The Gobi Challenge's call to arms has sounded!Strategic partner Jeep powers the mighty departure of Gobi 12... ...

Banners flutter beneath the Singing Sand Mountains, and war

The video display on the 20-meter LED screen with Jeep branding ignited the atmosphere, along with stirring drumbeats, the thunderous cheers of business school Gobi participants, and the vigorous waving of flags... It completely ignited the passion for the Gobi Race in every participant on site.

As a veteran Gobi racer, Mr. Chen Daohong, Executive Vice President of GAC Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Sales Co., Ltd. and the sole strategic partner representative of the "G12" Jeep brand, added emotional depth for the racers: “We hope all Gobi friends, together with Jeep, can live a stronger version of themselves in the Gobi Desert, and turn passion into reality with true capability!”

After a full day of safety training on the 21st, on the morning of May 22, over 2,000 Gobi racers from nearly 50 business school teams and a convoy of 65 Jeep vehicles gathered in Guazhou, marking the official start of the 12th Gobi Challenge Race!

How many lives can one live in a lifetime?! In the Gobi, cheer for every shining “slash” in a life well-lived.

As the “Journey of Spiritual Discovery in China,” the Gobi Challenge Race of the Business Schools’ Xuanzang Trail is destined to be an exclusive top-tier event for only the “chosen few.” This new generation of business elites, known as “Gobi friends,” no longer measure life and achievement solely by narrow wealth figures. They believe that a truly strong life is one where, within the same span of time, you live the volume and quality of several lifetimes. With extreme experiences, they create lives of extraordinary density and altitude!

Founders of companies worth billions, executives of Fortune Global 500 companies, renowned management professors, designers who have won global design awards... Flipping through the impressive resumes and astonishing achievements of these new-generation business elites, it’s not hard to see that each of them has lived at least two lifetimes' worth of life—because one of those lives must have been spent in the Gobi, and one of those identities must be called “Gobi friend”!

In the view of Qu Xiangdong, founder of the Gobi Challenge Race of the Business Schools’ Xuanzang Trail and Chairman of the G12 Organizing Committee, the Gobi is a breakthrough in life. His “burning passion” and continuous successes have shaped his incredibly broad and rich slash-life identity as a “famous CCTV host / social activist / founder of Xingzhi Exploration / ecological adventurer.” As a loyal Jeep fan for 15 years and a Jeep owner, Qu Xiangdong’s courage to try and enjoy diverse roles, and his feeling of being capable of anything, is precisely the spirit that Jeep Grand Cherokee has always advocated. It also corresponds to the qualities a truly powerful vehicle should possess: providing comfortable urban travel while also expertly handling all kinds of rough roads.

And in the eyes of Gong Mingcheng, also a Jeep Grand Cherokee owner, a seasoned Gobi veteran, General of the Badain Jaran 800 Desert Race, and champion of the 108km Guanguan Cross-Country Race in Taiwan, the Gobi is “the place where dreams begin, a training ground where you taste all flavors of life. Life is not parallel, it’s serial—so of course you should make your life more colorful and your lifestyle more diverse!”

This diversity leads some to see inner reflection, while others see opportunities to save lives in the Gobi. Lu Le, a four-time Gobi veteran, G12 Emergency Rescue Commander, and Jeep Wrangler owner, co-founded “First Response” with friends. It has become the largest event rescue and volunteer skills training organization in China. To date, it has ensured the safety of 905,140 participants in 212 events and successfully rescued 11 cases of cardiac arrest. Having provided emergency rescue support for three consecutive Gobi Races, “First Response” will continue to offer top-level medical and emergency support in the Gobi this year. By using innovative business methods to address the systemic gap in social emergency response, “First Response” received strong investment from Tencent and became the first certified B Corp in mainland China this year. Even Starbucks’ B Corp application was rejected, yet Lu Le and his “First Response” achieved it.

The excitement of career, life, and distant horizons is something Gobi friends understand, and Jeep owners understand too. The Jeep Power & Passion Team, composed of Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler owners, made a bold appearance, including many veterans from business schools such as CEIBS and Cheung Kong. Being both Gobi friends and Jeep enthusiasts, this team possesses remarkable strength and deep passion!

These business elites and Gobi friends who have broken through the “walls” of conventional life all live the quality of several lifetimes within their own single lifetime—and this is also the value Jeep advocates. It is this high degree of value alignment that has led to the deep collaboration and upgraded partnership between the Gobi Race and Jeep. Ultimately, Jeep became the sole strategic partner of G12 and part of the joint race emblem, propelling the Gobi Race into a brand-new Jeep era.

Mighty as a tiger swallowing thousands of miles, simply because it is calledJeep!Withextremeexperiences forging strength, letting the Gobi ground passion

Outside the Command Platform, the grand formation of the entire Jeep family fleet attracted Gobi friends to stop and take photos. The majestic and naturally “iconic” Jeep Wrangler became a focal point for photos and test drives, while the well-rounded and powerful 2017 Grand Cherokee became the favorite of business elites. Jeep’s deeply ingrained professional-grade product strength left a deep impression on the Gobi friends.

In front of the grand Command Platform, the flagship of the Jeep family—the inherently powerful luxury SUV Grand Cherokee—exuded quiet confidence. This aura and presence are not superficial bravado like other SUVs, but the self-assurance that comes from 76 years of dedication to professional SUV manufacturing and inherent strength. With the only million-level SUV-level luxury full leather interior in its class and five full-range noise reduction technologies, it creates an unmatched commanding presence. Its class-leading all-terrain capability gives it the confidence to handle various Gobi conditions such as deserts, gravel plains, and saline-alkali land.

The bold and iconic professional four-wheel-drive icon, the Wrangler, also became the “star celebrity” at the Command Platform, with many Gobi friends striking various poses for photos. During the event, it will join the Grand Cherokee in undertaking rescue and support missions. By day, they push forward resolutely with the team, becoming the most reliable guardians with their steadfastness and stability. By night, they become guiding lights for the “lone heroes” in the pitch-dark Gobi, illuminating the way and racing across the land together.

How many lives can one live in a lifetime? What is a truly strong life? It’s the bold spirit of Gobi friends who say “no slash, no life,” and it’s also the powerful aura beneath the refined exterior of the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by a heart forged through 76 years of professional SUV expertise. Tomorrow, when the sun rises again, Gobi friends will embark on the journey of G12, and their strategic partner—the global SUV leader Jeep—will continue to accompany them in pursuing a life where career, life, and distant dreams are all within reach, exploring the infinite possibilities of life!