Among Volkswagen subsidiaries, Skoda won’t be hogging all the attention at the Geneva auto show. While the Czech division will be showing its second-generation Superb flagship, Seat is tipped to be unveiling the replacement for its entry-level Ibiza hatchback at the Swiss show in March.

While other automakers oftentimes opt to show the sportier three-door version of their compact hatchbacks to garner more attention, the model Seat will show in Switzerland is expected to be the five-door hatch, while the three-door is anticipated to debut later in the year. Styling is expected to follow the lead of its Seat stable-mates, as seen in the renderings above and at right, courtesy of our compadres over at Autoblog Spanish.

The Seat Ibiza is the Spanish division’s bread-and-butter model and accounts for a whopping 40% of its sales worldwide, and with the current model Seat hopes to solidify its place in the Volkswagen hierarchy.

[Source: AutoBlog]

More news on the microcar front comes in the form of “confidential planning documents” procured by Automobilwoche outlining Volkswagen’s plan for its rear-wheel-drive compacts over the next nine years. VW considers the launch of its new “Small Family” lineup of RWD vehicles as the most important launch since the Beetle was fazed out in favor of the Golf in 1974.

Production of the new minicars will being in 2010, likely utilizing the Skoda plant in Vrchlabi, within the Czech Republic, with 100,000 vehicles destined for Europe sporting the Volkswagen badge, and another 100,000 wearing Skoda and Seat logos. Variants of the uber-compact three-door are expected to come in at about 3500mm long, sporting a price tag under €8,000, with a five-door version, stretched by 80mm and priced around €9,450.

[Source: Auto Blog]