Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Conquers Taklimakan Rally Again!

In a spectacle that could only be described as vehicular Darwinism, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro once again laughed in the face of adversity and conquered the notorious Taklimakan Rally, securing the T2 Production Vehicle class win for the third time. That’s right, the Tiggo 8 Pro, straight off the factory floor with just a few tweaks—proved it can hang with the big boys in this grueling, no-holds-barred rally.

A stock Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, fresh from the assembly line, with nothing but a roll cage, some extra fuel tanks, and a set of off-road tires. Toss in the Gobi Desert’s version of an obstacle course, 4,377 km of punishing terrain, featuring everything from sand dunes that could swallow a lesser vehicle whole, to rocky gullies that seem to exist solely to ruin your day. This is the setting for ‘The Game of the Brave,’ where competitors are typically in T1 class monsters, vehicles modified to the brink of unrecognizability.

Yet, there was the Tiggo 8 Pro, looking almost nonchalant, with Tao Pengfei and his co-driver enjoying dual-zone climate control and electrically adjustable seats while tearing across the wasteland. Yes, you read that right, comfort in the face of chaos. Talk about luxury meeting rugged resilience!

For those keeping score at home, this is not a fluke. Chery has snagged the top spot in its class in 2023 and back in 2019. This year marks a hat trick, a testament to the Tiggo 8 Pro’s durability and performance that South Africans have come to know and love since its local launch in 2022.

Powered by either the nimble 1.6 TGDI turbo-petrol engine or the beastly 2.0 TGDI turbo-petrol engine delivering 187 kW and 390 Nm of torque, the Tiggo 8 Pro and Pro MAX aren’t just pretty faces. These SUVs, built on Chery’s advanced TX1 platform, bring a unique combination of high tensile strength and featherlight agility.

Tony Liu, Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa, couldn’t resist a bit of well-earned boasting: “As our flagship in South Africa, the Tiggo 8 Pro and Pro MAX represent the best in technology, luxury, and performance on offer by Chery. By winning its class in this gruelling international rally, Chery has proven to its customers that it also offers some of the best build quality on the market.”

With 33 racing titles, 14 product awards, and numerous international honors under its belt, the Tiggo 8 Pro isn’t just a pretty face—it’s a certified champion, adored by over 1 million owners across 80 countries, including thousands of South Africans who have found true love behind its wheel.

Liu adds, “No Chery product will leave our production facility without meeting our exacting standards. By participating in, and winning, international competitions like this rally, we also prove that our Chery models meet the highest standards globally.”

So, the next time you see a Chery Tiggo 8 Pro cruising down the street, remember that it’s not just a stylish SUV. It’s a rally-winning, desert-conquering beast that’s equally at home in the suburbs and the sands. Now, that’s what I call legendary build quality!

The post Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Conquers Taklimakan Rally Again! first appeared on Fuelled.