Hyundai ute concept for 2013

Hyundai has repeatedly poured cold water on rumours that it is planning a light commercial vehicle to take on the Toyota HiLux and Volkswagen Amarok, side stepping the issue by saying it is merely "studying" the idea of the vehicle.

And while the company has no plans to develop a new ute platform just yet, there is momentum from within the company's design team to get the project off the ground - and we may see the fruits of this in 2013. Although it's a stretch from concept coupe to production pick-up, an LCV from Hyundai could be expected to incorporate some of the styling cues from the i-onic design study (pictured) unveiled in Geneva last month.

K.C Hyen, Creative Design Manager for Hyundai in Korea, revealed his passion for utes in an interview with Australian media. Hyen was raised in Australia and in response to questions from motoring.com.au, he said that he would love to design a ute.

"My personal [choice] If I had a chance to design any car, I would probably do a pickup truck, a ute."

Hyen explained that every two years Hyundai conducts a "Vision" project, which allows all Hyundai designers to create whatever they wish, with the best 25 design shown at the Seoul motor show. Some even make it to production - the Veloster was one such design.

"We do have what we call a "Vision" project where designers can actually have their own project and their own concept and develop their ideas and make a scale model and present it to the top management.

"[It] goes up to vice chairman and top ranking officials. We have it every two years ... we spent nearly $2million giving designers freedom to do whatever they want; no holds barred design. It's like, no one's going stop you from coming up with ideas."

When motoring.com.au asked Hyen if a ute was being designed internally as part of the "Vision" project, he confirmed that it was, but that he would not be personally contributing.

"Unfortunately I lead design for that [Vision] project as well so I... didn't have time to place my own proposal there. Luckily someone else is doing that [ute] for next year, which is going to be open for Seoul motor show next year. It's a heavy competition and there'll be about 100 ideas vying for 25 positions.

"There's a strong support and push in top management that designers keep their knives sharpened for their creative activity. One of the projects which started as a "Vision" project ... was Veloster. It was actually launched in 2007 with absolutely no production in mind, and it was released [internally] in 2007, everyone loved [it] and the chairman basically said give it go."

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