Italdesign is preparing to show two ideas for small Volkswagens at next week’s Geneva motor show, judging from this series of patent images that have leaked onto the internet.

The two cars are a rakish three-door and a more upright five-door. The first of the pair looks like a prospective study for a replacement for the current Scirocco. It has a full-length panoramic glass roof and its front end is dominated by a particularly slim headlight and grille treatment.

There’s a deep scallop in the door, drawn from what looks like a small vent at the rear of the front wheel arch. The car also features a ‘pinstripe’ of colour that runs from front wing to the edge of the tail.

Italdesign - the firm of Giorgetto Giugiaro, the designer of the original Golf and Scirocco - is also using both cars to experiment with ‘panels’ (plastics, most likely) within the glass area. The coupé study has a spoiler in the middle of the rear hatch, while the five-door also gets a pronounced strip that floats within the side glass and houses a small camera instead of a side mirror.

The five-door’s upright stance makes it more likely to be a Polo replacement - or even a larger development of VW’s forthcoming Up vehicles. The car features a slimline front grille treatment that’s similar to that of the three-door concept, an angular waistline and a large glasshouse enhanced by a panoramic roof.

VW has yet to comment on the renderings. But given that the firm now owns Italdesign, and that the cars feature prominent Volkswagen branding, the reaction at Geneva could well affect the future styling direction of Golf, Polo and Scirocco.