Finally a James Bond edition car you can actually afford

James Bond movies have featured all kinds of great cars, motorcycles, and even airplanes on the silver screen for six decades. Some of these vehicles, including watches and other luxury accessories, have received their special “James Bond” editions. Usually, these things are much more expensive than a mortal can afford, but here’s one that isn’t. Moke America’s 60 Years of Bond Edition Electric Moke lets you imitate a tiny slice of that Bond life for just $US28,975 ($40,223).

The adorable Mini Moke has been around since the early 1960s. At the time, Sir Alec Issigonis had been working on a vehicle constructed from Mini parts with a utility body on top. The idea was a vehicle that British Motor Corporation could use to compete with Land Rover’s military vehicles. But by 1963, the idea that the Moke would be an army machine was gone. Instead, it would serve farmers and commercial users and eventually spawn a passenger car.

Photo: Moke America

Little Moke became famous through television, music videos, and movies. James Bond movies had an unexpected fondness for the Moke, with the boxy little vehicle appearing in You Only Live Twice, Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Moonraker.

The Mini Moke eventually became popular as a mini off-roader and beach cruiser. The original ceased production in 1992 but was brought back to life in 2012 with the help of China’s Chery Automotive and its subsidiary Sicar Engineering. The new car, now called Moke, went on sale in America in 2016 as a low-speed electric car.

Since then, the new Moke’s biggest claim to fame was probably when the Kardashians got a small fleet of them. But Moke America – the distributor of the small electric cars – has sparked interest in it with more than one James Bond edition. Moke America first released a white and blue 007 San Monique Edition, and now there are the 60 Years of Bond Edition.

Photo: Moke America

As the name suggests, this one celebrates the 60th anniversary of the first Bond film, Dr. No, from 1962. The Moke has a wooden steering wheel, a light brown interior, and Bond graphics, from sequential dots to 60th-anniversary badges.

But the cool part is the price. This vehicle piece of Bond memorabilia is just $US28,975 ($40,223), or about $US6,000 ($8,329) more than a regular topped Moke. Compare that to the Bond Edition Land Rover Defender, which starts at $115,950 ($160,962), a $15,000 ($20,823) premium. And who can forget the Aston Martin DB9 GT Bond Edition and its $237,007 ($329,013) price, a car that started at $203,000 ($281,805) without the Bond stuff?

Photo: Moke America

Of course, one drawback of this cheap Bond car is that you can’t drive it anywhere. The top speed is 40 km/h, the battery range is only 40 miles, and a full charge takes eight hours. Still, it’s a Bond edition that doesn’t have six numbers, which is neat.