THE Mini still has maximum appeal here in Britain, and whether it's for a new or used BMW version, or one of the original Austin or Morris icons, demand is still massive.

A million people, for example, searched for a nearly-new Mini in February at a dedicated online facility. And Mini UK has responded to this huge surge in interest for its approved used cars with a complete redevelopment of that Mini Cherished website.

Now, British customers will be able to locate a used Mini faster and more easily at website www.minicherished.co.uk The site's one million hits in February equates to a staggering 91.5 per cent increase on searches for the same period in 2007.

Pre-owned Minis attract amazing resale values, and, combined with low ownership costs, they are proving irresistible to UK buyers. Sales of used examples through the website are already up 25.2 per cent over the first two months of last year.

Anyone who visits the site will be able to compare a shortlist of Minis, and even if they cannot find exactly the right car, there is an alert service with email, SMS or MMS text formats for potential buyers to make use of.

The website's revised summary page shows pictures of all Minis that match the selected criteria, and every Mini gets a 12-month warranty, a year's breakdown cover, and comes with full service history and an independent vehicle history and mileage check. With used examples highly sought-after, it's little wonder that the estate version, the Clubman, attracted tremendous interest from BMW dealers throughout the country when it made its official used car market debut at a special sale staged at British Cars Auctions' (BCA) Nottingham centre. Buyers representing no fewer than 54 BMW dealerships attended the event, with a further 24 dealers bidding over the Internet.

Seven examples of the Mini Cooper S Clubman were offered, and sold for an average of £18,150, well in excess of projected resale values.

Another 48 Mini hatchbacks also sold strongly, for an average of £14,800, and seven diesel examples of the Cooper averaged more than £15,250.

BCA's national account manager, Paul Dunn, merely states the obvious when he said: "The iconic Cooper S Clubman made a strong debut, which suggests it will be a successful and desirable model as a used car."

The car's appeal is such that it can even boost your social life, according to new research into online social networking.

Research just published by Carcraft, the UK's longest-established used car hypermarket chain, found many thousands of car owners are joining Facebook groups set up specifically to exchange messages and advice with fellow owners of the same make of car. And - you've guessed - Mini Cooper drivers were the friendliest of all, according to the firm's survey, with more than 20,000 drivers networking across more than 300 groups. Frances Brown, a 26-year-old Mini Cooper driver from Manchester, says of her Facebook friends: "I regularly post messages to other Mini drivers in the group, to share information on anything from repair costs to different models and new accessories."

If the older, pre-BMW version of the Mini is more your thing, then go along to British Mini Day, on Sunday, May 11.

While it also includes the newer model, it is essentially a celebration of all things Mini, and looks set to attract thousands of fans of the iconic marque to the Himley Hall, Dudley, near Wolverhampton, West Midlands, venue.

Tickets are £6 for adults, and under 12s get in free. For further information, call 01384 897 779 or visit www.britishminiclub.co.uk