1966 Mini Moke, South African import for sale.

Some cars have found an unlikely cult status thanks to their presence in popular culture, and the Mini Moke is one of the most significant.

Developed by the British Motor Corporation with the primary purpose of being an inexpensive, simple-to-build and air-portable military vehicle based on the Mini, the Moke was originally a bit of a disaster – its low ground clearance and lack of off-road ability making it less popular with the forces than BMC expected. An ill-fated experiment with a twin-engined four-wheel-drive model was attempted but was far too complex.

It was never the utilitarian success for which BMC had hoped, but the Moke more than made up for it by becoming an icon in its own right, beloved of celebrities including Brigitte Bardot and Michael Caine (both of whom were enthusiastic owners) and made famous by TV series and films including Captain Scarlet, The Persuaders, The Avengers, Tiny The Giraffe, UFO, Catch us if You Can, The Man with the Golden Gun and Moonraker. But it was the car’s starring role in cult TV series The Prisoner, around which the Welsh village of Portmeirion was built, that truly gave it fame – a fleet of four Mokes being used to ferry the village’s incumbents around as taxis and starring in every episode.

The Moke was also a big export success for BMC, for while the British weather didn’t really offer much opportunity to enjoy what was essentially a pared-down Mini with a canvas roof and no heater, other climes made it much more attractive, especially Commonwealth countries where cars could be constructed locally and imported in kit form.

And that’s what we have here – a 1966 Mini Moke assembled in South Africa, where it has lived for the 54 years of its life so far. The car was fully restored last year and has now been imported into the UK to enjoy a second life, with a fresh paint job and an assurance that there’s no hidden rot.