Rumours from themotorreport, an even-smaller MINI are gathering momentum this week, thanks to comments from the brand’s boss in Germany this week.

Speaking with the Financial Times Deutschland, MINI CEO Wolfgang Armbrecht suggested a new small concept could appear at next month’s Detroit Auto Show, or at March’s Geneva show.

”We have always been motivated by the idea to build a small spacious car,” Mr Armbrecht said. “Keep a close on the coming months.”

Riding on BMW’s light (or ‘sub-light’) Megacity architecture – officially destined for a range of BMW-badged city cars – the potential new entry-level MINI would offer the brand an even stronger connection to the tiny Mini cars of the 60s.

While Armbrecht offered little else, earlier reports and comments from MINI and BMW insiders suggest that not only with the coming concept be a new ‘mini MINI’, but that it will signal a new evolution in the brand’s iconic styling.

“The idea to create a highly compact Mini model is one that has been on the agenda for quite a while,” a source reportedly told the UK’s Autoweek in September.