MOKE makes comeback

The MOKE is back, thanks to an enterprising Australian company that has contracted China's Chery Motors to produce a born-again utility vehicle for release worldwide. It's global launch is at Sydney's Bondi Beach later this month.

Created by British-born Hong Kong-based designer Michael Young, the new-millennium MOKE is now in production 20 years after the 1959 original -- built from Mini parts -- was last produced in Portugal in 1992.

Although it's designed to mimic its 54-year-old namesake, MINI International – an Australian company based in Melbourne – says it is a thoroughly new design incorporating the latest automotive technologies.

However, because it is not yet available with electronic stability/stability control, only limited numbers of the new MOKE will be made available in Australia under low-volume import laws.

As such, despite a starting price of $22,999 plus on-road costs, demand will far exceed supply in Australia, where MOKE's Jim Markos told motoring.com.au he has already received more than 700 genuine enquiries.

Markos expects that number to increase dramatically following the new-generation MOKE's official launch in Sydney at the end of October, before Australians become the first in the world to take delivery by next March.

Longer and wider than the original, the 'Classic MOKE' is powered by a 50kW/93Nm 1.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine from China's Chery QQ. Available with manual and automatic transmissions, its top speed is 110km/h.

Chery Motors subsidiary Sicar Engineering has already commenced production of 1000 left- and right-hand drive MOKEs a year in a dedicated new Chinese factory and MOKE International says it has received more than 300,000 expressions of interest globally, following the car's reveal in Thailand earlier this month.

MOKE International says it will sell 650 MOKEs annually in both the Caribbean and Mauritius, as well as 500 per annum in Thailand, with countries like New Zealand, Greece, Vanuatu and Fiji to follow. However, there are no plans to export to Europe.

One of MOKE International's directors, Jim Markos said the response to the new MOKE was overwhelming. He said the first batch of vehicles for Australia was accounted for, with the second shipment 80 per cent sold.

"We've been working on this for seven years. Australia is only a relatively small market, but we're launching here first because it will give us credibility. It is built to Australian standards, not Chinese standards."

Markos said MOKE sales would be online-only – via MOKE Australia here – but the strong response has also led the company to consider its own rental business for the new-generation beach buggy. He said MOKE International was also in discussions with two large international investment companies, which could lead to "co-branding with companies with similar synergies".

There is no ESC or ABS, or airbags but the four bucket seats – including the optional rear seats – are fitted with three-point seatbelts and braking is via nine-inch discs up front and drums at the rear.

Based on a Chery platform, the Classic MOKE is also fitted with rollover bars, power steering, 13-inch alloys, windscreen wipers and a lockable rear compartment.

To be available in just five paint colours – red, yellow, white, light blue and orange – it will also be offered with a one-year/15,000km warranty and a five-year anti-corrosion warranty.

"We stand by our product," said Markos. "We're not ashamed to say it's built in China. Chery is China's third largest exporter and it's never had an emphasis on safety like this before."

Markos said an all-electric plug-in version, the eMOKE, will have a top speed of just 60km/h and a 120km driving range when it enters production next year, before going on sale globally by 2015.

Originally designed as a utilitarian military vehicle before being adapted for commercial sales, the original Moke was first produced in Birmingham in 1964. About 26,000 original Mokes were later built by British Motor Corporation (BMC) in Australia, before production moved to Portugal and ceased there in 1992.

The first Classic MOKE has arrived Down Under as low-volume import
homologation continues and expressions of interest can be lodged via the
company's website, MOKEmotors.com.au.