beijing-Benz joint venture. The civilian BJ80 was powered by a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, while military variants used a Cummins 2.8-litre diesel rated at 120 kW (160 hp).

Despite its niche positioning, the BJ80 earned a following among Chinese off-road enthusiasts as a domestic alternative to the G-Class at a fraction of the price. Production continued until 2025 after a nine-year run, by which point BAIC had shifted its off-road investment to the second-generation BJ40 and upcoming BJ60 platform.