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Moke makes a comeback, will be available in Australia

Around 26,000 Mini Mokes were built locally from 1966 to 1981, however the newest variant is coming out of Britain.


The Moke has been resurrected in the UK, but the modern version is no longer the low-priced, bare-bones proposition it once was.

Moke International – which acquired the 'Moke' trademark in 2015 – will initially build a limited run of just 56 vehicles. That’s one for each year since the tiny car came onto the market in Britain.

They’ll be sold for £20,000 each (AU$35,000) – only slightly more expensive than the very cheapest second-hand Mokes for sale in the UK, and well below the AU$50,000 being asked for pristine examples.

A modern fuel-injected 1.1-litre four-cylinder engine replaces the original 0.85-litre engine of the original Moke.

The new engine produces 50kW and 93Nm, and allows the car to hit a maximum speed of 109km/h.

It is paired with a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission.

Owners can choose from 14 external paint options, and the car now gets a two-speaker USB radio, heated windscreen, and a three-gauge instrument cluster.

One thing the new model does have in common with the original: no airbags. This likely means it will only be available as a limited-edition special-build vehicle, which does not need to comply with modern safety standards.

While the vehicles are currently only available on the British market, a spokesperson for the manufacturer told CarAdvice, "We are very much looking forward to bringing the Moke back to Australia, and we are targeting middle of next year for market launch".

"We are actively seeking importer and dealer partners to really drive the success of the brand in a market we anticipate will be perfect for the car."

The modern Moke was originally announced for an Australian release back in 2014 with a price-tag of $22,900, but the venture never made it off the ground.

The original Moke design was originally pitched to the British army as a cheap and lightweight alternative to the Land Rover in 1959, however it was unsurprisingly rejected due to poor ground clearance and a low power output.

A consumer version was subsequently designed for the British market, and production was later moved to Australia where around 26,000 cars were built between 1966 and 1981.

The last official Mokes were built in Portugal in the mid-1990s.


William Davis

William Davis has written for Drive since July 2020, covering news and current affairs in the automotive industry. He has maintained a primary focus on industry trends, autonomous technology, electric vehicle regulations, and local environmental policy. As the newest addition to the Drive team, William was brought onboard for his attention to detail, writing skills, and strong work ethic. Despite writing for a diverse range of outlets – including the Australian Financial Review, Robb Report, and Property Observer – since completing his media degree at Macquarie University, William has always had a passion for cars.

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