Of all the Mini bodystyles over the years, few have attained the kind of cult status as the Mini Moke. Initially planned as a lightweight Army Jeep (with 10-inch wheels and 3-inches ground clearance?) it evolved into a quirky beach buggy, usually seen at tropical vacation spots, with a stripey awning. It also achieved fame as the only vehicle at the Portmerion village in Wales where Patrick McGoohan was The Prisoner (I am not a number..." etc). The Mini Moke was marketed by various concerns and built in Portugal and Australia until 1993, the year before BMW bought the brand and later relaunched production with its neo-design.
Ever since then, Mini has toyed with the idea of bringing back the Moke, and even showcased the Beachcomber concept in the style of the Moke at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. That wouldn't have passed any U.S. safety tests and Mini opted instead to go with the Paceman crossover coupe instead.
A certain cadre of enthusiasts may have been disappointed, but they'll be glad to know that they can still get their hands on a continuation of the classic from Moke International. In partnership with Sicar Engineering and Chinese automaker Chery Motors, the Moke is back (sans the Mini name that belongs to BMW) with a slightly reinterpreted form by British designer Michael Young. It's got room for four, an integrated ice cooler, but no doors, roof or windows, staying true to the original design.
Power comes from a naturally-aspirated 1.0-liter four with less than 50 horsepower. Mated to a five-speed manual, it drives the front wheels to reach a top speed quoted at 68 miles per hour. There's also an electric-powered eMoke with an unspecified powertrain that's said to propel it up to 37 mph and for as long as 75 miles on a single charge. In other words, it's not going anywhere fast, but upgraded suspension and brakes are always appreciated. Only 1,000 cars are slated to be produced each year, available in one of six paint colors, four interior trims and two fabric roof colors. Automatic transmissions and left-hand and right-hand drive will be available
Online conversations in Australia, where original Mokes are still popular, suggest a price around $23,000AU ( $21,850 US) for the Chery Moke (aka Choke) but also question whether such a vehicle could be road-registered, in light of safety requirements.––Paul Duchene
