This week"s Auto Express...

This week"s Auto Express magazine reveals the pictures that uncover the Korean manufacturer"s plans for a petrol/electric variant of its next-generation Accent - and it could be on sale in the UK in the coming year.

The mag"s spies caught an undisguised production version of the eco-friendly hatch out in the open. As you can see, the Hyundai wears hybrid badges, and features an interesting and unique dash with digital dials showing battery life, charge and the assistance that"s coming from the cell.

We can also reveal what"s under the bonnet, where hybrid badges are clearly visible. As with petrol/electric rivals, this Accent uses engine motion to charge a special battery when cruising. It can then power the car at walking pace in traffic or provide extra pace under full throttle.

Official details about the new car are still secret, but Hyundai"s plans to expand its range across the globe are already well publicised. The new Accent will come here in three-door form only next summer, with conventional petrol and diesel engines. No official announcement has been made on whether the hybrid will follow, but growing demand for green cars means it"s expected to appear in showrooms by the end of 2006.

The Accent isn"t the first Hyundai to get hybrid power, as a petrol/electric version of the Getz supermini is already sold in the firm"s native Korea. Adapting the technology for a larger hatchback signals bosses" commitment to eco-friendly engines.