1. Five of the Best Cars for Her this Xmas
2. Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster
3. Audi TT Roadster
4. MINI Cooper
5. Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupé
6. Nissan Micra C+C

Not every woman wants a cabriolet, convertible, folding hardtop or a roadster, especially at this time of year. There are not a lot of cars to get excited about once the purchase price comes down below £15,000, but it never fails to surprise me how enthused women get about the MINI Cooper, in essence just a little three-door hatchback.

Of course, the new MINI has become much more than that, utilising the original's good name to recreate a cult following, though there are no funny handshakes or initiation ceremonies to enter this club, just a predilection for funky styling and entertaining driving dynamics.

The MINI is a clever piece of marketing though, as it manages to appeal to both men and women buyers. One aspect of MINI ownership, or at least MINI purchasing, that will appeal more to women is the vast, and I mean VAST, array of colour, trim and accessory options available. With the launch of the second-generation new MINI, the range of options has grown exponentially, which will probably be said of the car's sales too...

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