Volkswagen announces iBeetle with full iPhone 5 integration

Volkswagen is taking in-car iPhone integration to the next level with the debut of its new iBeetle at the Shanghai Auto Show. The new Beetle, which is also available as the iBeetle Cabriolet, offers a specially designed iPhone 5 dock and app. Volkswagen says both the iBeetle and iBeetle Cabriolet will be available in early 2014.


The dock, which sits above the iBeetle’s in-dash display, provides users with access to host of the iPhone 5′s functions, including navigation, hands-free calling and media streaming.

The iBeetle app, called Volkswagen Car Net The Beetle, enables users to access to the Spotify app, as well as seven different drive modes. There’s Expert, Reader, Trainer, Postcard, Photos, Post and Milestone.
Expert mode lets users measure the number of G’s they’re pulling while behind the wheel as well as engine temperature and other functions. Reader mode can read your social media feeds such as Facebook and Twitter to you, while Trainer mode helps measure your fuel economy and driving times and distances.
The Postcard and Photo modes can send your GPS coordinates, while the Photo mode takes a picture of the interior of your car and sends it off to your friends or family. The Milestone mode, which is available when the iPhone 5 is undocked, provides you with a variety of milestones, which you receive rewards for when passed.
Volkswagen hasn’t released pricing for the iBeetle yet, but it has revealed that advanced sales will begin in October 2013.