New Mini Moke returns with modern creature comforts

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aria-label="Mini Moke 2"British brand Moke International revives Mini Moke with an upgraded chassis and an all-new twin-cam engine

Moke International has revived and improved the classic Mini Moke with a range of chassis tweaks and a fresh, emissions friendly engine. The revamped model is available to order now, with prices starting from £20,000 in the UK, or around AUD$36,000 excluding associated import charges. Production will be strictly limited to just 56 units.

When the Moke first went on sale to the public in 1964, it was fitted with the same carbureted 848cc four-cylinder A-Series engine used by the original Mini. However, to keep in-line with current emissions regulations, the revised Moke features an all-new 1.1-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, with double overhead cams and modern fuel injection.

aria-label="Mini Moke 4"In addition to lower emissions, the modern unit makes more power: output soars from the original 25kW and 60Nm of torque to 50kW and 93Nm. The Moke’s original four-speed manual gearbox has gone, too – in its place resides a fresh four-speed automatic. Drive still goes to the front wheels, though, with the new powertrain offering a top speed of 68mph and a fuel economy figure of 14.45km/L.

The Moke’s chassis has also been given a thorough overhaul. The classic Mini-sourced cone-spring suspension from the original model has been swapped for modern MacPherson struts up front. The rear still features the old car’s trailing arm setup – although the rubber cones have been swapped for more durable metal springs.

There’s a also few more creature comforts inside. The original Moke came with pedals, a headlight switch and a steering wheel – and that was about it. But, this revamped model features a two-speaker USB radio, a heated windscreen, a three-clock gauge cluster with a tachometer and sliding waterproof seats with in-built headrests.

aria-label="Mini Moke"Buyers have their choice of 14 paint finishes – and each example will come with a set of 13-inch Minilite alloy wheels, chrome windscreen rails, a chrome radiator grille, an Union Flag badge mounted on the front wings and a numbered plaque for the bonnet.

The Moke was designed by Sir Alec Issigonis in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was penned as a lightweight, air-transportable military vehicle – although, after a brief trial period, the army rejected it due to its low ground clearance. However, the Royal Air Force did show some interest in the Moke as a vehicle for use on the decks of its aircraft carriers.

aria-label="Mini Moke 3"To recoup some of the car’s development costs, BMC repurposed the Moke into a civilian vehicle. It found popularity as a recreational vehicle – eventually becoming a cult icon. To date, the Moke has appeared in four James Bond films and is championed by the likes of Bridgette Bardot and Kate Moss.

Luke Wilkinson

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