Luxury that doesn't stop at the tarmac

Most luxury SUVs are luxury cars in a taller body. They are quiet, richly trimmed, and would rather you did not take them past the end of the asphalt.

The BAIC BJ80 is a different proposition. It is a body-on-frame off-road vehicle with a twin-turbo V6, finished inside to a standard that has nothing to do with its chassis. BAIC's own description is "reveal off-road nature, thorough guarantee, military grade."

The engine

  • 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol
  • 206 kW and 420 Nm
  • 8-speed automatic transmission
  • Part-time four-wheel drive
  • 85-litre fuel tank

In a range where the other models use four-cylinder engines, the V6 is what sets the BJ80 apart. A six-cylinder delivers power more smoothly and with a different character of sound — refinement you feel constantly rather than occasionally.

Drive modes cover Manual, Snow, Sport, Comfort and Eco.

The interior

This is where the BJ80 makes its case.

  • Nappa leather seats on the Zomol specification, microfibre leather on Exclusive
  • Suede-covered roof lining and pillars on Zomol
  • Matte mahogany trim with chrome detailing
  • Heated and ventilated front seats
  • Heated multifunction leather steering wheel
  • Six-way power driver's seat with memory and welcome function
  • Four-way power passenger seat
  • Rear independent seats with automatic backrest adjustment
  • Front passenger "boss key" operable from the rear
  • Refrigerated glove compartment
  • 10.25-inch digital instrument display
  • Streaming media rear-view mirror
  • Seven speakers with amplifier and speed-sensitive volume
  • Dual headrest screens on Zomol
  • 220V and 12V outlets
  • Front and rear ambient lighting
  • Altimeter, inclinometer and barometric pressure indicator

Rear independent seats with powered backrest adjustment are unusual at this level — most vehicles in this class fit a bench. Combined with the boss key, the BJ80 works properly as a chauffeur-driven vehicle when it needs to.

The refrigerated glovebox and the heated steering wheel are the sort of details that suggest the specification was written by people who use these cars.

Structure and capability

The luxury sits on a serious foundation:

  • Separate frame construction
  • Double wishbone torsion bar spring independent front suspension
  • Five-link variable-stiffness coil spring rear suspension
  • Bending stiffness: 6100 N/mm
  • Torsional stiffness: 8100 N/mm
  • High-strength steel at 210–550 MPa making up 54.1 percent of the body
  • Ultra-high-strength thermoformed steel at 1500 MPa, around 50 percent utilisation

Off-road figures:

  • Approach angle: 34 degrees, rising to 39 degrees on some specifications
  • Departure angle: 27 to 33 degrees
  • Ramp angle: 25 degrees
  • 275/50 R20 tyres with a full-size spare
  • Two front and two rear tow hooks

Dimensions

  • Length, width, height: 4765 / 1955 / 1985 mm (1975 mm wide on Zomol)
  • Wheelbase: 2800 mm

At nearly two metres tall, the BJ80 has presence. It is shorter than the BJ60 but taller, with the upright, squared-off proportions that come from a genuine off-road design rather than a styling exercise.

Safety and equipment

Electronic gear selector, ABS with EBD, hydraulic brake assist, ESP, traction control, hill hold control, hill descent control and roll movement intervention are all standard, along with driver, passenger and front side airbags, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and a built-in driving recorder.

Lighting runs to xenon headlights with automatic levelling and washers, LED daytime running lights and tail lights, cornering front fog lights, front and rear footwell position lights and a welcome lamp.

Two specifications

3.0T 8AT 4x4 Exclusive — microfibre leather seats, chrome exterior detailing, fixed side steps. Available in All Black, Red Black and White Black.

3.0T 8AT 4x4 Zomol — Nappa leather, suede roof and pillars, red brake calipers, power side steps, dual headrest screens, floor mats, additional chrome trim. Available in Blue, Black, White and Grey.

Luxury or premium?

Worth a word on terminology. In this range, the BJ80 is the luxury flagship — V6 power, Nappa leather, body-on-frame capability. If your priority is a more contemporary, technology-led interpretation of the same idea, look at the All New X7 Flagship or the BJ60 Flagship, both of which lean toward large screens and driver assistance rather than wood and suede.

Book a test drive

A V6 is something you judge with your ears as much as anything else. Book a test drive or request the brochure.