The Commodore 64, the darling of the 1980s computer world, is to return this summer.

The rights to the name were bought by Florida-based company Commodore USA, which is looking to capitalise on any lingering affection for the brand.

The new Commodore 64 retains its predecessor's all-in-one keyboard design, although the familiar beige livery is usurped by a metallic silver design. The ‘64’ no longer refers to the 64KB of memory, but (rather conveniently) to the 64-bit processor.

It will be released in a variety of configurations. The top-of-the-range model will sport an Intel Core 2 Quad processor, up to 4GB of RAM, a 2TB hard disk and gigabit Ethernet. The computer will ship with Ubuntu Linux, although it can be "upgraded" to Windows 7.

The company plans to introduce lesser-powered models designed purely for web surfing and email, that are fitted with a 5W power supply, according to company president Barry Altman.

The old Commodore 64

Commodore USA has yet to announce pricing for the new-look 64, and the company's not sure whether it will arrive on these shores. “It’ll initially be released in the US [on 1 June] and maybe we’ll roll it out later to the rest of the world,” Altman added.

The original Commodore 64 was released in 1982 and swiftly became a household name. The machine continued to sell until 1994, when the firm filed for bankruptcy.

Several attempts have been made to rehash the Commodore brand over the years, including as gaming machines in 2007.

What do you mean return? I've still got an original in the loft.

The ,8 was so it knew to load from the floppy drive rather than cassette

Yes I thought that but it is only a C64 in name.