The original Mini Moke had ‘cult classic’ written all over it, and that was before it turned up as a psychedelic transportation device in that high point of 1960s weirdness, The Prisoner. The Moke’s design began life as a stripped-down Mini, beefed up and simplified with a view to creating a compact utility vehicle for military use.
The Moke never made it to the battlefront, but it became a familiar sight as an ultra-light vehicle in beach resorts and other such carefree communities.
Beloved by pop cultural figures of the day, the basic design stayed in production from 1964 until 1993, before it was revived under the initiative of product designer Michael Young.
The new version was given a subtle facelift and was re-engineered for modern conditions, but otherwise the ethos stayed much the same. Young and his team set up a company, Moke International, which started off by part-building the revised car in China, before it was shipped for final assembly in its place of sale.
An electric version was also introduced, which in many ways made it the perfect manifestation of Sir Alec Issigonis’ original concept.
This is the new Electric Moke Californian, a strictly limited production series of the reinvigorated machine, designed in homage to a 1977 Moke Californian edition built at the height of beach buggy mania.
Just 325 examples of the new Californian will be available each year, fully compliant with the States’ rigorous laws as well as being highway legal.
With a top speed of 50mph, it’s perhaps the fastest Moke model ever made, the open-framed body offering an invigorating ride.
Moke Californian, available from Moke International, from $41,900
-
The bespoke Jaguar E-Type GTO melds elements from every era of the classic sports carECD Automotive Design’s one-off commission caters to a client who wanted to combine the greatest hits of Jaguar’s E-Type along with modern conveniences and more power
-
Casa Sanlorenzo debuts in Venice as a new hub for contemporary artThe luxury yachting leader unveils a stunning new space in a palazzo restored by Piero Lissoni – where art, innovation, and sustainability come together
-
Once vacant, London's grand department stores are getting a new lease on lifeThanks to imaginative redevelopment, these historic landmarks are being rebonr as residences, offices, gyms and restaurants. Here's what's behind the trend
-
Slate is an ultra-simple EV truck intended as an affordable and customisable workhorseSlate designer Tisha Johnson discusses her role at the US electric truck start-up, a company that wants its customers to have complete freedom of expression
-
We drive the World and UK Car of the Year, the all-electric Kia EV3The new Kia EV3 is an EV for the masses that doesn’t skimp on design detail, features and overall functional elegance
-
The Peugeot E-5008 is an adept but ostentatious take on the all-electric SUVPeugeot has swapped its seductive design language for something shoutier and less discrete as it attempts to conquer the electric SUV segment with the new E-5008
-
The Micra (finally) goes electric as Nissan ramps up its range of EVsThe compact Nissan Micra was once a global bestseller. After getting an early head start on electric mobility, the Japanese giant is looking to a new version of its small car to recharge its status
-
Mika Cars wants to build the Mino, a sporty, ultra-compact electric two-seater for the open roadAn evolution of Mika’s Meon electric beach buggy, the little Mino is an ultra-light EV with big-car aspirations
-
Our pick of the reveals at the 2025 New York Auto Show, from concept SUVs to new EVsInterest in overseas brands remained strong at this year’s NY Auto Show despite the threat of tariffs designed to boost American-owned brands
-
Mercedes-Benz previews its next-gen people mover with an ultra-luxury EV conceptThe Mercedes-Benz Vision V Concept is an art deco picture palace on wheels, designed to immerse passengers in parallel worlds as they travel
-
2025 Seoul Mobility Show report: all that's new and notableOpened at a time of high national drama, the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show has gone on to underscore Korea’s place at the cutting edge of the auto industry. Guy Bird was there
