MINI is taking personalisation to a new level by allowing owners to design their own trim panels online and have them made using 3D printing.

The new service will be rolled out during 2018 and will enable MINI fans to create their own patterns for their car's indicator surrounds, the door sills, interior features and the LED puddle lights.

There's even the option of using laser etching to include text in the designs.

The MINI Yours Customised service has been devised by parent company BMW in conjunction with Hewlett-Packard and the parts will be produced in Germany.

Prices and details of precisely what can be done using the system will be announced early in the new year but it is understood a set of personalised kick plates will be in the region of £150.

Already, MINI has said that the scope of the service will go as far as allowing different designs for each side of the car to include the name of the driver and passenger.

All of the parts will be removable clip-on attachments and can be fitted at home or at a MINI garage.

The new custom service uses an online configurator to create the designs which are then transmitted to Germany for 3D printing.

MINI says turn round time will be a matter of weeks and all parts -which will be available on new and existing cars - conform to crash test regulations.