Demand for Mini car hire could increase in the near future as a result of growing popularity of superminis among consumers.

Compact and sporty vehicles such as the iconic Mini - designed 50 years ago by Sir Alec Issigonis and given a new lease of life by BMW in recent years - have gained popularity as people become concerned about the environment.

Writing in the Independent about a "dinky car revolution", Sean O'Grady said that the tiny vehicles "are so fantastically good" nowadays because apart from being cheaper to run, they are eco-friendly.

"Even if you don't take much interest in cars, you cannot have failed to notice the new trendy, gorgeous little cars that have been appearing on our roads," he wrote.

Commenting on the reinvention of the Mini in 2000, the writer said that BMW was keen to ensure the new version "would be built to the same standards as a BMW 7-series saloon".

This determination has seen the company roll out a variety of award-winning Minis such as the John Cooper Works, One, Mayfair and Clubman.

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