The Moke is back!
Posted on 09-10-2013 at 16:19 by ricardo – 23 Comments”
Only BMW subsidiary MINI, there is now nothing to do with it.
MINI ceo Wolfgang Armbrecht was in 2010 still in good spirits about a return of the Moke, the mischievous and exploded car that was full of Mini parts and into 1993 in Portugal was built. But until today we have, aside from a Beachcomber Concept, not a Moke revival experienced.
Now, Moke International, quite apart from the BMW Group, the glove is picked up. This company has ties with the Chinese Chery Automotive Manufacturing Company and Sicar Engineering, and will be in the production run. Itself they have a colorful site rigged, but decent options on the model are missing. In the prices and availability is “to be announced soon”. Also an approval for the EU is not (yet), but the company says work on a type-approval for small amounts, that a launch in Europe is feasible.
Whatever it is that they lost like is that there are two version. One with a combustion engine under the name Classic Moke, and an electrically-driven model: the eMoke. The technology will undoubtedly catch up, but it all seems pretty basic, what is actually does justice to the original. However, they have a mini fridge built in, and the dashboard was revised. Under the hood lies a four-cylinder engine with 50 hp, allowing a top speed of 100 km/h is possible.
The (re)design is done by British designer Michael Young. Compared to Designboom, he says the following about the Moke.
“As a moke enthusiast when the email came asking if I was interested to talk about the project, it was more like a call for duty. I had recently rebuilt a moke from the ground up out of old parts so I was fully aware of what was needed to be done. you must remember that this car is from the 70’s, I knew for a fact there was no way we could just replicate it, times have changed and the car needed enhancements, improved road holding, breaking, suspension and so on. I was equally aware that I had to respect the past and make sure the over all visual aspect be kept in tact. let’s say this is the first version, it was essential for find a balance in equal terms for the old enthusiast and also the new generation.”
Moke International says this year a first run of 1,000 copies on the market.
Recently there was in Pattaya, Thailand, a launch of the car. Short video report you can find on Autojunk.nl.
Gallery: Moke
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