Volkswagen has teamed up with apple to create the iBeetle. A car with all the comforts and reliability of the VW, fully integrated with a newly designed docking station and special iPhone application into the dashboard.
The Volkswagen iBeetle is nothing but the marriage of Volkswagen’s iconic Beetle and Apple’s equally iconic iPhone. The car comes in seven different exterior colors (including the gorgeous “Candy White” and “Deep Black Pearl Effect”) with galvano grey and chrome handles and wheel covers. The iBeetle will come in Coupe and Convertible models and features a centrally located docking port specially designed in collaboration with Apple that allows a docked or undocked iPhone to interface with the vehicle using the Beetle app.
The iPhone interface provides the driver with a wide variety of functions, including navigation and streaming of online radio and playlists through the car’s sound system. There’s also an “Expert” mode that allows the driver to monitor monitor car performance, a “Trainer” mode for comparing driving times and fuel economy over different routes as well as sharing traffic tips with other drivers, and a “Milestones” mode that rewards the driver for completing various tasks. And, of course, it can also be used to make hands-free phone calls. Black Vienna leather sports seats stand out with light ceramique seams. Owning an iPhone is obviously key to enjoying the new capabilities, but users must also download the Beetle app that puts a new array of digital accessories at your fingertips, including Spotify, Postcard (allows the driver to send a digital postcard complete with map showing the iBeetle’s location) and Photo (which uses the iPhone camera to send images of the iBeetle’s interior over social networks).
In other words, of all the automotive eye candy being exhibited at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show, this specific model is sure to catch people’s attention, just for the name alone, if not for its beauty. As for the actual production… Volkswagen plans to launch the iBeetle and iBeetle Convertible at the start of 2014, though it will begin advanced sales this October.
